A neural technologies approach to dyslexia:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ty_Wh3iCjig[/youtube]5 thoughts on “Dybuster”
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A neural technologies approach to dyslexia:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ty_Wh3iCjig[/youtube]You must be logged in to post a comment.
Yes, I would invest in this venture. The speaker clearly lays out the problem his product addresses, by stating that dyslexia is a big problem that has a costly and far-reaching impact on people’s school, professional and psychological lives. It also represents a large market that is being underserved by traditional therapies. The speaker presents some nice data on potential market size, and the current success of the product, which has been verified by independent studies. He is very clear on the software’s unique selling point, although, I would argue that there actually are other companies doing digital neural therapies and so would be very curious to know how this software works, which he doesn’t explain at all, and how it is different or offers an advantage over those of his competitors.
As an EVA, I liked that he had a track record of growth and a plan for what he wanted to do with the investment, which included developing more products and increasing international sales. I would have liked to know some implementation details (ie, how they were going to do this, which I know would be information better placed in a longer pitch) and how much he was asking for.
I also would have loved to have known who he was, aside from being the CEO. What is his background? It was amazing to me, when watching all these pitches, how a lack of introduction at the beginning really damaged the credibility of the whole presentation. In this case, I felt I could overlook it because of the current success of the, the independent studies backing its results, and because, from a presentation point of view, the speaker came across as confident and seemed to know his stuff. The slide deck was text-based, dry and not that pretty, but I found that for the most part, it supported, rather than distracted from what the speaker was saying. The pitch didn’t answer all my questions, but it did answer enough to make me want to go to the next step and find out more.
Yes I would invest in this venture. There were some strength and weaknesses in his presentation that I have outline below:
1. CEO & Team: (Weakness)
The speaker only introduced himself as the CEO and founder of the company both visually and verbally at the beginning of the presentation. So this makes the viewers wonder if this is a one person business venture or if he feels detached from his team to not mention their contributions. However, the CEO does convey confidence and seems capable as his presentation was supported by figures and facts. Unfortunately, the CEO lacked enthusiasm in his tone and expression which diminishes the confidence potential investors may have to his tenacity to overcome obstacles. He makes up for this weakness with the content presented during his pitch.
2. Venture Concept: (Strength)
Supported with studies, figures, facts, and graphs, it makes the venture concept highly credible and compelling. The company outlines the problem in detail and further supported it by stating the percentage and number of people affected by dyslexia. The CEO then offers the solution which is again supported by a study showing the improvement using Dybuster and the current number of users. The company gives off the impression that they are effective at research and development as they are continuing to expand into the international arena and into other disabilities. Unfortunately, the CEO does not go into details about Dybuster such as the cost or general workings of the software or details of the studies conducted.
3. Marketability: (Strength)
The CEO gave the viewers some insight into the revenue of his service and mentioned the advantage of their product over the more expensive and inefficient traditional therapies. However, it would be interesting to see who the other competing companies are in this field and how many people are choosing other sources of therapies out of all the people with dyslexia.
4. Venture Plan: (Strength)
Although he did not mention a time frame for his future plan, the CEO does have a clear destination of making the company international and a method of achieving this through using his contacts from ACES. In addition, the company is pursuing other venues through different disabilities in the next month so it shows potential growth.
Overall, it was a solid and good presentation as he was able to grab my attention with facts and with his confidence during his presentation. The presentation did not feel like he was reading off a rehearsed script and it seemed genuine.
YES I would invest in this venture!
The speaker clearly identifies the problem as well as it’s magnitude and future consequences. He describes his product briefly and has data to show its effect on dyslexic students in comparison to traditional education/treatment. He concisely identifies why his software is superior (small cost, efficient therapy, always available). He also presents the current status of the software including number of users, and licenses sold. Future goals seem attainable and realistic. In addition, he has a vision of expanding the software for market to those with dyscalculia and dementia. Dementia in particular is a huge market and if they can create a successful product, it may lead to a substantial profit.
As I was curious about this venture, I decided to look at the company website. I found two websites for them:
http://graphics.ethz.ch/dybuster/main.php?Menu=0&Lang=en
– this website is geared towards the research behind the product
http://www.dybuster.com/
– this website is geared towards consumers who want to purchase the product
After reviewing both these website, I became further convinced about investing in this venture. Their team consists of professors and graduates from the Computer Science Department of the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich. Their research has been published in academic peer reviewed journals. It appears that they have a fantastic team suitable for the project with good quality evidence to back up their claim. Also, I found the speaker to be passionate, engaging and knowledgeable!
Yes, I would invest in this venture. Although, longer than a traditional elevator pitch, the information presented was clear. The presenter was calm and level-headed; presenting his information is a logically flowing manner. Dyslexia is a major concern and costs for therapy are expensive, as noted in the pitch. Having software capable of helping children and adults alike with dyslexia is of great interest. In addition, presented in the pitch are stats to back the software. One thing I really would have liked to know is how Dybuster works.
• Pain Point(the market gap or problem the venture is addressing): The problem is clearly identified (Dyslexia and the expensive costs of therapiy). The presenter also provides facts and examples.
• Solution (the new product or service that resolves the pain): The Dybuster software.
• Differentiation (the reason someone will buy or use this new service, versus the alternatives): The alternatives which are therapies are mentioned as the traditional way to treat dyslexia, but it is noted that it comes with a high price tag. Presented are also statistics of the Dybuster therapy software.
• Marketing(where and how buyers/users will be reached): There are 3 avenues, public/private schools, private therapists, and parents.
• Championship(the competency of the venture’s leaders and advisors): It is clear who the presenter is, the company stats are also presented.
• Competition (an overview of competitors and partners): They address that there are one-on-one therapies done with a therapist, but do not mention of any other competitors who may be similar in scope to Dybuster.
• The Ask: They would like to expand beyond Switzerland, and make it international.
• The Return (how much and how soon will an investor be recompensed): Not addressed.
Yes I would invest in this venture. I found the information provided gave me a better understanding of the product. As I work with students with dyslexia I see the impact of their disability in their lives. I enjoyed the presenter as he was knowledgeable and his presentation style kept the audience interested. He provided enough information that it would lead an investor to research more into the product.