Assignment – Innovation in the Life Science Project: Shark Tank Presentation (130 points/20%)
Addresses Course Outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 4:
• Interpret and critically analyze primary scientific literature to assess the validity and reliability of scientific results
and evaluate the conclusions drawn from these data
• Demonstrate proficiency in scientific principles, techniques, and applications in the life sciences to evaluate
experimental design and determine compliance with standards of protocol and ethical practice
• Effectively communicate scientific principles, concepts, methods, and research findings based on critical analysis
of primary literature, industry reports, and other life sciences resources
• Pose vital and relevant scientific questions to identify problems, challenges, and opportunities for the development
of innovative products and services in the life sciences
Thus far, your capstone course quizzes assignments have provided you with a foundational knowledge to:
• recognize, read, and analyze sections of primary literature in the life sciences
• assess the trends of applications, methods, and materials in the life sciences
• evaluate primary scientific literature for innovations in the life sciences
All that you have learned and solidified culminates into this final authentic assessment. Even if you never desire
to or find yourself in a position to come up with an innovation in the life sciences, you will have the skills you
need to do so or, at the very least, remain aware of the current trends and applications in the life sciences.
By definition, a shark tank is a panel of business executives and investors who listens to pitches from
entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking funding for their business, products, or services. In the final
authentic assessment for this course, you will read and analyze a primary scientific article based on an area of
biotechnology. After analyzing the assigned article, you will identify a challenge in the article that will lead to an
innovative, entrepreneurial idea in the life sciences which you will then “pitch to a shark tank” to garner funding
for your innovation. Just as you will trace the scientific method through the assigned article, you will trace the
scientific method through your innovative process.
Pre-Shark Tank Presentation
1. Read primary article C
2. View the following videos:
✓ http://www.tianow.org/videos/keynote-its-about-meaning-not-money-says-guy-kawasaki/13824/
✓ Innovators’ DNA Slide Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/foundryprogram/adm4312-apr3-
2012lalande?related=1
✓ Innovators’ DNA Slide Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/pavan7soni/the-innovators-dna-dyer-
gregersen-and-christensen-2011
You are now ready to produce an innovation pitch in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. This is the type of
presentation that would be presented to venture capitalists or to a government technology transfer funding agency
(like the Small Business Innovation Research grant program, https://sbir.nih.gov/ ).
The presentation must include the following criteria. You must present the slides as ordered below with the
content specified for each one. Deviations or missing elements will result in point deductions.
The Shark Tank Presentation
I. Presentation Format (18 points)
A. Ten slides (10) (See the presentation content below) 1. The 10 slides do not include the end reference slides.
2. Slides should consist of up to 6 bulleted items
3. Bulleted points should consist of phrases – not sentences
B. 30-point font (3)
1. All information on the slides must be presented using 30-point font – including the title.
2. You may use bold, color, and/or CAPS to help your slide titles stand out.
C. Creativity (5)
1. Slide background and font style will be considered (2)
2. Add images that enhance the typed information (use 10-point font to add the URL to the
website below each image you use) (3)
II. Presentation Content (45 points) A. Introduction to the Innovation (5)
1. Slide 1 (3): your company name; your company motto; your name as CEO
2. Slide 1 (2): title of innovation; due date
B. Basis for the Innovation (10)
1. Slide 2 (6): Primary article C – title, observation (background), question, and hypothesis
2. Slide 3 (4): Primary article C – briefly discuss biotechnology techniques used
C. Presentation of the Innovation (15)
1. Slide 4 (2): Observations leading to your innovation
a. Your Eureka! moment will serve as the observation for your innovation
b. Your Eureka! moment should be that aspect of primary article C which raised
interest or questions that lead to an innovative technique, project, product, or service
2. Slide 5 (4): Question and hypothesis leading to your innovation
a. Your Eureka! moment will lead to the question for your innovation
b. Your question will lead to the hypothesis – present as an if/then statement
3. Slide 6 (5): The Innovation
a. Explain your innovative technique, project, product, or service
b. Describe the challenge or problem your innovation addresses or solves
4. Slide 7 (4): Materials and Methods
a. Explain how your innovation can be built, produced, or achieved using biotechnology
b. If your method involves an innovative technique, please provide the biotechnology on
which your new technique is based.
D. Analysis of the Innovation – (15)
1. Slide 8 (5): Futuring Analysis of your innovation’s potential for success
a. Briefly explain two futuring techniques used for analysis of your innovation's potential
b. Insert Futuring Analysis chart
2. Slide 9 (5): SWOT Analysis of your company’s ability to take your innovation to market
a. Insert SWOT analysis chart
b. Each box should contain 5 bulleted items
3. Slide 10 (5): The Final Pitch
a. Summarize analysis results
b. Why invest in your innovation?
III. Presentation References (20 points) see https://www.umgc.edu/library/libhow/apa_tutorial.cfm
A. Use at least 5 references (10)
1. Must include primary article C
2. DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA
B. Provide “in-text” references on each slide (5)
1. References must appear on the slide where the resource is used
2. Use 10-point font for citations
C. Provide end references using correct APA-formatting and 30-point font (5)
D. No references = receive a grade of zero for the assignment.
IV. Presentation Narration (20 points)
A. Type a script for your narration as a Word document (10)
1. Type a narration for each slide, except the reference slide(s)
2. Include the slide number within the script
3. Narration should reflect exactly what you would say if you were presenting in person
B. Record your narration in PowerPoint. (10)
1. From the toolbar, click “Slideshow” > click “Record”
2. After the first slide appears, click on the red circle to begin recording.
3. After you have completed the narration for the first slide, advance the slides by clicking
on the arrow on the bottom left of the screen.
4. Repeat this until all slides have been narrated.
5. Click “Export” to save and review your presentation.
6. You may go back to edit any slides, if necessary. You may edit the entire recording or
individual slides
7. PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIMER while recording – The pitch should last between 10-
12 MINUTES. Presentations will be cut off at 12 minutes. Any information presented after
12 minutes will not be considered for grading – no exceptions.
V. Presentation Grammar (5 points) Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence construction will be considered
VI. Presentation and Transcript Submission (22 points) – Submit both the PowerPoint presentation and
the Word document script to the appropriate assignment folder by the due date. If no transcript is submitted,
all presentation narration points will be lost – even if the PowerPoint presentation is narrated.
A. Presentation label (2) – Save your file as: first and last name – Shark Tank (Example: Sharon Brown
– Shark Tank)
B. Turnitin score for presentation (10)
C. Turnitin score for script (10)
D. NO PDF FILES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR GRADING