Programs
Funding Expedition
Is your company ready for outside funding? Did you know that 98% of all funding comes from a personal introduction through a trusted network to a potential investor? Are you prepared for the long campaign to uncover and connect with the right investors who can help your company reach new heights?
TCN’s Funding Expedition helps entrepreneurs understand how to employ their business and personal networks to find sources of capital; examines the New England landscape of angel, individual, corporate and venture capital investment sources; and prepares and positions participants to successfully raise funds from potential investors.
The Funding Expedition consists of 4 comprehensive sessions during which you will be assigned a personal TCN Mentor and work with a team of TCN coaches to help prepare your plan and presentation to be “investor ready.”
Your TCN Mentor acts as your guide and works with you over a number of months throughout the Funding Expedition with suggestions and recommendations based on their relevant experience applied to your company. TCN Mentors are experienced professionals in the funding of seed and early stage companies and include entrepreneurs, angel investors, members of local angel groups, venture capitalists, VP’s of corporate business development, lawyers, bankers and auditors.
TCN Advisors are divided into two groups — Business and Investor and work as a team with the entrepreneur to improve the ability of your Company to attract capital. TCN Business Advisors are experienced entrepreneurs who have built companies and raised outside capital. TCN Investor Advisors are experienced professionals in the funding of seed and early stage companies.
There is no other program that gives an entrepreneur this preparation and connection into the local network of funding sources.
Join the Funding Expedition and begin your journey.
Session I
Funding Basecamp: Is Your Company’s Infrastructure Ready?
An experienced Mentor will be assigned by TCN and will work with the Entrepreneur for all four Sessions. In advance of the first meeting:
TCN will provide the Entrepreneur with a sample Executive Summary and Presentation from a company that has successfully raised outside capital.
The Entrepreneur will provide the Mentor with the Company’s Executive Summary and PowerPoint Presentation.
The Mentor will review the following areas to determine the Company’s suitability for funding: Problem Solved; Markets Served; Product/Service Offered; Development/Manufacturing Plan; Marketing and Sales Plans; Financials and Financial Management; Personnel, including Directors and Advisors; Corporate Structure; Law Firm; Intellectual Property; Funding Requirements and Sources; and Liquidity Plans.
Up to two in person or phone conferences will be provided in order to get the Entrepreneur better prepared for Session II. The Mentor will determine when the Entrepreneur is qualified to advance to Session II.
Session II
Business Advisors Forum: Prepare and Acclimate
This Session, conducted on alternating months, will feature a successful entrepreneur that has raised outside capital. An introduction to the language used by investors, the documents required and an overview of the investor landscape in New England will be provided. There are over 20 active angel groups and 100 venture capital firms in our local area, and thousands of active individual investors. Suggestions will be provided about where to look for funding sources and how to build and manage an investor database.
Entrepreneurs will then present their PowerPoint Presentation to the panel of Business Advisors having provided their Executive Summary in advance. Advisors will provide constructive suggestions to the Entrepreneur to improve the ability of the Company to raise outside capital. All Entrepreneurs will benefit by attending the sessions of the other presenters and participating in a networking session at the end of Session II.
The TCN assigned Mentor will be present for the session and will determine when their Entrepreneur is qualified to advance to Session III.
Session III
Investor Advisors Forum: Path to the Summit
This Session, conducted on alternating months, will start with a TCN-led discussion about the differences in approaching angels, angel groups, venture capitalists and corporations.
A panel of Investor Advisors will work privately with each entrepreneur. Investors will be from one or more of the following areas: angel investors, members of angel groups, venture capitalists, and VP’s of corporate business development. Your Investor Advisors will provide feedback and further help refine your pitch from the investor perspective. Where appropriate, suggestions for funding sources, and in some cases, introductions to funding sources will be provided. Companies who have reached this stage will be entered for six months into The Capital Network Internet-based Listing Service.
Session IV
Advisors Corner: Improving your Funding Hit Rate
Session IV is an informal discussion group where each entrepreneur will review their fund raising experiences and results and will receive feedback and new ideas from professional investors and peers for increasing their success at fund raising. The professional is experienced with raising funds from angels, angel groups and venture capitalists; and starting, buying and selling companies.
The fee for the Funding Expedition (all four Sessions) is regularly $795 per person or $495 per person for organizations affiliated with TCN. Given the limited number of companies that TCN can work with in any given session, priority will be given to TCN Season Pass holders.
Sessions are not available separately. Each company may have a maximum of two attendees. Fees are nonrefundable.
A confidential environment is guaranteed as part of our commitment to helping entrepreneurs succeed.
Interested entrepreneurs should contact TCN by email or by telephone at 978-846-3972.
