For a first presentation, some technically focused strategic funds and some technology companies will wish to see much more technical information. For example, some in the semiconductor industry will prefer to see a one hour technical presentation at the block diagram level. Investor Presentation Development – Technology and IP This slide should address: What is…… Continue Reading
Investor Presentation Development – Competition This section/slide of your investor presentation should address: Who are the competitors? There is ALWAYS competition in the eyes of a prospect. Even if the potential customer is doing nothing, the Company must overcome the customer’s inertia and current allocation of money to unrelated products and services. What do…… Continue Reading
For Investor Presentations – Customers and Partners are essential information. Having real, paying customers who will talk to potential investors is a key asset for a startup in raising funds. If you do succeed in raising funds before having paying customers, your valuation will be disadvantageous (terrible). Investor Presentations – Customers and Partners This section/slide…… Continue Reading
One important aspect of an Investor Presentation – Achievements and Assets. This is compelling information as to what has been accomplished to date. Investor Presentation – Achievements and Assets This section/slide should address: Description of history or track record including a list of key achievements to date, probably in a timeline format. One example is FDA…… Continue Reading
Board of Advisors A Board of Advisors is most valuable early; at the angel or seed stage, and less crucial later. This is because potential investors in early stage entities frequently like to see advisors in place. A Board of Advisors typically includes Advisors of various types (business technological market etc.) as well as attorneys;…… Continue Reading
Investor Presentation – Management Team This section/slide of an investor presentation should address: Who are the key officers? Why is each a real asset? Why are they better qualified to run the company and solve this market problem than anyone else? The quality of the officers is key to the perception of the Company…… Continue Reading
Investor Presentation – Market Opportunity This section/slide should address: Target markets showing segmentation based on the Standard Industrial Classification Code (SIC Code) or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS Codes); or similar codes as used in your country. How large is each, how are they growing? What part of which segments are addressable and why?…… Continue Reading
For an Investor Presentation – Market Pain and Solution are must-have key success factors. Without believing in them the potential investor will not believe in the startup. Investor Presentation – Market Pain and Solution This section/slide should address: What market pain (problem) is addressed? Why is a solution needed? To what sector(s); and to which…… Continue Reading
For an Investor Presentation – Strategy is an essential part. The overall Strategy by which the new venture will achieve its goals is very important. Investor Presentation – Strategy This section/slide should address: A high level discussion of how the company will accomplish its mission; with an emphasis on the next twelve months. It includes…… Continue Reading
Mission Statement The Mission Statement section/slide should address: What the company will do in the next 6-12 months. This should be quantified as much as possible (revenue, product features completed, achieving some level of distribution, or etc.). As the startup evolves the Mission Statement will evolve into its traditional form. Thus for a more mature…… Continue Reading
Versions of the Business Plan PowerPoint vary for several reasons. In presenting to an Angel Investor Seed Stage Investor or to a potential Partner a new venture will hopefully make several presentations over the course of several meetings. Thus agenda and presentations must be prepared for Meeting#1 Meeting #2 and so forth. During the course…… Continue Reading
Prepare this section last. As a slide, a paragraph in your 1-2 page Executive Summary and as a section in your 20 page Business Plan; this section includes many of your compelling statements, your most compelling graphic and all of your key customer/partner logos. Investor Presentation – Executive Summary With only your Executive Summary slide,…… Continue Reading
As you start developing your Investor Presentation for your early stage startup, you are really developing or modifying your Business Plan. Work through addressing the following Sections. This list may change slightly depending on your business. Plan on a 20 minute presentation. But be prepared to use only one slide to do a very short;…… Continue Reading
Fund raising is a crucial aspect of a new venture’s corporate life-cycle. Your Due Diligence on Potential Investors Your Due Diligence on Potential Investors needs to include both strategic selection of investor groups and detailed research on individual executives within investment firms/units. Planning for a Meeting With a Potential Investor Part of your planning for…… Continue Reading
Your Investor Package Meeting II is your tool to enter into serious discussions with this potential investor. With each succeeding meeting you need to be prepared to discuss everything that was discussed in any prior meeting plus more detail. Be very careful how you plan the disclosure of your “Secret Sauce”. Your Investor Package Meeting II includes:…… Continue Reading
During a fund raise; when you and an investor are seriously interested in each other; you experience a whole series of meetings. This Post addresses a “Meeting #3”. Remember that as the number of the meeting increases; the exact agenda that you will each have in mind will become more and more unique to your…… Continue Reading
Your Investor Package Meeting I includes: Research Results You researched this investor. You know that he/she is interested in startups in your space. You understand what prior investments he/she has made in other startups in or near your area of activity and in what geographic regions. You understand that he/she is comfortable with your preferred…… Continue Reading
This Pew Research Center market projection provides “15 Theses About the Digital Future” in 60 pages. The More-Hopeful Theses ”Information sharing over the Internet will be so effortlessly interwoven into daily life that it will become invisible, flowing like electricity, often through machine intermediaries.” page 23 ”The spread of the Internet will enhance global connectivity that fosters…… Continue Reading
A short sales pitch to a group is sometimes called an Elevator Pitch to a Group; more traditionally an Elevator Pitch is a one-on-one event. Elevator Pitch To a Group If you are making a short sales pitch to a group, plan what your “marketing messages” will be and deliver them briefly, with appropriate energy. …… Continue Reading
The Financial Exit for a startup or new revenue stream is when the investors, co-founders, and any other equity owners receive cash or stock in an acquiring entity for their investment in the business. Types of Financial Exits Acquisition by a corporation or other investor. This is the most common form of Financial Exit for…… Continue Reading
Concentrate on startup business focus while progressing through the corporate formation of a startup. And again during all planning processes. Your Angel and VC investors will especially appreciate your attention to these points: Investors and all other stakeholders want a startup to have a strong startup business focus. It is good to have multiple future…… Continue Reading
Your Seed Stage Business Plan provides information as to strategy and methodologies that will guide corporate decision-making for the next 3-5 years. Seed Stage Business Plan Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of creating a Product Plan instead of a Business Plan. Please see the White Paper titled Startup Presentations to Angel/Seed Stage Investors and Partners: Recommendations…… Continue Reading
An Investor Strategy for Startups is key for new ventures. It is required as a part of your fundraising. Investor Strategy for Startups Your Investor Strategy is an internal document that guides the co-founders (and later the officers) of a startup in: Determining which Financial Exits are acceptable to you and therefore must be acceptable…… Continue Reading
A Sales Kit for Fund Raising is used by a company executive when he/she calls on a potential investor to try to raise funds or when calling on an existing investor to try to raise funds for a new round of investment. A Sales Kit for Fund Raising includes: All of the items in a…… Continue Reading
The Elevator Pitch – One on One used to be referred to as a 30 second pitch … that you could make during an elevator ride for sales or fund raising purposes. As the Elevator Pitch evolved in various ways; some now believe in 3 minute pitches. Elevator Pitch – One on One I prefer…… Continue Reading
A Sales Kit For Product Sales used by a sales executive when he/she calls on a potential customer to try to sell or when calling on an existing customer to try to up-sell or cross-sell. A Sales Kit For Product Sales includes: Elevator Pitch (verbal) Business card with company domain based email address Company Website Company…… Continue Reading
Your first Angel-Seed Stage investment is a key part of a startup’s emergence into the real world. Before Raising Your First Angel-Seed Stage Investment Before you start raising your first Angel-Seed Stage investment for a hitech startup, you should have completed the following tasks: Product definition (you know what the product is) Co-Founders in place…… Continue Reading