A3 Angels, the entrepreneurial club of EPFL alumni http://wwww.epfl/a3/angels

1. Who are
A3 Angels ?
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2. Who are A3 Angels ?
Members A3 Senior Angel A3 Micro Angel
Profile < 20 Successful >30 members
entrepreneurs 40+ years old
Senior managers Active professionals>
active or retired
Contribution Mentoring > 20 CHF x 3 year
Individual pooled seed
investments Reserve employees
> 50KCHF Active business
Sweat development network
Motivation Mentoring Sharing expertise
Relationships Long-term money
Technologies Entrepreneurs interest
Interest in region Interest in technology
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3. Contribute pieces to the coaching
and financing programs
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4. A3 Angels decision process
No
Business 25 Yes 15
plan Screening
A3 office Presentation
2nd Wed
Business
plan
No
Due Yes No
Advise Screening
diligence
Yes Individual Yes
decision
5 5
Yes
Report Vote Term sheet Mentoring
( objective 2009-10) > 500’000
No
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5. A3 Angels decision process
Scientific board Partners
Entrepreneur Employees
Team Regulations
Competition
Technology
•ICT, web
•MedTech, biotech
Context Economy
•CleanTech, environment
•Nano, Microtech
•Energy
Investment Opportunity
Structure Price Market Customers Timing
Business model
Source : William Sahlman, Harvard Business School
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6. 100 good questions
1. Business model ?
2. Why would customers buy ?
3. Are gross margins sufficient ?
4. Market size ?
5. Key challenges ?
6. Unique points : cost, technology, product
features, marketing, financing, team
7. Key bets ?
…
Source : The start-up process, HBS, case 394-067 John van Slyke et al.
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7. A3 Angels mentors : early-stage focus
Product Customer Customer
development acquisition development
Market research Value proposal Field operations
Standards Competitive position Customer service
Engineering talent Lead generation Customer satisfaction
Alpha, Beta, GA Pipeline Lifetime value
QA Sales & channels
Team building Finance & Admin
Interview Business models
Recruit Controls
Manage Financing
Compensate Plans and budgets
Evaluate Cash management
Develop Monitor and report
Integrate Prospective
Source : Valhalla Partners
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8. A3 Angels mentors : work with CTI coaches
> 40 CTI professional coaches
with entrepreneurial experience
Check Evaluation Coaching Arms length
CTI • High-Tech? • Market • Business plan coaching
• Innovative? • Technology • B-Development • Contracts
• In right area? • Management • Training • Funding
Advise Advise Support Mentor
A3 • Idea • Idea • Seed funding • Business
• Business • Business • Network • Network
3 weeks 4-6 weeks 6-18 months >24 mo.
A3 volunteer mentors with
professional experience
Source : CTI + A3
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9. How did we start A3 Angels at
EPFL ?
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10. Project history
• June 6, 2008 : proposal during A3 alumni event
• August – September : market research A3 , startups, CH,
UK & USA. Encouragements from EPFL, CTI, IMD, PSE.
• November 12, 2008 : project approved by A3 GA
• December 17, 2008 : 1st monthly meeting
• January-March 2009 : ~ 60 A3 attendees, 9 start-ups
• June 5, 2009 : group meeting
Lemoptix
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11. A3 Angels and EPFL collaboration
Source : Prof. Jean Micol, MoT A3 Angels members and EPFL
students support each other
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12. A3 Angels calendar
• Monthly A3 Angels dinner
– Target 2009 >1MF > 5 start-ups
– PhD alumni 0% interest loans by A3 foundation
• Monthly meeting
– Mentoring brokering lunch
– Advisory committee
• Annual Alumni day
– Young entrepreneurial alumni award
– A3 Angels training
• Launched November 2008
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13. How can we finance projects ?
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14. A3 Angels investment and mentoring value
Funding • Financing
• Know-How
• Network Industry
Research
EPFL
grants
A3 Angels
+other Angels
CTI start-up,
+coaching
entrepreneurship
+seed funding
Polytech Ventures
+ network
+ investment
Source : PSE - 10 -3 0 + 3 (years)
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15. Let’s team-up to win together
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Photo credit: Th.Martinez, Alinghi Claude Florin (EL82) claude.florin@a3.epfl.ch 48