Venture capitalists are skilled at tracking what’s happening in their field of interest. They watch for trends and product life cycles. When they feel the time is right to jump into the field, they will look for wise places to invest.
They are also highly specialized, so they will monitor what’s happening and pull in the right people and technology to serve the interests of their investments. When they set their sights on a particular body of inventions, they will get in touch with the tech transfer office and negotiate the applicable licenses in the name of the company. Sometimes the company doesn’t really exist yet, except on paper.
Inventors might have consulting relationships with companies or know who might be interested in this invention. Investigators need to share that information with the tech transfer office because they are trying to figure out who the interested parties are likely to be. The more the inventor can help the tech transfer office with the marketing, the better it is. Sometimes inventors are so excited that they rush out to tell the world about their invention before they inform the tech transfer office. That can go awry if they start talking to venture capitalists unbeknownst to the tech transfer office, because they can end up working at cross purposes. That can cause chaos, conflict and confusion when the inventor is out of step with the process.
- What do you need to keep in mind when preparing to secure a venture capital investment?
- How can you track down venture capitalists who might be interested in your invention?
- What is the best way to approach potential investors to let them know about your invention?
- What are the most important things a venture capitalist looks for when seeking an investment?
- Are there any red flags you should watch out for when dealing with venture capitalists?