I have pitched quite a few times to investors in the past and have had the opportunity to work together with some great people, but when it comes to something life software, the presentation is often more vital to being funded then the product itself. Software is something that needs to be explained, demonstrated and experienced. Just speaking and showing a couple slides will have no one on your side. In the few minutes that you have, you need to make it count, despite the pressure you need to create that interactive experience around your product.Speaking with some fellow (successful) entrepreneurs I asked them to share what they thought was a must include point for pitching an investor for the first time.1. Why Now? – What is unique to your business and why do you think the time to launch your product is now? Consider all shifts in technology and market sentiment.
2. KPIs – Something I personally am all to familiar with. There is no magic metric when it comes to software but you need to benchmark your software to see your progress.
3. Prove your team can execute – A lot of investors invest in those startups that have teams, strong teams simply because they are putting their eggs in more than one basket (or person) in case someone decides to leave/quit. Prove to investors that your team knows what needs to be done.
4. Early success – Investors don’t want to invest simply in an idea. They want to see what you have made out of your product already. Many things are good in theory and may sound great but when it comes to the big green ($) you need to have a reputation and that’s it. No revenue stream, nothing.
5. Sales – How will you generate revenue and what are your financial forecasts down the road. At some point you will need to break even and cover your costs from money you receive through customers. Investors want to see growth and return. Know what your plan is.
Father to future trailblazers. Husband to my rock. Athlete who's logged thousands of miles and reps. Entrepreneur behind ventures like NutriPlay and HK ImPulse. Investor spotting the next big wave. Tech maven turning ideas into impact.
