Lean Launch Pad @ UMass Amherst

Hi Everyone,

The timing could not be worse but we no longer have access to Launch Pad Central.  I apologize for this but there doesn’t seem to be anything that can be done.  If you remember, at the beginning of the semester I mentioned that we were having trouble paying for the software because UMass’ procurement policies conflict with those of the vendor.  Our office has worked hard all semester attempting to resolve this issue, but in the end neither side would bend.  As a result the vendor apparently decided to terminate our license, with the termination strategically timed to coincide with the end of the semester.

We had no warning this was to occur and, as I mentioned at this point there seems little that can be done.  I know this will be an inconvenience to many of you as you continue to develop your final presentations.  All I can ask is for your understanding and for you to continue on the best you can.  Thanks, and lets not let this put a damper of what has been a great semester.  Best,  Bill Wooldridge

The teaching team is looking forward to seeing the “lessons learned” presentations and video in class next week. We hope you are finding the opportunity to reflect on your work this semester.

Please plan to submit a PDF of your presentation along with a link to your video (or a video file) to Jared Rand no later than the beginning of the class period in which your team is presenting.

To help you prepare for the upcoming lessons learned presentations, Karen Utgoff will hold office hours this week on:

• Wednesday, April 22 from 8:30 to 10:30am at Peet’s Coffee in the ILC
• Thursday, April 23 from 3:30 to 5:30pm also at Peet’s

This post provides links to materials from the April 14/15 classes as well as a number of related links.

Thanks to Robert MacWright, Director of the Technology Transfer Office and Burnley Jaklevic, Senior Licensing Officer, for presenting “The Four Flavors of Intellectual Property: Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks and Trade Secrets.” The  blog post on  Intellectual property links and information has links to other resources.  As follow up to a question that was asked in the April 15 class, Senior Licensing Officer, Burnley Jaklevi. sends along http://www.reelseo.com/youtube-copyright-ownership/

Special Topics: Entrepreneurial Marketing, Financial Projections for Startups, Sources of Funding, Business Model to Business Plan presentation:

• PDF version: 2015-04-14 and 15 special topics
• PPTX version: 2015-04-14 and 15 special topics

Lean LaunchPad Lessons-Learned Day Presentation Training

• PDF version: elabstorytelling073113-130731234747-phpapp01
• PPTX version cannot be uploaded due to file size.

Related links on presentations:

• “Six tips on how scientists and engineers can excite, rather than bore, an audience” by Melissa Marshall
• “How to make your presentations great… and why it matters” by Karen Utgoff. This post contains a number of additional links that will help you improve your abilities to craft and deliver presentations, including Amy Cuddy’s TED talk.

Karen Utgoff’s office hours for April 15 are cancelled. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Please email to schedule an appointment.

VentureWell’s E-Team Program helps collegiate technology entrepreneurs by providing early-stage support and funding in three stages:

Stage 1 (market analysis): $5,000

Stage 2 (business model development): $20,000

Stage 3 (investment readiness): $50,000

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Here is a worksheet to help you think through activities at a high level and in more detail. While the business model canvas has room only for a high-level list of general activity areas (e.g., protect intellectual property, secure funding, develop website), the worksheet can help your team explore them at a more detailed level. Add or deleted rows as needed.

For teams that might be interested in crowdfunding as a way to attract early customers and/or get funding for early products here is some information:

• Blog post from Karen Utgoff, “About Crowdfunding: Advice from the experts and the experienced” with links to very useful videos from successful crowdfunding campaigners and others.

• Successful Kickstarter campaign for PetSimpl, which won last year’s UMass Innovation Challenge as Rescue Collar and went on to the MassChallenge accelerator program

• What We Learned From Our (Successful!) Kickstarter” by Adina Luo  and Molly Liu in the Wharton Entrepreneurship Blog

• Articles on crowdfunding from Entrepreneur magazine