Locust Walk Institute’s first course focused on financing transactions from idea to IPO was a success. On May 4th & 5th, biopharma executives joined experts from event sponsors Cooley and Locust Walk along with supporters PwC and MacDougall BioMedical Communications to cover various topics relevant to organizations at all stages of growth that are considering raising capital. Day One focused mainly on understanding the fundementals of biotech financing, key terms and getting your company prepared for the various financing milestones throughout it’s lifecycle. Guest speakers from PwC came in to speak with attendees about the process of preparing for IPO, the overall timeline, budget and considerations needed. Then, event sponsor, Cooley discussed the key elements of the IPO process and shared insights based on their experience going through the IPO process with numerous biotech and pharmaceutical organizations. The day concluded with the first group breakout session for attendees to get first hand experience prepping for a deal as either a company or a potential investor. Day Two kicked off with a session on trends and key changes in the biotech financing landscape that encouraged fruitful discussions on ways to tackle the current challenges in the space by exploring options through a multitrack process and understanding the emerging role of family office investments in the space. MacDougall BioMedical Communications took the group through the key elements of an effective management presentation and shared stories and examples of successes and failures at this key juncture for most companies. The course concluded with the groups from Day One reconvening and negotiating a financing with their counterparts. To help with scenario planning on both sides of each “deal,” the groups utilized Locust Walk’s proprietary analytical software, Locust Walk Analytics.   The next Locust Walk Institute course will take place on September 14th and 15th at Locust Walk’s San Francisco office and will be focused on both business development and financing. Register early to take advantage of the discounted early bird rates.