Situation Awareness
You are not a startup asking for help. You are a founder extending an invitation.
Four Samsung people. Three on your side. This is meeting three — they are here because they want to be. You have a filed patent, an executed NDA, a Pearson meeting the same week, and 12 schools ready to buy. Walk in knowing that.
Julie Fournier
Head of B2B Healthcare BD & Innovation · Lead Contact
25+ years in healthcare, primarily software. She structured the Somnology/Galaxy Watch 7 partnership — she's done exactly this deal before. She will evaluate whether you are operationally ready to be a long-term partner. She pushed hardest on outcome measurement in Meeting 2. She also personally cautioned you to protect your IP before pursuing ecosystem partner integrations. She is looking out for you.
Your play with Julie
Speak to outcomes and market scale. She doesn't need to understand the technology — she needs to believe you can execute. Be crisp on your six metrics. Reference the Pearson meeting naturally — it signals you have enterprise momentum beyond Samsung.
Timothy Calabro
Senior Business Solutions Engineer, Healthcare · New to Meeting 3
23 years mobile solution engineering. He was not in either prior meeting. He is here specifically for this costs and partnership conversation — Samsung brought him to evaluate technical and clinical feasibility. He publishes content on hospital digital transformation. He will go deep on architecture. Vijay handles him. You introduce Vijay and let him run.
Your play with Tim
Introduce Vijay with one sentence: "This is Vijay, our AI and algorithm scientist." Then let Vijay answer Tim's technical questions. Your job when Tim speaks is to listen and take notes — not to answer technical questions you don't need to answer.
Alex Rainero
Partnership & BD · Your Internal Champion · New Jersey
He has been your advocate from day one. His daughter has ADHD — this is personal to him. He confirmed your IP is 100% yours. He set up this relationship. He wants you to succeed because it validates his judgment internally. He will be warm and supportive. You can relax with Alex.
Your play with Alex
Let him lead the room if he offers to. He has your back. If anything feels off, a glance at Alex will tell you. He will jump in to help you if you're struggling.
Nate Pittock
Category Manager, Wearables & Accessories · Denver
He owns the Galaxy Watch product line. He is the one who will present costs today. He confirmed freestanding mode architecture in Meeting 2. He also said the most important thing Samsung has told you: "You're in the business of identifying and working on the data and the output — not the logistics." Remember that sentence.
Your play with Nate
When he presents costs, receive the numbers gracefully. Don't react visibly. Don't commit to anything. Your response to any number is: "This is helpful — I want to evaluate this in the context of our full partnership structure." Then write it down.
Steve Chamberlain — Your Strategic Advisor in the Room
Introduce Steve as "Steve Chamberlain, our strategic healthcare advisor — Steve was an early investor in WebMD." One sentence. Let it land. Don't add context. Samsung's team will connect the dots themselves. His job is to signal that serious people are watching this deal. Your job is to run the room.
Vijay — Your Technical Lead in the Room
Introduce Vijay as "Vijay, our AI and algorithm scientist." One sentence. She handles Tim. You handle everything else. When Tim asks technical questions, look at Vijay. That's her signal to take over. Don't try to answer technical questions yourself when Vijay is sitting next to you.
Your Opening
Set the frame in the first 90 seconds. Everything flows from that.
You don't need a long introduction. You've had two meetings. They know who you are. What you need to do in your opening is signal that something has changed since Meeting 2 — and that this relationship is moving in the right direction. Then introduce your team and hand it to Samsung.
Your Opening Statement — Say This Word for Word
"Thank you all for continuing this conversation — this is our third meeting and I feel like we're building something real here. A lot has happened since we last spoke. I want you to meet two people I've brought with me today. Steve Chamberlain is our strategic healthcare advisor — Steve was an early investor in WebMD and has been advising us on our enterprise partnerships. And Vijay is our AI and algorithm scientist who built the intelligence layer of the Brooks Band system. I've also just come back from SXSW where I connected with the CEO of Pearson — they approached me after my elevator pitch — so there is a lot of momentum right now and I'm grateful to have Samsung at the center of it."
