Partner Stephen M. Goodman served as one of five life science experts and investors on a panel at the bi-monthly 1st Pitch Life Science event at the New York Genome Center in New York City on June 3, 2015. At a 1st Pitch event (http://1stpitchlifescience.com/), three life sciences/healthcare companies who are not yet investment ready make a 15-minute practice presentation to a panel of experienced life science investors and consultants. After audience Q&A, the panel offers constructive commentary on the presentation, business model and perceived viability in the market. The audience votes on which of the three companies is “Best in Show” in terms of their business plans and pitches and the result is published in a press release.

Typical of the type of feedback provided by the panel were Goodman’s comments regarding Graftworx, the winner of the June event. Goodman stated, “Graftworx stood out in its potential to disrupt the market for treatments in its area, in this case, peripheral arterial disease. The audience recognized both the persuasiveness of the company's business plan and the mastery of the presenter."

The 1st Pitch Life Science program was started by Mid Atlantic Bio Angels (MABA), an angel investor group founded by Stephen Goodman and two colleagues, to help scientist-entrepreneurs experience investor reactions to their business plans in a supportive environment. The hope is that the presenters at 1st Pitch will utilize the feedback to make themselves more “investable”, and eventually apply for funding to MABA itself, as several “Best in Show” winners have already done.

In addition to five programs a year in New York, 1st Pitch now holds two programs at Philadelphia’s Cira Center and two at the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship on the Kean University campus in New Jersey.