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.
What else do you think is essential?