This opening does five things: thanks them without being excessive, signals team infrastructure, drops the WebMD credential, names Pearson without making it a threat, and uses the word "momentum" which is the right energy for a costs meeting. Then stop talking and let Samsung lead.
After Your Opening — Stop Talking
After you deliver your opening statement, pause. Let Samsung speak next. Alex or Julie will typically take over and frame the agenda. Let them. Your job now is to listen for the first 5 minutes before you say anything else. The person who talks the most in a negotiation meeting gives away the most information.
Updates Since Meeting 2 — Have These Ready
If Samsung asks what's new since the last meeting, you have four strong answers. Pick the most relevant to what they've just said.
Update 1
Non-Provisional Patent Filed
"We filed our non-provisional patent on March 5th. Our IP foundation is fully in place."
Update 2
Vijay On Board
"We've brought on our AI and algorithm scientist — Vijay is here today and ready for your technical whiteboard session."
Update 3
SXSW & Pearson
"We just came back from SXSW where I connected with the CEO of Pearson — he wants to explore a partnership. Pearson acquired Revibe, which I know you're familiar with."
Update 4
Brooks Band is Now a System
"Since our last meeting we've also upgraded Brooks Band from a single wearable into a full system — the data now auto-generates the IEP documentation that educators need."
Julie Fournier
She asked the right questions in Meeting 2. Have crisp answers ready.
Julie is your most important person in the room. She has structured enterprise healthcare partnerships before. She is not evaluating whether your technology works — she is evaluating whether you can be a partner she can defend internally. Answer her questions with confidence and brevity.
"What kind of action are you looking for them to take when the device triggers?"
Julie — Meeting 2
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She asked specifically what happens after the awareness cue fires — what does the child DO?
Your Answer
"The device delivers a private haptic cue to the child's wrist — no adult intervenes, no classmate notices. What happens after the cue is customizable to each child's therapy plan. It could be a calming music prompt co-developed with a licensed occupational therapist in clinical practice, visual box breathing guidance on the watch face, or a simple repeat haptic. The OT or SLP configures what's right for that child. The system supports their work — it doesn't replace their judgment."
Keep it at two sentences max after the first. She understands the concept — she just wants to know you've thought through the post-alert workflow.
"How do you measure success? It's not only measuring it — it's being able to report it."
Julie — Meeting 2 — Her Most Important Question
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"As we look at this right, that question about how do you measure success — it's not only measuring it, it's being able to report it. So you can report that something changed and that it gave them a difference."
Your Answer
"You're asking exactly the right question and it's one we designed the platform around. Our Phase 1 pilot produces three reportable outcomes: device wear tolerance — does the child accept wearing it; threshold calibration accuracy — does the cue fire at the right level for this child; and educator-documented awareness response rate — did the child adjust their voice after the cue. Every awareness event is timestamped. The platform reports event frequency, time-of-day patterns, response rate, and recovery time — and these data points auto-populate directly into the IEP progress documentation the teacher is already required to produce. The data doesn't sit in a dashboard. It becomes the report."
The last sentence is the one that will land with Julie. "The data doesn't sit in a dashboard. It becomes the report." Say it exactly like that.
"Do you have any dashboards built or mockups?"
Julie — Meeting 2
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In Meeting 2 you said the app wasn't launched. That has changed significantly since then.
Your Answer
"Since our last meeting we've built significantly on that. Our Wear OS application is complete — we have a working demo running in our emulator with all four monitoring states and a full session summary screen. We also have a live interactive teacher demo at sensorybridges.com/demo that shows exactly how biometric awareness data auto-populates IEP progress documentation. I'd love to walk you through it."
If she asks to see it in the meeting, share your screen and show the demo. This is one of your strongest moments — use it.
