Next Phase Newsletter

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

Life Science Nation (LSN) prepares early-stage entrepreneurs for their Global Roadshow Campaign. There are many tools in the LSN toolkit that we provide to make this happen. One of the tools is the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC). A key component of the Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) Conference Series, the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC), is an opportunity for early-stage life science and healthcare companies to apply to gain additional exposure to conference attendees and pitch directly to a panel of judges, featuring active investors and industry experts. Each finalist company also prepares a posterboard to be showcased in the exhibit hall and competes for “RESI Cash,” which attendees use to “invest” in their favorite presenters for the final prizes. The value of the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge comes from the real-time critique IPC finalists receive from the judging panel and the experience the finalists gain by pitching their technology to relevant industry leaders.

We are accepting applications for the RESI South 2024 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge until Wednesday, February 21. Learn more about the IPC and apply here!

Hear from past IPC finalists and Investor Judge: 

Vanessa Williamson, CEO, Gliachem:“A 4-minute pitch is not easy. There is an opportunity to add a bunch more content than you would with just a standard elevator pitch, but you can’t overload. Coming up with a succinct message that focused on the problem, solution, differentiation and market opportunity was key. As tempting as it was to get deep into the science, we focused on the business opportunity. The LSN and RESI resources were also invaluable. We attended the prep session you offered and followed the recommendations with respect to focus.”

Dr. Alberto Ramos Vernieri, Chief Scientific Officer, Untech:“This prize is exactly that because the judges of the contest are people with a lot of experience and well recognized in the field. Each question from this kind of person is always useful to learn more about those things you can’t learn in other ways.”

Dr. Gennady Bratslavsky, Co-Founder & Partner at Avicella Capital:“An opportunity for us to have a good deep look during the presentations. It also gives an opportunity to provide feedback…It is an opportunity to put their best foot forward and an opportunity to have great exposure.”

David Medina, PhD, Co-founder at Novaurum Biosciences:“I had the opportunity to pitch for the first time at RESI in Boston.  I was impressed by the quality of the questions I was asked by the investor judges, and it was great to be able to continue the conversation over a drink at the end of the day. We are currently still in conversation with some of them. I also think it helped us get more meetings with investors at RESI. A great experience!” 

To learn more and hear about how to prepare for the IPC, LSN offers free webinars. You can listen here to a previous recording Preparing for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge.

Applications for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge are now open for RESI South.

Joey Wong, Senior Investor Research Analyst, Hong Kong BD, LSN

Life Science Nation (LSN) has curated a program of investor panels for our first RESI South, set to take place in person on March 25th in Atlanta, GA and virtually on March 26-27. We are thrilled to announce a compelling lineup for the Seed Funds panel, featuring 5 dynamic investors who specialize in providing seed-stage financing to startups in the life science and healthcare sectors.

The discussion will center on strategies and approaches on investing in the earliest stage of life science/healthcare assets. The panelists will delve into considerations investors face when dealing with high-risk, high-reward opportunities, what they look for when assessing these prospects, tactical advice for entrepreneurs seeking seed-stage financing, and much more. Our panelists represent a diverse range of backgrounds, expertise and geographic focuses, each bringing a unique perspective and wealth of experience to the table, making this discussion invaluable for fundraising entrepreneurs or investors looking to expand their portfolio. Please see below for the panelist lineup:

Peter Alff Senior Venture Partner Orange Grove Bio

Sinclair Dunlop Managing Partner Epidarex Capital

Deborah Hemingway Managing Partner Ecphora Capital

Michelle (Waye) Leeuwon Program Manager for Product Development Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)

Ron Levin Managing Partner Alumni Ventures

At LSN, we recognize the pivotal role that early-stage investments play in driving innovation and shaping the future of healthcare, and through our RESI panels, we aim to cultivate dialogue between investors and entrepreneurs, offering actionable insights and unparalleled networking opportunities.

We look forward to fostering connections and communications between the local ecosystem and the broader life science and healthcare innovation community through our inaugural RESI South. Join us in-person on March 25th or virtually on March 26-27, and we can’t wait to see you there!