Game industry vet, Margaret Wallace, shares some pointers on getting your game company funded.

1. Funding: The Good the Bad and the UglyLessons Learned Margaret Wallace, CEO, Playmatics www.playmatics.com

2. Margaret Wallace, CEO @margaretwallace http://www.playmatics.com/

3. A NYC-based company that creates and develops highly engaging games and applications on the Internet, in social media networks, and on a variety of connected gaming platforms.

4. Social Hard-Core Casual Single-Player

5. In Game Industry Since 1996 Copyright 2010. Margaret Wallace. Please Attribute Proper Credit if You Use These Slides

6. In 2007, Rebel Monkey raised money in Silicon Valley to create a multiplayer casual mmo that focused on realtime co-operative gameplay.

7. $ Copyright 2010. Margaret Wallace. Please Attribute Proper Credit if You Use These Slides

8. Different Considerations Lessons Learned Sharpened Focus Takeaway: Experience is the Best Education.

9. Financing Options To Consider for Games, Tech and Media Start-Ups Bootstrap Friends & Family Angel Venture Capital

10. Strength of Idea Market Size Strength of Team Competition Takeaway: VCs are all about managing risk. The more risk you remove, the more comfort they have with you.

11. Break-Out Success Break-Even #FAIL Takeaway: VCs & Companies Goals Are Not Always in Alignment.

13. Comparable to Costs for One-Off Standalone Web Game That’s Less Engaging

15. Comparing / Contrasting: Dealing With Market Size & Competition Takeaway: VCs Will Want To See You’ve Thought Through Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT).

16. Comparing / Contrasting: Structuring Your Team Takeaway: Structure your staffing plan to reflect your investment approach.

17. Team Structure Staffing = Magical Alchemy

18. Comparing / Contrasting: Cash Flow and Spending Takeaway: Raise Enough Investment to Give Yourself 18 to 24 Months of Runway.

19. Comparing / Contrasting: Company Roadmap and Scaling Takeaway: VCs Will Want to See You Profitable or Break-Even Within 18-24 Months.

20. Sample Slide: Projections for VC Pitch User Growth: Registrations & Total Games

21. Lessons Learned When to Raise?

22. Lessons Learned How Much to Raise?

23. Lessons Learned When Do you have the most negotiating power?

24. Lessons Learned Choose your Investor (or VC firm) carefully.

25. Lessons Learned Choose your individual VC carefully.

26. Lessons Learned VCs: Traditionally Not Founder-Friendly

27. Lessons Learned Choose your attorney carefully.

28. Lessons Learned Guard Board Composition with your Life!

29. Lessons Learned What do you say when you are asked about valuation?

30. Lessons Learned Options and Option Pool

31. Lessons Learned Hidden “Gotchas”

32. Lessons Learned No Such Thing as NDAs

33. Lessons Learned Stand-Off Clause

34. Lessons Learned Summer – everything shuts down.

35. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Good, Bad or Indifferent?* Instructions: I give you a few scenarios and you tell me if that’s good, bad or indifferent. * Based on Personal Experiences.

36. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: First-time pitching this VC firm. You are incredibly detailed and on-point. You Leave No Stone Unturned. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

37. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: First meeting All the Partners are in the Room Meeting Lasts 1 hour Everyone Checking Their Blackberries/iPhone Mid-way through – start joking about girls in bikinis. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

38. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: An Associate of the VC Firm Calls You because they are impressed with your business and want to learn more. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

39. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: First meeting All the Partners are in the Room Meeting Lasts 2 hours Agree with Everything You Say Good, Bad, Indifferent?

40. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: Second Follow-Up Meeting: Person You’re Scheduled With Can’t Make it – Meeting with an Associate. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

41. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: First meeting with a Partner Talking About Industry Gossip Meeting Lasts 1 hour. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

42. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: Recently Made a Lot of Investments in Your Space Good, Bad, Indifferent?

43. The Unspoken Language of Pitching Game Scenario: First meeting with Partners. They offer you water and copious treats. Good, Bad, Indifferent?

44. “To the VC, 3x [exit] and a dead startup are essentially the same given the way they calculate their batting averages. At this point you have a problem.” Hillel Cooperman, Jackson Fish Market, Web startup in Seattle.

45. Resources TheFunded – www.thefunded.como VentureBeat – www.venturebeat.com Blog, Musings of a VC in NYC -- http://www.avc.com/

46. Questions? Margaret Wallace margaret@playmatics.com @margaretwallace