"Is your experience that heart rate increases lead to louder voice, or do they happen at the same time?"
Julie — Meeting 2 — Biometric Correlation Question
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Julie was probing whether you understand the physiological relationship between biometric signals and voice behavior — a sophisticated clinical question about your algorithm's evidence base.
Your Answer
"That's exactly the question our UTC research study is designed to answer — and you're right to ask it. What we believe based on clinical input from our OT and SLP partners is that the biometric signals — particularly heart rate inter-beat intervals and skin temperature — tend to precede or coincide with voice escalation rather than follow it. That's what creates the opportunity for early awareness rather than just reactive feedback. Our four-semester research study with UTC's OT and psychology departments will give us the longitudinal data to confirm that relationship. Phase 1 pilots give us the behavioral response data. Phase 2 gives us the biometric correlation data. We're building the evidence base in sequence."
This answer is honest, shows intellectual rigor, and explains your phased evidence strategy. Julie will respect that you're not overclaiming the science before you have the data.
Ecosystem partner introductions — AngelSense, other Samsung partners
Julie — Meeting 2 — Her Warning to You
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"I just don't want what you're doing to get lost in there. Make sure you're far enough along in the process before we do those introductions — it's your IP, it's their IP."
Your Answer If This Comes Up
"We took your advice from our last conversation seriously. We're keeping partner integration conversations separate from our core platform development until our architecture is fully validated. Our IP boundaries are clear and our patent is filed. We'll come back to ecosystem introductions once we've completed the technical whiteboard session."
Julie gave you this advice because she respects you and wants to protect you. Acknowledge that you listened. It builds trust.
Timothy Calabro
23-year mobile solutions engineer. Let Vijay handle the depth. You handle the frame.
Tim was not in either prior meeting. Samsung brought him specifically because this conversation is getting substantive. He will evaluate technical feasibility. Your job with Tim is to introduce Vijay confidently, stay out of the way on technical questions, and step back in if the conversation drifts toward IP or clinical claims.
Your Introduction of Vijay to Tim
When Tim starts asking technical questions, say exactly this: "Tim, I want to make sure you're talking to the right person here — Vijay is our AI and algorithm scientist and she can speak directly to what you're asking." Then look at Vijay. That's her signal. Don't try to answer first.
"Walk me through your technical architecture."
Tim — Likely Opening Technical Question
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Your Answer — Then Hand to Vijay
"At a high level — the Galaxy Watch 8 in freestanding mode is our sensing and delivery layer. It captures voice amplitude and biometric data, processes it on-device, and delivers the awareness cue directly to the child. Session data syncs to our cloud backend via LTE where it generates the documentation output. The intelligence layer sits between the sensor data and the output — Vijay, do you want to take Tim through the technical detail?"
This answer is just enough to show you understand your own system, then it hands to Vijay before you get into territory that could expose IP or require technical depth you don't have on the tip of your tongue. Practice this handoff — it needs to feel natural.
"What SDK are you building on and how far along is development?"
Tim — Validating Technical Readiness
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Your Answer
"We're building on the Samsung Health Sensor SDK — the private SDK — for our raw biometric data. Our Wear OS application is built, running in emulator with a complete demo mode. Vijay has reviewed the SDK documentation and we're ready for the technical whiteboard session you proposed for this week."
The phrase "ready for the technical whiteboard session you proposed" is important — it signals you're moving forward, not still figuring out if you can.
"How are you thinking about battery life?"
Tim — Practical Deployment Question
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Your Answer
"Our system uses adaptive sampling — it polls at minimum frequency during baseline monitoring and increases only when indicators are rising. We also plan to implement scheduled monitoring windows — the device can be configured to reduce sensor activity during recess and lunch, which Nate confirmed Knox Manage supports. Our target is full school-day battery life on the Watch 8. That's the deployment requirement."
