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Introduction
 

OVERALL - 2.5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Ineffective introduction. Failed to provide concise business proposition.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Adequate introduction. Eventually conveyed invention's purpose and value. Should be more crisp.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Effective introduction. Conveyed invention’s purpose and value.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Exceptional introduction. Compellingly conveys invention’s purpose and value.


Product / Solution

TECHNICAL MATURITY - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Minimal or no data obtained.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Proof of concept experiments performed. Feasibility testing on-going.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Strong dataset, e.g. two animal models. Substantial product development still required.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Data package sufficient to share with regulatory/reimbursement authorities.  Ready for market or clinical testing.

​PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT RISK - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Massive product development risk. Still in conceptual stage or unclear development plan.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Significant product development risk remains. Development plans insufficiently thorough.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Product development risk medium to low. Remaining development well planned.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Product development risk minimal. Design, engineering and manufacturing issues resolved.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - No evidence of competitive analysis. Undifferentiated product.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Partial competitive analysis. Weak product differentiation.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Thorough competitive analysis. Strongly differentiated product. Accounted for most substitutes.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Persuasive competitive analysis. Highly differentiated, accounted for all substitutes, provides novel solution.


Intellectual Property
 

OVERALL - 10%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - No evidence of defensible IP or barriers to competition.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Unclear or flawed IP protection and/or ownership.  No barriers to competition.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Evidence of meaningful IP available to protect the invention.  Potential other barriers to competition.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Evidence of a strong portfolio providing barriers to competition, e.g. multiple patents issued or allowed.  Other barriers to competition.


Market Segment
 

DEFINITION - 4%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Undefined market segment.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Somewhat defined market segment.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Defined market segment.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Highly defined market segment.

SIZE IN DOLLARS - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Market segment as a whole  < $5M per year.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Market segment as a whole between $5M and $50M per year.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Market segment as a whole between $50M and $250M per year.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Market segment as a whole > $250M per year.

GROWTH - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Market segment growth negative or zero.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Market segment growth modestly positive.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Market segment growth robust.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Market segment growth explosive.


Human Impact
 

PER PATIENT IMPACT - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Moderate quality of life enhancement potential vs. status quo.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Significant quality of life enhancement potential vs. status quo.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Life-extending potential vs. status quo.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Life-saving potential vs. status quo.

NUMBER OF PATIENTS - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Annual global patients total less than 1000.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Annual global patients total between 1000 and 10,000.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Annual global patients total between 10,000 and 100,000 per year.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Annual global patients total more than 100,000 per year.

TIME TO IMPACT - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - On the market or in clinical trial in more than 10 years.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - On the market or in clinical trial between 5 and 10 years.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - On the market or in clinical trial between 3 and 5 years.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - On the market or in clinical trial in less than 3 years.


Inventor Disposition
 

INVENTOR ENGAGEMENT - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Inventor seems reluctant or ambivalent. No evidence of inventor-led commercialization progress on this innovation.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Inventor seems engaged. No evidence of inventor- led commercialization progress on this innovation.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Inventor is credibly engaged. Some evidence of inventor-led commercialization progress on this innovation.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Inventor is enthusiastically engaged. Significant evidence of inventor-led commercialization progress on this innovation.

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Team members unknown in the industry. Team has zero personal commercial connections.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Team members mostly unknown in the industry. Team has a few personal commercial connections.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Team members are known in the industry. Team has many personal commercial connections.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Team members are highly recognized in the industry. Team has many valuable personal commercial connections.

COMMERCIALIZATION EXPERIENCE - 4%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Inventor has no commercialization or startup experience. Has not identified business teammates or advisors.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Inventor has some commercialization or startup experience. Has identified, but not yet recruited business teammates or advisors.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Inventor has relevant commercialization or startup experience. Has recruited a least one business teammate or advisor.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Inventor has deep commercialization or startup experience. Has recruited multiple high-caliber teammates or advisors.


Budget and Plan
 

BUDGET - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Incomplete budget projections.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Unrealistic budget projections.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Credible budget projections.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Convincing budget projections.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES - 3%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Fails to recognize additional resources required. 
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Partially recognizes additional resources required. Provides no strategy to obtain them. 
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Recognizes additional resources required, and provides credible strategy to obtain them. 
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Thoroughly recognizes additional resources required, and provides compelling strategy to obtain them. 

OUTLINE & TIMELINE - 4%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Unclear outline. No timeline
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Clear outline. Unrealistic timeline
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Detailed outline. Somewhat realistic timeline
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Highly detailed outline. Realistic timeline


Regulatory Risk
 

AWARENESS OF REGULATORY, COMPLIANCE, LEGAL ISSUES - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Failed to demonstrate knowledge of relevant regulatory, compliance and legal issues.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Partially demonstrates knowledge of relevant regulatory, compliance and legal issues.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Adequately demonstrates knowledge of relevant regulatory, compliance and legal issues.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Persuasively demonstrates knowledge of relevant regulatory, compliance and legal issues.

PLAN FOR REGULATORY, COMPLIANCE, LEGAL ISSUES - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Fails to provide plan to address regulatory issues.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Provides a plan that partially addresses regulatory issues.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Provides clear plan to address regulatory issues.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Provides a compelling plan to address regulatory issues.


Grubstake Alignment
 

MISSION ALIGNMENT - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Not aligned with Gates Center’s regenerative medicine mission. Does not advance current medical practice.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Somewhat aligned with Gates Center’s regenerative medicine mission. Slightly advances current medical practice.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Aligned with Gates Center’s regenerative medicine mission. Moderately advances current medical practice.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Highly aligned with Gates Center’s regenerative medicine mission. Significantly advances current medical practice.

PROCESS DEVELOPMENT - 5%

  • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Not a candidate for the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility.
  • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Possible to do product development at the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility.
  • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Biologic or cell therapy that can be manufactured at the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility.
  • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Is currently (or soon will be) manufactured at the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility.

    LEVERAGE POTENTIAL - 5%

    • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Grant would not address a finance gap and will not be leveraged with additional funding.  Does not create an inflection point.
    • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Unclear if Grant would fill a finance gap. Likely no funding leverage.  May not create an inflection point.
    • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Grant would fill a finance gap and could be leveraged with additional funding.  Likely to create an inflection point.
    • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Clear evidence that the Grant would fill an identified finance gap and the additional funding leverage is secured.  Will create an inflection point.


    Presentation Quality
     

    QUALITY OF PROSE - 1%

    • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Poorly written. Very difficult to understand or follow logic. Spelling or grammatical errors.
    • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Reasonably well-written. Sometimes difficult to follow logic. Few spelling or grammatical errors.
    • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Effectively written. Convincing, easy to follow logic. No spelling or grammatical errors.
    • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Clearly and persuasively written. Compelling logical arguments. No spelling or grammatical errors.

    DATA QUALITY & ATTRIBUTION - 1.5%

    • DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS - Poorly supported by data. Little to no attribution of sources.
    • MOVING TOWARD EXPECTATIONS - Partially supported by data. Some attribution of sources.
    • MEETS EXPECTATIONS - Credibly supported by data. Data sources are properly attributed.
    • EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS - Persuasively supported by meaningful data. Fully attributed data greatly enhances investment thesis.

     

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