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Venture Services
Venture Guidelines and Contracting Steps
This page is the gateway for applying to obtain the services that early
stage "sustainable technology" companies can use to attract appropriate
partners and capital resources.
In3 delivers private placement, presentation
assistance and advisory services to qualified, early stage ventures
in the LOHAS*, Cradle
to Cradle, and "clean" or "green" (what we call
"sustainable") technology arenas.
We consider each venture on a case-by-case basis and carefully screen
for "best in class." For that reason, we will carefully scrutinize your
competitive analysis and compare your plan and presentation to others
in your space. If we offer feedback or suggestions for further development,
please understand that our mutual success is linked.
We charge a $200 application fee to thoroughly review and evaluate
your situation, credited at first funding. We will consider a request
to waive this fee if you are confident that your presentation, plan,
and contracts have been vetted and are ready to go. For the application
fee, we will provide written feedback about your venture's "investability"
and offer suggestions for improvement. Please adhere to these guidelines
to ensure fair consideration:
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We do not accept unsolicited business
plans for any reason. If you send a complete plan that we have not
requested, it will be refused.
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We rarely, if ever, work directly with
first-round seed capital (if you represent a seed stage company, see
options below). Since our business model is largely based on success
fees, we prefer to place second round or later finance . this helps
us stay in business.
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Only apply if you have an innovative,
commercial-ready product or service in one of these arenas:
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Renewable energy or fuels (e.g.,
wind power, innovative solar projects, bio-fuels, etc.). Project finance is usually preferable to ventures seeking commercialization capital.
- Biobased or advanced, renewable/biodegradable materials -- these products typically use agricultural base materials to replace and conserve petroleum-based chemicals or polymers. Nanotech innovation are a particularly interesting "disruptive" advent.
- Affordable or "green"
real estate ("green building") development and investment
projects.
- Water purificiation, desalinization, or other resource
management and conservation technologies.
These categories change
roughly twice each year. Check back if your product or service does
not fall into one of these categories. You can still submit an application,
but don't be surprised if we say "not our priority" at this time. If
you are not commercial-ready (you have an idea for commercialization)
feel free to contact us for later rounds of funding or for other services.
NOTE to seed stage companies: We do NOT provide seed capital directly, but we know who does. In3 has invested all available seed funds in other ventures through late 2006. Check back in early 2007.
Our investors often appreciate companies that integrate a "triple
bottom line" (3BL, whole systems, sustainability) approach - that is, economy, ecology, and social
equity approaching balance. Cradle to
Cradle business models are also given preference. If not, your
intellectual property / technology, business plan and presentation
must be that much stronger.
-
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Provide a Company Overview
using the application form. The Company
Overview is submitted via our Website for review by our evaluation
team.
- Support your application:
If we request it, and you already have a written business plan, we may
follow up and ask for your executive summary and other materials that
investors would want to review as part of their consideration of your
company's request for funding. In particular, you should perform an
internal audit to be prepared to answer questions that investors will
pose. Refer to the criteria for meeting
investor expectations.
- Phone conference or Meet Face-to-Face:
If we believe your company would be of interest to our Investors, we
will set up a telephone or in-person meeting. At this meeting, you will
give a brief presentation about your management team (and boards of
directors and advisors), the size of the target market, your competition,
your product or service, and financial projections. We will give you
our presentation about the services we provide. We will also spend some
time asking you questions and answering your questions.
- Become an In3 listed venture:
If your company meets the criteria of our capital sources, and passes
our evaluation, we will invite you to become a listed portfolio company.
After legal review of the documents, we sign the necessary agreements
detailing our mutual responsibilities, business terms, and conditions.
Once the paperwork is complete, you become a portfolio company with
full access to our resources and services.
How We Work with Seed Stage Ventures
Though we generally do not work with seed stage companies on a commission
only basis, there are several ways that we can work together. These
include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:
- For ventures we consider "strategic," representing
low enough risk and a high value proposition, we may partner to create
strategic alliances, identify joint venture opportunities, assist with
commercial proof-of-concept (customer contracts), or other services.
These arrangements are rare, and usually accompanied by ...
- A fee-for-services agreement to partner with In3 to
prepare the business plan and presentation.
- When there is a fee-for-service arrangement, we will
sometimes defer our venture development expenses until sufficient cash
flow has been generated.
- When a venture contracts with In3 to assist with capital
resources that are substantially greater capital than just the initial
seed round. This may require exclusive In3 representation for a given
period or amount of capital.
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