Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/582535
t m c » p u l s e | o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 8 Many of the Texas- based companies were developed out of Texas Medical Center institu- tions. That's the goal, of course—to help young students and young faculty members develop new companies that can be successful and, ultimately, stay here in Texas. — ROBERT C. ROBBINS, M.D. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Medical Center Parting Pitches An event six months in the making, TMCx Demo Day provides a platform for the startups in the Texas Medical Center's accelerator to pitch their solutions B y A l e x O r l a n d o F irst there was a grueling, two-week boot camp. Then a continuous stream of curriculum sessions in a brightly lit classroom. Interspersed throughout, introductions were made and firm handshakes exchanged. But for the startup companies that participated in the inaugural class of TMCx, the Texas Medical Center's accelerator program, there was one format they were all intimately acquainted with: the pitch. After weeks of working on slide decks and crystallizing messaging; countless hours spent rehearsing, refining, and rehearsing again; and that magnetic moment on stage, all eyes squarely directed at the front of the room, everything has to coalesce in a show- case of confidence and poise in just four minutes. And on Sept. 10, all the chips were on the table. "I'm really proud to see this many people here today," said Robert C. Robbins, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Texas Medical Center, to the 400 investors, clinicians, entrepreneurs and community mem- bers gathered at TMCx. "We all want to make the Texas Medical Center better, and this is a huge part of that. This is one of the reasons why we came here, and I'm incredibly proud of this program." TMCx Demo Day, the culmination of the accelerator's first class and a mile-marker of progress for the entre- preneurs and the Texas Medical Center alike, was an event six months in the making. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to hear the compa- nies pitch, witness live demonstrations of their technologies and get a glimpse of their future plans. "I'm thrilled to see the growth of all of these people, in such a short period of time," said William F. McKeon, exec- utive vice president and chief strategy and operating officer of the Texas Medical Center. "It was exciting helping contribute to their vision, moving them forward and connecting them with potential customers who will be the ultimate determinate of their success. Helping them realize that growth has been tremendous." Throughout the six-month program, the 21 companies have collectively amassed $12 million in follow-on funding, successfully devel- oped 35 customer engagements, includ- ing pilots and validations studies, and hired 25 new employees. There have even been four acquisition offers— the gold standard of success in the startup world. "Our statistics from the first six months of the program demonstrate the incredible progress these startups have made," said Lindsay Deneault, business strategist at TMCx, during her opening remarks. "Those figures and the strides they represent didn't just materialize out of nowhere. Over the course of the program, we guided our companies through structured workshops, net- working opportunities, and facilitated introductions within the medical center. We wanted to allow them time to apply the teachings we've put them through as they built their business." Throughout the curriculum, over 120 advisors, coming from both clinical and business backgrounds, lent their time and expertise in everything from the mock board meetings to one-on- one sessions. According to Deneault, fostering those relationships was