2. Professor of global business management
with emphasis on technology
entrepreneurship
Over 15 years experience as an international
consultant to start-ups, corporations, NGO’s
and governments
Began working in the Balkans in 2004 as
Fulbright Scholar and USAID consultant
Helped create Balkan Unlimited as a result of
work with Macedonian Government on an
Innovation Initiative in 2010-2011
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3. Business plans are useful in a world
where analysis gives you control over
the future, but in a start-up today,
even the best-laid business plans
often fall short!
You can write a beautiful 50-page
business plan without ever talking to a
potential customer.
This will NOT attract an investor…
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4. You need to persuade investors in a
very short time that your company has
the technical expertise, business
acumen and potential to develop
innovative products for a ready
market.
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5. The overall objective of the pitch is to
make a sound business case for your
company. So…
Outline the value of investment
proposition and demonstrate how
investors are going to benefit from the
company’s progress through a handful
of well-placed key messages that
resonate with investors.
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6. Show the concrete steps you have
taken to develop your
proposed/existing business
Always Identify a market opportunity
or prove you have interacted with
potential customers to demonstrate
your start-up's viability!
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7. Make sure you do your research
because knowledge is power!
You have to know your audience,
know your company and product
and most importantly, know what
you can offer your target market
in terms of their need.
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8. If the pitch is in relation to a problem
that your business/service/product
will solve, then place it in that context.
If the investors can relate to the
problem, then they are more likely to
put their money where your mouth is.
So keep it relevant, interesting and
professional.
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9. Its all in the numbers!
Make sure the facts and figures tally.
Any inconsistency will be picked on
and picked apart by any shrewd
investor.
Do not give them a reason to turn you
down.
They have choices, make sure yours is
the one that they choose!
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10. Practice makes perfect - most of the
time…
Practice allows you to feel more
confident and prepared and will help
you iron out any problems in the run-
up.
One of the ways of doing this is by
pitching to your friends, family,
teachers, etc.
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11. The pitch should flow seamlessly, using clear
and assertive words that tell a compelling
story to capture and maintain investor
interest.
The key is to simplify the story, limiting each
slide to one take-away point, paring down
excessive verbiage on slides and adding
visuals to illustrate important points.
Be sure to maintain a consistent level of
disclosure, and tone down any blatant
promotion.
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12. Arouse interest immediately by hooking the
audience with your “elevator pitch” — a
clear, 30-second description of the
company and its investment attributes —
along with a noteworthy accomplishment or
milestone that establishes credibility at the
outset.
The entire presentation should be
structured to support these key messages!
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13. Design your presentation so it’s easy to
follow
Succinctly explain your business, products
and technology or your exploration and
development strategy
Choose key investment strengths and
reinforce them
Describe your target market, business
strategy and management expertise
concluding with financials and a strong,
confident close
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14. Define the market opportunity in
realistic terms.
Investors want to know that you
understand your company’s or
product’s true market potential.
Describe the market’s size,
characteristics, growth potential and
trends.
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15. Technology investors are looking for
undiscovered companies with leading science
and intellectual property that addresses an
unmet need.
Explain the technology in very simple terms.
Where possible, use analogies to drive the point
home.
Focus on the novelty of the technology, how it
works, proof of concept, how it compares to the
gold-standard in the industry and the company’s
product development and marketing plan.
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16. Whatever stage a company is at, you must
be able to clearly articulate its goals and
long-term business plan.
If you are looking to sell or license rights to
a product, development rights to a
property, or enter into a joint venture, you
should be able to confidently convey your
strategy for doing so.
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17. Investors like management teams that can
get results, ideally made up of professionals
with a track record of successful discovery,
expertise in taking a product or project
beyond the feasibility stage, as well as
experience forming partnerships and raising
capital.
Briefly highlight management’s track record
and expertise by pointing out relevant past
accomplishments.
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18. Given that few start-up companies are
profitable, valuation may revolve around
discovery, intellectual property, or
management expertise
Investors pay close attention to the progress
of product/project development, partnerships
and, in particular, the amount of money a
company has on hand compared with its
expenditures.
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19. Always end the presentation on a high
note!
When looking for financing, specify
how much you need in this round and
how it will be used, with emphasis on
the company’s investment merits
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20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI4eOZ6
s6bU&feature=player_embedded
David S. Rose on pitching to VCs on TED:
“Investing in YOU: integrity, passion,
experience, knowledge, skills, leadership,
commitment, vision, realism”
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