Beyond the Pitch: Why Life Science Startups Fail and How BD Assist Closes the Execution Gap

29 Jul

A deeper dive into what really moves the needle for early-stage fundraising

By Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, Life Science Nation (LSN)

DF-News-09142022A few weeks ago, we introduced BD Assist, Life Science Nation’s full-service global partnering campaign designed to take the burden of business development off the founder’s desk and get real investor meetings on the calendar. The response from experienced founders was immediate.

Here is the truth: BD Assist is not for first-time founders who are still learning the ropes. It is built for the second, third, or fourth time scientist-entrepreneur. The one who already knows how hard this game is, who is tired of chasing down investor meetings between running a company, and who understands the real value of having a professional team help run the global campaign infrastructure.

If you missed the original rollout, you can view the BD Assist overview deck here for a clear breakdown of how the system works.

Why Execution Still Kills Good Science
Even with scientific momentum and breakthrough data, more than 90 percent of early-stage life science companies still fail. Not because the science is not good, but because most founders never make it through the long middle: the grind of targeting, messaging, outreach, and follow-up. They do not reach enough of the right capital investors and licensing partners. They do not have a CRM that tracks investor touchpoints. They do not have time to build and run a campaign while also managing a preclinical program or preparing for the next financing round.

BD Assist exists to fill that gap. To build the campaign, manage the outreach, and hand the founder a pipeline of matched meetings so they can do what they do best. Show up, pitch hard, and close deals.

What BD Assist Actually Does
At its core, BD Assist is a global investor and partner matching engine, backed by a professional services team that handles the heavy lifting. It is not just coaching or strategy. It is a full campaign execution.

  • Matching 600 to 800 capital investors and licensing partners based on stage, product, and deal profile
  • Direct introductions, meeting scheduling, and post-meeting follow-up across LSN’s global network and the RESI conference series
  • CRM setup and outreach execution so you can track progress, engagement, and pipeline movement
  • Messaging and content coaching to sharpen your story across decks, summaries, and calls
  • Strategic support from executive coaches who have helped close hundreds of investor and licensing deals

Need to See the System
Watch our Investor Database demo to understand how we match based on fit, not just category.
Take our free campaign readiness assessment to see if you are ready to scale your outreach.
Or sign up for the next RESI Conference to meet matched investors and pitch in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge.

This BD Assist Model Works
Our partnership with the Brisbane Economic Development Agency proved it. Over the course of two years, 90% of companies raised more than $ 110 million. Why? Because we did not just teach them how to pitch. We provided them with a comprehensive global campaign system and assisted in its implementation. Click here to read the case study article.

Who is BD Assist Really For
BD Assist is for scientist-entrepreneurs who are already in motion. Founders who have been through a raise know how time-consuming investor engagement really is and are ready to hand off the execution to a trusted team.

Your job is to show up to meetings and move the needle. Our job is to fill the calendar with the right meetings, every week, for the next 9 to 18 months.

Want to Get Started
Contact resi@lifesciencenation.com to learn more.

Because in life sciences, science gets you noticed. Execution gets you funded.

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