Keiretsu members understand that searching for funding can be daunting process to even the most experienced entrepreneur. To get a better understanding of the process, we encourage companies interested in presenting to attend a meeting of the Forum in the local chapter prior to applying.

Companies that apply to Keiretsu Forum are typically in their A or B rounds, usually with $500k to $1.5m friends’ and family investments.

Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities in automation & instrumentation, consumer products, energy, financing, food & beverage, healthcare/life sciences, internet related, real estate, services, social ventures, software, telecommunications, and any other segment with high growth opportunity.

To apply to present in front of the Keiretsu Forum, please fill out the Keiretsu Forum Fact Sheet. We also recommend that you read the article from Ed Harley, Chair Emeritus of the Keiretsu Forum Software Committee, on how to make a successful presentation.

Keiretsu Forum does not sign any Non-Disclosure Agreements. Any executive summaries and other supporting documents submitted to Keiretsu Forum for consideration will not be treated as confidential even if marked confidential. Please include only information that you are comfortable to share under these terms.
The process of selecting companies that present to Keiretsu Forum is:

1. Fact Sheet
Interested companies complete the Keiretsu Forum Fact Sheet and e-mail it to apply@keiretsuforum.com.

2. Committee Pre-screening
The applications are pre-screened by the appropriate committee, i.e. Software Committee, Health Care / Life Sciences Committee, Real Estate Committee, Telecommunications Committee, Media/Entertainment, Automation & Instrumentation Committee, Food & Beverage, Social investing Committee, Energy Committee. .
Based on the committees' recommendation, 7-10 companies are selected to present at the Deal Screening.

3. Deal Screening
The presentation is 15-minutes long, using no more than 10 Power Point Slides. The Forum recommends a 7-minute core presentation followed by an 8-minute Question and Answer session.

After all entrepreneurs present, the Screening Committee decides which companies will present in front of the full Forum (usually 3-5 companies). In certain cases, the Screening Committee recommends that a company hits certain milestones or answers certain questions before it may go on to present to the full Forum.

4. Keiretsu Forum Meeting
The companies that are selected at the Screening present in front of the full Forum. The presentations are 20 minutes long. The Forum recommends a 10-minute core presentation followed by a 10-minute Question and Answer session. After each entrepreneur presents, an Interest List is passed around the room and individual members who are interested in the company express their interest by signing in. After all presentations are concluded, entrepreneurs are excused and Forum members discuss the companies.

5. Due Diligence
The Company then enters into a due diligence phase with the Keiretsu Forum members that signed the interest sheet. It is common for one or two members to take the lead in due diligence and negotiations with the company. Members collaborate in the due diligence, but make individual investment decisions.

6. Multi-Chapter Investing
After a company has presented to the chapter in the closest geography and has received investment interest traction from members of that chapter, the company then has the unique opportunity to present to other chapters of their choice. Members of each chapter conduct their own due diligence and make their own investment decisions; however they benefit greatly from shared due diligence.

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