If Tim Goes Deeper Than Vijay Can Answer
This is fine. Say: "That's a great question for the whiteboard session — can we add that to the technical agenda for this week?" This keeps momentum moving forward rather than exposing a gap. Samsung proposed the whiteboard session precisely because they know you're still in development. They expect gaps.
The Costs Conversation
You asked the question. They are presenting the answer. Your job is to receive it — not react to it.
You initiated this conversation by asking about Watch 8 pricing and minimum order quantities. Samsung is coming to present their answer. The most important thing you do in this section of the meeting is stay in control of your reaction regardless of what numbers they present.
The Single Most Important Rule
Whatever number Nate presents — do not react. Do not say "that's a lot" or "oh great" or "that works." Keep your face neutral. Write it down. Your only response to any cost number is: "This is helpful — I want to make sure I'm evaluating this in the context of our full partnership structure before I respond to specifics." That sentence buys you time, signals sophistication, and reveals nothing.
Questions to Ask — In This Order
| # | Ask This | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "What is the unit cost for the Watch 8 at pilot quantities — say 25 to 50 units — and what does that look like at 100 and 500 units?" | You need to see the volume pricing curve. The per-unit cost at 25 units is very different from 100. Understanding the curve tells you what you need to raise to make the first pilot viable. |
| 2 | "What is the LTE data plan cost per watch per month, and is there a healthcare or education partner pricing program that changes that?" | The data plan is the recurring cost that schools will see on their budget line. If there is a partner pricing program — and large companies almost always have a side door — this is where it lives. |
| 3 | "What does Knox Manage licensing cost for a deployment of this size?" | Knox Manage is a separate cost from the hardware. You need the total cost of ownership picture — not just the watch price — to present an accurate number to school district budget holders. |
| 4 | "Can you walk me through what Pentech charges for staging and kitting at pilot scale?" | Jay Gordon at Pentech handles device preparation. His fees are part of your cost of goods. You need this number to build your pricing model for schools. |
| 5 | "Does Samsung have a startup partner program or healthcare vertical initiative that would price this differently than a standard enterprise order?" | This is the most important question on this list. Large companies always have a side door for strategic partners. If you don't ask, you don't find out. Ask it directly and early. |
What To Say After You Have All the Numbers
"Thank you — this is exactly what I needed. I want to take this back and model it against our school district budget framework and our pilot structure before we talk about next steps on the commercial side. Can we schedule the technical whiteboard session for this week and revisit the commercial terms after we've validated the architecture? I want to make sure we're aligning on both tracks in parallel."
If The Numbers Are Higher Than You Expected
Still don't react. Write them down. After the meeting, you will have the full picture and you can evaluate whether you need to negotiate, phase the deployment differently, or find alternative funding to cover pilot hardware costs. None of that conversation happens in this meeting.
Power Moves
Six moments where you can take control of the room.
These are not tricks. These are the moments where a confident CEO separates herself from a founder who is still finding her footing. Each one is grounded in something that is genuinely true about where Sensory Bridges stands today.
01
Drop Pearson Once — Then Don't Mention It Again
In your opening statement. One sentence. "The CEO of Pearson approached me at SXSW — they're interested in a partnership." Then move on. You never need to say it again. Samsung heard it. It changes the room immediately without you having to say "we have other options."
02
Use Nate's Own Words Back at Him
"As you said in our last meeting, Nate — we're in the business of the data and the output, not the logistics. That's exactly how we're structured." Quoting Samsung back to Samsung shows you listened, builds rapport, and frames the relationship as already established.
03
Reference Julie's IP Caution as a Sign of Trust
"Julie, you gave us important advice in our last meeting about protecting our IP before pursuing ecosystem integrations — we took that seriously and it shaped how we've structured our partnerships since then." She will feel respected. She will trust you more.
04
Show the Demo — Don't Just Describe It
If the moment is right — particularly after Julie asks about your dashboard — say "can I show you something?" and share your screen to the live demo at sensorybridges.com/demo. Seeing the IEP documentation auto-populate is more persuasive than any sentence you can say about it.
