One of the most challenging things for life science and healthcare entrepreneurs is developing a compelling presentation that will wow investors and motivate them to invest in their companies.

But there are a lot of components to that pitch that entrepreneurs may not even have considered. And what about the investor questions? How would you handle a provocative question from an investor that seems to diminish your work? A flash of anger and you may lose even the potential investors who believe in what youre doing.

Mid Atlantic Diamond Ventures, an entrepreneurship advisory and venture forum program, is affiliated with Temple Universitys Fox School of Business. It runs a coaching program that seeks to get startups to the golden chalice: a second meeting with investors.

In addition to a second meeting another goal of the program is to get entrepreneurs hardwired into the entrepreneur ecosystem.

The coaching process we use is a scrub process, said Lucas. For scrub sessions, entrepreneurs come in with an investment pitch, half of the board [from Mid Atlantic Diamond Ventures] will be in the room to provide feedback on presentations. Investors include entrepreneurs across life science technology, marketing, engineering so they are getting rich, well-rounded feedback.

Its a tough love approach. Entrepreneurs might hear, Weve seen this before and it doesnt work. Go back and take a different approach.

The program has four pitching events each year with presentations from eight to 10 companies across IT, life science, and physical science the next forum is scheduled for September 21.

One goal of this program is to get them a second meeting so can do a deeper dive into [their service or product] but another goal is to help them build contacts, build a customer pipeline, guide them through the grant process, help them find a manufacturer if they need one, Lucas said.

Even serial entrepreneurs sometimes neglect or cast aside advice they receive from the coaching program and that can come back to haunt them. Among those potential pitfalls are providing a valuation too soon, not doing enough market research on needs of customers, and blurting out your intellectual property or failing to present complex concept in terms that non-insiders can understand.

Originally co-founded as Diamond State Ventures in 2003 in Newark, Delaware, the investor forum was was acquired by Temple Universitys Fox School of Business in 2006.

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Coaching program for startups seeks to get companies hotwired into entrepreneur ecosystem