What's your secret to pitching your business and securing funding?

A question that I ALWAYS ask before approaching a partner is "Am I in ALIGNMENT with this partner?" I always say, "ALIGNMENT determines your ASSIGNMENT." This is important in business and in your life. So many times we are quick just to accept the money - but is the money in alignment with your mission? This is a core component in your strategy because you don't want to just secure a partnership, but you want to be able to SUSTAIN that partnership as well. Decipher and articulate what alignment looks like for you --> and craft your pitch from that place.

Totally agree! When you know your audience, you can tell your investors every detail about them, such as their interests, behaviour, purchasing power, loyalty, and demographics. This will help your investors make an informed decision about whether or not to invest in your idea and make the process faster.

Before starting working on a pitch there are few things we should keep in mind. - Who is your audience? - What is your audience looking for? - How are you different from your competitors? - Is your audience genuinely interested in purchasing? These question will help you explain your investors why your product or services can perform well in the future and also how much they can expect them to grow. With this idea, you can also set a valuation and ask for a raise which will showcase you as a confident entrepreneur.

What is a VC? It’s a firm that exists for the sole purpose of getting returns for its investors. Their job is to find a great business to invest in. Your job is to BE that great business, not be a great pitch. If you have a great investable business, the pitch becomes a lot easier. Understand going in that this isn’t about you. Contrary to popular belief this isn’t luck and VC’s don’t exist to do you favors.

Ultimately I feel it comes down to confidence, connections and a solid narrative. Narrative - You need to know why you exist. Not just the problem you solve but your why. Who cares if you exist and what positive impact can you have. Connections - Before you need funds build your network and connections with investors. Demonstrate you can be trusted with their money. Confidence - The greatest piece of advice given to me was to take a daily dose of confidence. As a founder it is your job to share your story in an engaging way, validated by data (not driven by data), exuding confidence, discipline, and a healthy dose of risk taking.

I agree! It's not enough to just tell them about your product or service. You need to tell them a story about why your business exists, what problem it solves, and how it will make a difference. You need to make them feel like they're on an adventure with you, and that they're going to be a part of something special. You need them to come away feeling inspired. If you can do that, you're much more likely to get them to invest in your business.

Indeed, my pitch mostly starts from the real-life story which I have seen during my job days. That incident pushed me to start the project which later changed into a Startup. Being a founder, you must have faced challenges before starting up a particular project. You must keep the story aligned with the Startup, its product/services and how the overall project is helping someone else face that challenge.

In early stages, your why and your personal story matter a lot! If you deeply care about the problem and have a unique perspective on it, weave it into the pitch. Numbers and hypotheses appeal to minds and your story will appeal to hearts. Both are essential to win.

Your pitch should follow the 3Cs; Crisp, Clear, Compelling - need to get investors interested in first 30-45sec - short &sweet

Be authentic. Be personal. Storytelling is part of what makes us human. From my experience, I've succeeded when I put myself in the investor's shoes and explain how my idea will benefit them from a monetary growth standpoint.

Practice, but don't memorise. You need to be authentic. Again, most investors will see through you. - Numbers over opinions - A combination of facts & emotions - Short sentences over endless paragraphs And if you're asked a question that you don't have the answer to, say so. Do not BS. No one expects you to know everything.

Before every pitch, my mentor (Our Incubation CEO) told me to practice it a minimum of 10 times. Just a week ago, we were about to pitch and I have seen my co-founder practising it frequently. Most of the time, there is a time constraint of 3 to 5 minutes of pitch and the next 5 minutes for Q&A. Keeping this in mind, one should keep the pointers ready in mind and deliver it in a very concise and crisp manner.

There are many opportunities to practice your pitch. You can practice internally, people in your network in the VC or Private Equity industry or find investment groups. I have personally utilized LinkedIn to search and connect with VC’s, Angel Investors and people who work in Private Equity. I found many investors were receptive to letting me pitch to them and getting feedback- even people I have never spoke to before. I also recommend asking your network for recommendations to other investors or groups to practice your pitch.

It's cliche, but practice makes perfect. Working with a speaking coach or mentor on your delivery can significantly increase the likelihood of your pitch succeeding.

Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. Make sure you know all the points you want to get across and how you want to present them i.e. in a story, dynamically, fact-based etc. Know the audience you are pitching too and present accordingly. Make sure you do your homework and are prepared for any Q&A at the end of the pitch. Finally, practice....it makes all the difference.

If you want someone to get what you're trying to tell them, and I mean really *get it* - then always "show, don't tell." Working in the software industry, I've created dozens of demo videos for startups to show off prototypes of their products rather than trying to describe what they are building. Nothing connects people to an idea like seeing it play out right in front of them.

I agree with this! It is important to show your appreciation for the investors' time and attention. This can be done by sending a thank-you note or email within a few days of the pitch. - Ask for their feedback. This shows that you are serious about your business and that you value their input. - Follow up within a few days. When you follow up, be sure to include a summary of your pitch, any additional information they requested, and a reminder of why they should invest in your business. You can also use this opportunity to answer any questions they may have. - Keep the investors updated on your progress and achievements.

Let's summarise it in points: 1. Keep your pitch simple. 2. No use of jargons at all. 3. Keep your finances and ask amount clean. 4. Stay clear about how ask amount will be used. 5. Visuals are okay, but not more than required. 6. Do not use much bright colors. Black/White/Blue and their shades are good to go. 7. Keep the slides maximum 10.

I have seen some pretty unbelievable projections. Like 10 years of numbers based on an extremely narrow set of assumptions. The best thing you can possibly do for your pitch is keep assumptions to a minimum. Base your belief in your business being a great investment on tangible value. Example, when I raised money for my govtech venture, I didn’t project something with a ton of assumptions. I had a team of experts draw up what they thought, based on statistical data, what we could potentially earn. I also had them opine as to the likelihood of winning government support for our project and why they were a trustworthy source. I also touted my already established strategic partnerships with large and financially healthy companies.

Keep in mind, investors are PEOPLE. They have jobs, bosses, families, fears, just like you. Many chose their role because they value entrepreneurs. So, be genuine, view them as partners right from the beginning.