"What Investors Require When Making a Bioeconomy Investment?," Moderator, 2016 BIO World Congress, April 2016.

This panel will focus on a series of crucial decisions potential investors consider regarding bioeconomy technology companies and/or their projects when determining whether or not to invest. Some of these considerations include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) areas of technology will they entertain—renewable chemicals, biobased products or biofuels; (ii) levels of technology risk from those that are acceptable to ones that are insurmountable and how acceptable risks must be mitigated; (iii) strength and type of IP and how it is protected or not; (iv) strength and experience of management teams—have they successfully stood up similar technologies and made good use of prior investment dollars; (v) types—common or preferred equity/venture debt/etc. and expected percentage returns on investments; (vi) expected controlling or minority ownership positions including the expectation of one or more board seats; (vii) timing and amounts of funding available in one or more rounds of development; and (viii) timing and types of acceptable exits—are they in for follow-on rounds or not—do they expect an IPO after certain milestones are met or other exit strategies. The financially experienced moderators will control a fast-paced discussion among the panelists of these and other issues that must be considered. Audience participation is strongly encouraged.