Five hours of sleep, seven minutes to pitch

The Life: Steinar Hoel Korsmo is chief executive and president of Seed Forum International, which helps match entrepreneurs with investors. He speaks about a brief but busy visit to Abu Dhabi last week.

“I never sleep much. I have too many things to do,” says Steinar Hoel Korsmo. Ravindranath K / The National

Steinar Hoel Korsmo is the chief executive and president of Seed Forum International, which helps to match entrepreneurs with investors. Last week he spoke about his brief but busy visit to Abu Dhabi for this year's forum.

6pm

The evening before any Seed forum we always do what we call an audition or a last-minute brief for the entrepreneurs presenting.

They need the last-minute training exercise to lift the presentation to the highest possible level.

One company has a world-leading technology for wave power plants, [another] is providing a revolutionary technology for cleaning of saltwater into freshwater.

[Yet another has produced] a device where you can - with high-pressure water - clean your teeth of plaque and other things. It's a wide spread.

9.30pm

I had to go and buy a new suit at Abu Dhabi Mall as I [left] my suit in Dubai.

10.40pm

I went for dinner with one of the [company heads], who is actually a friend of mine.

1am

I got back to my hotel room and worked for an hour.

6am

I got up. I never sleep much. I have too many things to do.

8am

I went down for breakfast, prepared, put on my suit and came here.

9am

I checked everything was planned [with the venue]. Then all the companies except one came with amended presentations.

11.15am

People started arriving.

12pm

The forum started. The first thing was that the companies gave 30-second power pitches. We had opening remarks by the ambassador of Norway to the Emirates.

Then we had the chief executive of the The Belleau Wood Group, which is a partner of Seed Forum in the Middle East. Then I had a keynote. After the opening remarks, the companies presented one by one. Each company had seven minutes. There's a big difference between saying things the right way and saying the right things in seven minutes. You should be able to explain your product and services in no more than 15 words. That's a power pitch.

2pm

We had a wonderful networking lunch [in Emirates Palace]. My colleague from northern central Europe made a presentation about the Seed Forum concept and then we had a panel discussion.

5.30pm

The event finishes. We all get on the bus to the Norwegian ambassador's residence across the bay. There is an evening reception for all the participants of the forum.

8pm

Back to Dubai.