Submitting to SWAN
One of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce’s main organizational goals is Entrepreneurial Development. We recognize that entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy, and it’s the innovators who take the risks, launch new ideas into market, invest in business growth, create jobs and provide great products and services to our community and beyond.
Entrepreneurs and innovators who have or need to raise somewhere between $200,000 – $2 million to launch their idea into the market can submit their business plans to the Southern Willamette Angel Network (SWAN). Below are the submission requirements:
Executive Summary Outline (not to exceed 5 pages):
- Need in the Market – including an overview of your company
- Your Product/Solution – including any information about patents/intellectual property
- Your Traction – highlighting the successes you’ve currently attained (i.e. money raised, customers secured, signed Letters of Intent, significant hire, significant media coverage, etc.)
- Your Target Market – including your addressable market, and any barriers to entering this market
- Your Customer Acquisition Strategy – including any data to back-up your proposed strategy
- Your Competition – including your value proposition
- Your Revenue Model – including how you will phase your growth over time
- Your Financial Projections – including key assumptions and the number of human resources you’ll need to reach these goals.
- Note: You will also be required to provide your detailed financial projections as an attachment to the Executive Summary
- Your Management Team – highlighting successes relevant to this venture
10. Your Key Advisers – noting if they have any ownership in your company
11. Your Funding Needs – including your use of these funds
12. Your Exit Strategy – including any market comparables
Investor Pitch Deck Outline (Presentations should take 12-15 minutes to deliver – which gives you around 1 minute per slide; therefore, it’s important to practice you pitch. Investors need to walk away understanding the value proposition of your product):
Slide #1: Title Slide
Slide #2: The Problem in the Market (tell in story format)
Slide #3: Your Solution (your product/service)
Slide #4: Your Business Model (how you’ll make money)
Slide #5: Your Special Sauce (why you’re product is so unique)
Slide #6: Your Customer Acquisition Strategy
Slide #7: Your Competition (best to present in a matrix format)
Slide #8: Your Team (including key advisers)
Slide #9: Traction (key milestones you’ve met)
Slide #10: Your Current Status and Timeline for Growth
Slide #11: Your Financial Projections (key assumptions)
Slide #12: Your Funding Needs (including use of funds)
Slide #13: Your Exit Strategy (highlight comparables where appropriate
Process for Submitting to SWAN:
- E-mail your Executive Summary and Pitch Deck to JJ O’Connell: jjo@eugenechamber.com
- Your submission will be reviewed and you can expect to hear back within 2 weeks after your submission. You will be notified whether or not you’re selected to pitch to SWAN. We will inform you if additional coaching is required, and where possible, we will recommend advisers.
- SWAN hosts company pitch meetings once a quarter – and sometimes more frequently (depending on the time of year and the quality of the deal flow). Contact Ben Sappington: bens@eugenechamber.com for more information.
- If selected to pitch to SWAN, you will be invited in prior to the SWAN meeting to deliver a dry-run of your slides, and additional coaching will be provided.
- Upon delivery of your presentation to SWAN, individual members will decide whether or not they choose to inquire further about your company. The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce does not have any involvement in the investment decisions.
Best of luck to you in your venture!
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