MBA alum and former Dingman Scholar Matt Fleischer put passion into promise to create a successful beer company Zoey Rawlins, founder of Shop DC and former Dingman Scholar, launched her business by following trends in the marketplace Run by students, The Smith Store offers promotional branded apparel, accessories and gifts The Dingman Center supports entrepreneurs throughout the Washington D.C. Metro Area and beyond The Dingman Center is located at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland

Capital Access Network - Application Process

Overview  ♦  Application Process  ♦  Our Investors  ♦  Sponsors  ♦  Presenting Companies

Eligibility

  • Applicant should be seeking between $50,000 and $1,500,000 of equity financing.
  • Company must be located in the Mid-Atlantic region (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, or Delaware); at this time, CAN does not consider applicants located outside of this region.
  • A complete application must be submitted, which includes an Executive Summary and Business Plan.

When to Apply

CAN applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

How to Apply

To apply for the CAN program, follow these steps:

  1. Download and complete application form.
  2. Submit a copy of your executive summary and business plan with your application.
  3. Email the application form and requested materials to the Dingman Center at CAN@rhsmith.umd.edu
  4. Send the $100 application fee, payable to University of Maryland, to:

Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
c/o Melissa Carrier
3570 Van Munching Hall
College Park, MD 20742

CAN Screening Committee Review

The CAN Screening Committee reviews each company's application and submitted materials to determine whether or not to circulate the application to CAN members or invite the company to present at a CAN Review Day as part of the screening process. If selected, you will be notified of when your Executive Summary will be remitted to CAN member investors and/or scheduled for the upcoming CAN Review Day.

If Not Selected

If your application is not selected, we will also provide you with recommendations/resources to pursue for funding as well as ways in which the Dingman Center can provide assistance including our Mentor Program. If such services are utilized, you may reapply for CAN with the support of the Associate Director.

* Please note: not being selected does not necessarily translate into disinterest by potential investors.

Once Your Application Has Been Approved . . .

CAN investors review the circulated applications and plans, and will provide feedback in one of several ways:

  • Investor/Entrepreneur meeting. Investors may choose to directly contact an entrepreneur or request facilitation of a meeting through the Dingman Center.
  • Investor Collaboration. Investors with a mutual interest in a particular company may collaborate to provide feedback and/or pursue an investment in a company.
  • Request to Present. Dingman Center Management will invite companies to present at a formal CAN breakfast event. Multiple companies may be selected for a given event.

If Selected to Present . . .

If selected, entrepreneurs will be invited to rehearse their presentation in front of a panel of coaches at the Dingman Center. These coaches are professionals who have experience in capital raising and have various types of functional expertise. This rehearsal provides entrepreneurs the opportunity to practice their pitch, answer questions regarding their company, and receive valuable feedback regarding their presentation (both content and delivery).

Concerned about disclosure?

This is a common apprehension for most entrepreneurs. However, most professionals and venture capitalists will NOT sign an NDA until some time late in the due diligence process. A company presenting to CAN, or to any private or institutional investors outside of CAN, should prepare its business plan and presentation in such a way that its secrets are not fully revealed.

Most ideas which entrepreneurs are afraid to disclose have to do with scientific or technical details. Entrepreneurs need to realize that investors are not concerned about such details in the first or second meeting. What they are concerned about is:

  1. the market need;
  2. the cure for the need;
  3. the demonstration of a large and growing market;
  4. validation of product or service viability; and
  5. the management team and its capability to execute the business plan.
 

Find out more about our investors.