1. 1 Start-Ups at RIT Mick Stadler Executive Director High Tech Incubator April 20 and 21, 2005

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3. 3 “TO BE OR NOT TO BE” (Deciding to Start a Company) 1. What’s the Problem? 2. Who’s Going to Buy It? 3. You and Who? 4. Why will You Win? 5. How will You Operate? 6. What’s Your Needs?

4. 4 What’s the Problem? (Choosing the Solution) u Evolutionary or Revolutionary? u Practical Application(s)? u Advantages & Uniqueness? u Protection & Barriers? u Present Status? u What Needs to be Done? u Milestones (Time, Money, Risk)?

5. 5 Who’s Going to Buy It? u 1st Product/Service? 2nd Act? u “Nice” to Have or “Must” have? u Identified Customers? u Strategy for Approaching Customers? u Customers Willing/Able to Pay? u How Big is the Market? u What’s Your piece?

6. 6 You and Who? u Your Role? u Willingness to bring in Others? u Availability of Others? u Have Ya’ll done it Before? u Can you Raise Money? u Ability to “Scramble”? u Do you enjoy “Pain”?

7. 7 Why Will You Win? u Differentiator versus Today’s Solution? u Who Else is Offering a Solution? u Who is the “ 500# Gorilla”? u Is a New Solution Needed (Today)? u Why will Customers Change Solutions? u What do you see as “Risks”?

8. 8 How Will You Operate? u What Kind of Company? u R&D Strategy? u Manufacturing Options? u Sales Function? u Distribution Channel(s)? u Customer Support? u “Value” Creation or How do you make ME ($$$) Rich?

9. 9 What’s Your Needs? u Talented Team, Advisors, Board, etc? u The “PITCH”? u The “PLAN”? u The “HALLO”? u The “FUNDS”? u Business “Infrastructure”? u A Place to “Hang-your-Hat”?