@doola (YC20) | Founder of EverythingStartups | Startup & VC Analyst | Web3 enthusiast
Want to kill your startup before it gets funded? Make these 10 mistakes. Most investors won’t tell you why they passed. But here’s what’s quietly killing your chances. Fix these, or investors will never write you a check. ?? 1. ?????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????? Nobody buys that your startup magically sits in the top-right corner of some made-up axis. Ditch it. Show real differentiation with a feature comparison. 2. ???????????? ≠ ???????????????? Forbes 30 Under 30 is cool, but investors care about growth, not awards. 3. ?????? ?????????? ???????????????? Ex-cofounders or advisors holding absurd amounts of equity is a red flag. No investor wants to clean up your mess. 4. ???????????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????????????? Spray-and-pray = instant fail. Pitch investors who actually invest in your space. 5. ?????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? Best intro: From a lead investor. Worst intro: Hiring a consultant to pitch. Instant turnoff. 6. ????????-??????????, ??????????????-???????????? Cool tech ≠ good business. If you're not solving a real pain point, investors see through it immediately. 7. ???????? "?????? ??????" Most ideas have been tried. What makes now different? New laws? Market shifts? Investors need proof. 8. "???????? ???????? ??????" = ?????????????? ?????????????????? No one is stealing your idea. If secrecy is your moat, you've got bigger problems. 9. ???????? ???? ?????????????????? ???????? Your deck is your pitch. If it screams Word 2003, you've already lost. 10. ????????-?????????????? ?????????????????? Random phone calls? Terrible idea. Email first. Respect their time. VCs and angels: what’s the worst pitch mistake you’ve seen? ?? _______________________________ If this was helpful, you'll enjoy the weekly EverythingStartups newsletter for startup & VC visionaries: https://lnkd.in/dyNtt9s4 #startups #fundraising #funding #venturecapital