How can you pitch your business venture to secure funding?

One of the biggest things I see with entrepreneurs seeking investment is that they feel like they are begging. Like the VC/PE firm is doing them a favor by investing. Understanding the dynamic helps new entrepreneurs tremendously. Like any company a VC/PE firm exists to make money, in the form of returns for their investors. Your job, as an entrepreneur, is not to beg for their help, but to actually present good reasons why they can earn returns with your company. It’s their job to invest in good companies. It’s your job to legitimately be a good company.

In my experience raising capital for three startups, often potential investors simply can’t add to their current deal flow, even if they would like to hear from you. Be patient. Come back in a month and see if they are free to meet.

Fundraising is like climbing Everest. The summit? Funding glory. The base? Steely determination and groundwork. Dive deep, dissect your project, and pinpoint that prime investor type. Many founders drift here, wasting energy on endless cold calls, emails, and futile pitches to just any investor. But the best investor isn’t merely a cash wallet. They're your co-pilots in this challenging ascent. Prioritize the following investor qualities: 1. Expertise in industry and function. 2. Values that mirror yours. 3. Adequate 'dry powder' for your vision. Know your pitch audience. Focus on your investor elite. Achieve unparalleled results.

First and foremost, genuinely believe in your product. If you believe in it and can prove this belief to potential investors, think you closed the deal.

I don’t pitch my business. I look for people who need the service we provide and partners whose interests align with mine. During our conversations I clearly articulate what we are looking for from the relationship-note relationship not transaction-and take a long term view when evaluating potential partners. I’m honest about what we can and can’t/won’t do. Ultimate goal is a win/win arrangement. This produces satisfied customers and long term partners. Finally if it isn’t a good fit, I thank them for the opportunity to discuss the possibility and leave the door open for a different opportunity in the future. This is the approach. It works well when I execute it.

Totally agree - try to develop a one sentence pitch statement - crisp, concise, compelling Much better than a 2 min elevator pitch - many investors decide if they like your pitch & you in the first 30-45 sec

Nail the elevator pitch and squeeze your entire business into a single compelling sentence. You want to create intrigue and a desire to learn more. Simple analogies and descriptors work well, "we're the AirBnB for work spaces."

You get one sentence for each! You can dive into the details and unpack everything when you have someone's attention. Use this as a hook to get their curiosity!

Investors like simple analogies to quickly grasp your concept. It’s like Match, but for Dogs.” This makes a very quick elevator.

The problem your venture aims to solve forms the bedrock of its foundation. This core issue determines whether investors will commit their time, attention, and resources to your project. You don't need to wait for a dedicated "Problem" slide to convey this. In fact, you can articulately state it right on the title slide of your pitch deck. For instance, the founders of Starship Technologies' delivery robots titled their pitch "Disrupting the Trillion-Dollar Last Mile Industry." Paired with an image of their charming delivery robot on the cover, this title succinctly conveys The Problem, The Solution, and The Market's Potential — all in a single compelling sentence, immediately capturing the attention of investors.

a successful pitch is as much about the people behind the venture as it is about the idea itself. I believe that by spotlighting your team's skills, synergies, and commitment, coupled with a compelling vision for the future, you resonate deeply with investors. From my perspective, showing adaptability and a growth mindset establishes not just the venture's potential but also the team's capacity to realize that potential.

In the early stages, founders have limited time to pitch to investors. While the "Team" slide is standard, a separate "Vision" slide might seem superfluous. Yet, articulating the Vision is crucial, and it should thread consistently throughout the investor narrative. The solution became evident when I designed Astroscale US's Series F presentation. The introductory slide, "Astroscale at a Glance," showcased six standout KPIs. That pitch secured $109MLN for Astroscale US and generated insight for me: an "Overview" slide for early-stage founders, merging a concise Vision with three pivotal metrics. This approach has demonstrated its effectiveness in pitches, notably for SmallSpark Space Systems, which secured ≈$2.5 MLN in their Series A.

Igor Schmertzler and Robert Schmertzler are a father-son team, who have successfully funded and exited other small businesses. Igor owns a high frequency options trading platform that has traded millions of contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and is an advisor to an AI firm. Igor is a previous Standard Club member in Chicago, a CME member, and a Battery Member in San Francisco. They are on a mission to bring location freedom to millions of Americans, bringing the American Dream into the 21st Century.

To me Go To Market and Show Me the Money matter most. Anything else gets lost without these. Projections showing value based on 0.01% of a $100B market mean nothing.

When I talk with investors, I often like to ask their feedback on our current business model. Got some of the best advice in this way.

Saying you will 'hire sales and marketing experts to work this out'? 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩 Either you need this expertise in the founding team, or someone in the founding team needs to learn how to do this!

When crafting your Pitch Deck, set distinct slides for the Business Model and Financials. Business Model Slide: Use a clear graphic to showcase your business flow and unique value. Financials Slides: For pre-revenue startups: present a 1-3 year forecast. For established ones: lead with a financial snapshot. Maintain simplicity — a concise spreadsheet of vital financials. Highlight real results: revenue, units sold, and profit. Investors often scrutinize this the most. Provide a clear financial outlook, spotlighting sales, revenue, and profit projections. This not only indicates foresight but also reveals industry understanding. Dive deeper during Q&As. Remember: be bold in vision, but ground your projections in reality.

Split Lease gets paid upon a successful booking. We are able to improve margins and improve the quality of lodging for our guests by matching guests of complementary schedules. We strive for a 20% margin, making more or less depending on the value we are able to add to the customer. Early customers saved 45% versus the listed Airbnb price for the same listing.

When I speak to the founder, I want to be excited. Grab my attention. Genuine enthusiasm makes your idea come to life. Excitement is the pulse of the pitch. You have to make the listener lean in and pay attention and add a sincere smile that exudes confidence

My first investor wrote a check when I agreed to create courses to support people (like him) with dyslexia. Personal connection matters.