05
Name the Whiteboard Session as the Next Step
Before the meeting ends: "I want to make sure we lock in the technical whiteboard session this week — Vijay is ready and I know the technical validation is the gate before we move to Pentech. Can we confirm that date today?" This closes a concrete next step and keeps the momentum moving forward.
06
Let Silence Work For You
After you ask a question — especially about the startup partner pricing program — stop talking. Let the silence sit for a full three seconds before you add anything. Most people fill silence. You don't have to. The person who is comfortable with silence in a negotiation usually holds more power.
Your Closing Line — Use This to End the Meeting
"I want to be direct — this is the hardware partnership we want. The question I'm leaving with today is how we structure the pilot economics in a way that works for both of us. I'll have a proposal back to you within a week of the whiteboard session. Let's lock that date now."
Hard Stops
Eight things you do not say or do in this meeting. Non-negotiable.
These are not preferences. Each one has a specific reason. Know them before you walk in.
🔴 Do Not Reveal Your Budget Ceiling
If Samsung or anyone asks how much you have to spend on hardware, how much you've raised, or what your funding situation is — do not answer with a number. Ever. Once they know what you can afford, that becomes the price.
Say instead: "We're in active investor conversations and our pilot budget is being finalized — that's part of why I need your full cost structure today."
🔴 Do Not Commit to Any Number Today
Whatever cost structure Nate presents — do not say yes to anything. Not even "that sounds workable." Any positive signal you give about a price in this meeting becomes their anchor in all future negotiations.
Say instead: "This is helpful — I want to evaluate this in the context of our full partnership structure before I respond to specifics."
🔴 Do Not Use FDA Triggering Language
Do not say: meltdown, overstimulation, intervention, anxiety, stress detection, remote patient monitoring, clinical dashboard, biomarker, diagnose, treat, therapeutic, patient. Full stop. If you catch yourself about to say one of these words, swap it before it leaves your mouth.
Say instead: awareness event, sensory escalation, biometric awareness, educator-directed support, student, user, administrative documentation platform.
🔴 Do Not Discuss Algorithm Details
If Tim or anyone asks how your algorithm works in detail — specific thresholds, state transition logic, parameter values, training data — do not answer. This is patented IP. Vijay handles technical questions at the architecture level only. Neither of you discusses specifics.
Say instead: "Specific algorithm detail we keep with our patent counsel — happy to share architecture-level information under our existing NDA."
🔴 Do Not Accept "Education Only" Classification
Samsung may try to classify you as an education company to simplify the FDA question. Do not accept this framing. You serve education AND licensed clinical professionals. Accept the education framing and you lose access to Julie's healthcare vertical, Medicaid reimbursement codes, and clinical channel positioning.
Say instead: "We're assistive technology under IDEA — but we serve licensed OTs and SLPs who bill through Medicaid, so we operate across both education and clinical settings."
🔴 Do Not Agree to Ecosystem Partner Introductions Today
If AngelSense or other Samsung ecosystem partners come up, do not agree to introductions today. Julie told you herself to be careful. Your IP is not protected enough in those conversations yet. Noah's agreement is not signed. Don't create new IP exposure.
Say instead: "We want to make sure our architecture is fully validated before we look at integrations — let's revisit that after the whiteboard session."
🔴 Do Not Let Steve or Vijay Run the Room
You are the CEO. Steve is your advisor. Vijay is your technical lead. If either of them starts answering questions that are yours to answer — business model, go-to-market, partnership structure, pricing — step back in. You can do it graciously: "Let me add to that..."
You run the room. Always.
🔴 Do Not Leave Without a Locked Next Step
The meeting cannot end with "we'll be in touch." You must leave with a confirmed date for the technical whiteboard session and a clear owner for the Pentech introduction. Vague next steps kill momentum.
Before the meeting ends say: "Can we confirm the whiteboard session date right now while we're all here?"