Faculty Level Molecules to Market Presentations

As promised, some general comments on yesterday's marathon presentation session, in preparation for the M2M "Oscars" next! I think Emma's idea to use a single powerpoint slide format worked incredibly well, allowing time for you to get your ideas across while fostering discussion. We are using the term committees, for the first time, in the  Faculty wide M2M module (FCP201) to identify groups (or teams) prior to settling on a virtual company name. Each committee can access the specific comments on your presentation, by creating an account with Edmodo (which is free) and entering the code that you will shortly receive by email. The group that you will join is called FCP201. I shall give some general comments on the styles, the content and the commercial viabilities, as well as some guidance in respect of the next assessment, namely the poster day.


Company names and logos. I think you will all agree that there were some great names and some that were a little less memorable, but always functional! I would recommend brainstorming the name and make sure its not taken (carry out a domain search). The name usually, but not always reflects the nature of the business: It should roll off the tongue and look good in the logo or on the web site. The logo itself should combine simplicity of design, with impact: it should again be memorable (see right). If someone in your committee has a flair for design, let them create a set of draft ideas and then vote for the one(s) you all like best. I was very impressed with your first attempts and don't think there were too many turkeys!

The Science. First of all, I have to say that you drew on your core knowledge (mostly some aspect of Biology) really well and some committees had developed it much further than I expected. The majority of talks involved the development of new medicines, or had a nutritional theme. I would like you to firm up the Science for your posters. If you are focusing on a molecule, or class of molecule, you must be able to discuss it in detail and you should know the chemistry/biochemistry relating to it/them. I also want you to produce a schematic diagram that connects the science with the application in a clear manner. You should expect to be "grilled" on the science during the poster session. Given the devolution of roles within the committee, it may be useful for one member to take the lead on the Science and feedback to the rest of the team for shaping the communication of the Science to potential investors and customers.

The competition and your USP. We need you to explain the market in which you will operate. Who are your major competitors? Why is your product better than those currently available? What is your unique selling point (or proposition)? I wanted to see more evidence of the market size, the likely selling price and the margins that you are able to forecast. I am aware that the cost of manufacturing is often difficult to estimate and the margins made for example, by Land Rover on the sale of a Range Rover, or Heinz on the sale of a can of baked beans, are closely guarded secrets, but try to de-convolute the cost of production and look at the margins and forecasted sales, in comparison with your own operating costs: not forgetting re-investment in order to make the company sustainable in the long term.

Communicating with investors and clients/customers is a fundamental part of any business. I think the teams were generally inclusive, with a number of the group directly contributing to the presentation, while some of you hung back. As long as everyone contributes to the assessed material this is OK, but we will expect all company members to make some contribution to the post-presentation and general discussions. It is through our assessment of these sessions that we can begin to determine how much you connect with different strands of material and concepts which are covered in independent modules. 

Posters. The final session is scheduled for 7th May where you will use the scientific poster as a vehicle for pitching your business. Several assessors will spend the session quizzing you as a company and a winner will be selected before the end of the day and awarded an appropriate prize. The template to use for the poster will be available via MOLE and the Edmodo site shortly, together with some tips and advice that you may choose to ignore or incorporate into your poster design. However, your poster must conform to the general layout (size and key elements), but you are responsible for ensuring it creates the impact necessary to secure the prize!

Update Feedback is now posted on Edmodo