1. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR Full Proposal Presentation
Project Title
BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR
Full Proposal Presentation
Date
Presenter(s) Name(s)
The presentation format should follow the sections and information provided in the Full Proposal Application. In the ten minutes allotted, the presentation should focus on the main points of each section. The 15-minute Q&A that follows is an opportunity for the External Review Committee to clarify any open questions with the PI before deliberating on the proposals that will be funded. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the project plan and perhaps make suggestions that better align it to addressing key market questions.
Note to Presenter | Format: The presentation format should follow the sections and information provided in the Full Proposal Application. Time Management: Ten minutes is allotted for the presentation. The content should focus on the main points of each section. Then, a 15-minute Q&A follows. This is an opportunity for the External Review Committee to clarify any open questions before deliberation. It is also an opportunity to discuss the project plan and perhaps make suggestions to better align the project to address key market questions.
Empire State Development is supporting UB, Roswell, Jacobs Institute, HWI, and Kaleida Health to help commercialize technologies generated through research.

2. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
The Problem
Describe the problem or need that your product/service is intended to address.
Who is the target customer?
Describe using a case study example/scenario.
Use graphs and pictures (one photo is best).
Support with what you learned in Customer Discovery.
The goal is to get everyone nodding & “buying-in” that there is a significant customer problem.
It is best if you can support the Problem statement with published data or, even better, customer discovery feedback that supports the hypothesis that this is indeed a significant customer problem.

3. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
The Solution
Explain your solution to the problem and why it is superior to existing alternatives.
How do you alleviate the “pain”?
Use the Feature/Benefit chart on the next slide (also from the Full Proposal) to illustrate you differentiating factors versus the main competitors.
Support with data or graphs.
Use “The Technology” slide (next slide) to provide the more scientific explanation of the technology.

4. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Competition
Feature/
Benefit
Your Product
Competitor 1
Competitor 2
Competitor 3
Ease of use
+++ + -
Reliability ++
Price
Safety
Efficacy
List the key features for the product category that are necessary for success. This slide gives basic examples (e.g. Reliability, Price, Safety) but you should list those believed to be most important to the target customer. List Your Product and up to three of the primary competitors. Then rate on a scale how each product satisfies that feature/benefit. In this example, Competitor 1 (+) and Competitor 2 (+) are better on “Ease of use” than Competitor 3 (-), but Your Product is superior to all three (+++). The Customer Discovery process helps you engage with potential customers to test your hypothesis that what you believe are the most important features/benefits are also what the customer thinks.

5. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
The Technology
Describe the technology or innovation underlying your envisioned product/service.
Use lay man’s language.
Tie to “The Solution”.
Avoid in-depth technical explanations.
Product photos and screen shots help.
Logical flow and architecture diagrams.
A simple description of a complex technology can be a challenge. If it can be done, it might mean that you really understand the problem and solution, and so will your audience.

6. Technical Feasibility
BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Technical Feasibility
Outline 1-2 key studies and findings to date that support the viability of your technology.
Address any other technical advances that might limit adoption (e.g. customer would have to purchase new equipment to use it).
A simple description of a complex technology can be a challenge. If it can be done, it might mean that you really understand the problem and solution, and so will your audience.

7. Intellectual Property
BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Intellectual Property
Describe patent applications (composition, device, method), software or other IP.
For patentable inventions, differentiate from key prior art.
For software, describe and open source or derivative work issues.
Also list potential new patent applications the are or will likely emerge from continued development.

8. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Market Potential
Describe your envisioned product or services.
Demonstrate your understanding of the size of the total addressable market (the revenue opportunity available to your product or service if there were no competitors).
Who are potential industry partners/licensees?
If you are considering a startup, are there other startups in the space that have raised money? How does your opportunity compare?
If you have more than one application/market, explain why you picked the first target market.

9. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Customer Discovery
Highlight key findings or insights about the problem, solution fit, competition, market or project plan obtained from customer discovery in the I-Corps program or from working with your Tech Transfer office.

10. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Project Plan
Define the tangible and measurable endpoints for each milestone.
Explain how the milestones were determined and if influenced by input from companies or customer discovery.
Copy the Milestone Gantt chart from your Full Proposal and paste using “Keep Source Formatting.”
No.
Milestone/Subtask
Budget
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
First Milestone
$xx,xxx
1.1
Subtask
1.2
Second Milestone
$yy,yyy
2.1
2.2
Third Milestone
$zz,zzz
3.1
3.2
TOTAL BUDGET $
Copy the Milestone Gantt chart from your Full Proposal. Information from the previous slides, Problem, Solution, Technology, Market Potential and Customer Discovery should all lead to defining and justifying the milestones proposed in your Project Plan. A this point that the External Review Committee should be agreeing that if this Project Plan is funded and the work is successful, it will (a) facilitate the formation of an investible start-up company that will further develop and commercialize the technology, or (b) enable an innovation to become more attractive for licensing and/or partnering with established companies.

11. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR PROPOSAL
Project Team and Roles
Name
Position
Role
Summarize the roles and responsibilities of the project team (PI, Co-PI, Students, Industry Collaborator) on the slide. Speak to their relevant experience for contributing to the successful completion of the Project Plan.

12. BUFFALO FUND: ACCELERATOR
Project Name
Discussion
15-minute Q&A. This is an opportunity for the External Review Committee to clarify any open questions before deliberation. It is also an opportunity to discuss the project plan and perhaps make suggestions to better align the project to address key market questions
Empire State Development is supporting UB, Roswell, Jacobs Institute, HWI, and Kaleida Health to help commercialize technologies generated through research.