How has participating in SIREUS Entrepreneurs Forum and Destination Startup® impacted your company's visibility and networking opportunities?
“I think it was a great learning experience for us. Americans are usually highly talented when it comes to pitching and advocating for their companies. As a life science company, we are sometimes a bit more hesitant to “stick out our noses” but we are really trying to embed that optimism, ambition and vision that many of the American entrepreneurs have. It was also quite a valuable experience for us to network with different companies, investors and opinion leaders. We became exposed to a set of American investors who really helped us move the needle forward in terms of how we present our company, as well as giving us exposure to their American investor networks. We have been able to engage further with these investors and, from a long-term perspective, the connections we gained in the U.S. will be valuable to us as we continue to expand."
"For us, it's important to start becoming exposed towards the FDA, as early as possible, so that we align our strategy with their requirements. Through this network that we have been able to develop in the U.S., we have access to potential agents who could potentially advocate for TIRmed Pharma. This is key when you want to engage with the FDA.”
What was the highlight of your trip- which memory stands out the most?
“I think that the startup conference in Denver, that we were invited to, was one of the highlights of the trip. We got to listen to many companies in their early stages (seed stages and pre-seed stages) pitching their ideas, and they did it in a drastically different way than Swedish companies would do. By listening to them we gained a better understanding of how the American investors think and it was fun to get the chance to pitch for the American investors. Pitching your company in 30 seconds is a challenge on its own, but the key challenge was how to make statements that were sufficiently attractive to make the investors want to engage further with the company.”
Based on your experience, what advice would you give to other startups attending next year’s Entrepreneurs forum?
“I think that you really need to capitalize on engaging with as many of the American counterparts as you possibly can. Essentially, make sure to really jump on every opportunity. The business environment is open and friendly and we found that people are willing to collaborate. It is beneficial to follow up with these connections after the event, because even if some investors don’t necessarily have you as a target, they often have other people within their network who could potentially be interested in your company.”
Can you articulate the long-term vision for your company and the impact you hope to achieve in your industry or community?
“Ultimately, we would like to become the second line treatment after corticosteroids essentially becoming one of the primary products available for the vast majority of people who suffer from Atopic Dermatitis. I think that there is an outspoken need for new treatments for the 90% of people who don’t want or aren’t eligible for the systemic treatments. Becoming one of the new leading players within Atopic Dermatitisis our main goal.”
