guide to a good investor pitch
DESCRIPTION
A good pitch should do more than just say stuff about your business. It should present the compelling points briefly and in an order that is logical and engaging.TRANSCRIPT
Guide to a good venture pitch.
Conquest 2007, BITS-Pilani
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
First Page This presentation
intends to be a guideline for Conquest finalists.
The order followed by the slides is logical. Your presentation should have a similar structure.
Do not have too many slides. Ideally fifteen is good.
Format it well. Make it look beautiful and weed out all spelling mistakes.
Focus on your strengths, USP.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Introduction (1 slide)
The most important slide.
What does your company do?(in one line)
Current status: Stage of the venture. Incorporated? Any big clients or piloting partners? Testimonials? Funded?
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Stars
List the most important points about your company. Strong management team. Patents and unique technology or model. USP Attractiveness of the venture for investment. Market trends, market growth rates. Size of the target market.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Problem or the pain (1 slide)
Describe the problem your venture aims to solve or the pain of the society it relieves.
How big is the problem? Mention data, statistics.
Why hasn’t it been solved before?
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Solution (1-2 slides)
How does your venture solve the problem? Why/how is it more effective than the current
solutions, if any? USP!
Describe your product or service in required amount of detail. The magic/technology behind it. Patented? Important selling features. Use simple diagrams, flow charts. Give screenshots/pictures. Value addition to complimentary products or services
available currently.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Testimonials (1 slide)
Every investor needs proof about solution efficacy.
Why did your customer love you? Response of existing clients. Use logos.
Or response to prototype by prospective clients/customers.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Market analysis (1-2 slides)
Which market need are you meeting? Describe the market.
How big is it? Growth rate? Maturity.
Product positioning. Market Capture projections. Marketing strategies. How will you reach the
market?
Tip: always brilliant to describe a typical customer/client.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Business model (1-2 slides)
What is the business model? Use flowcharts and diagrams. How will you make money? Revenue strategy and model. Economies of scale. Describe distributor or franchise
commission/rates, if applicable.
Operations model. Use flowcharts and diagrams
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Competition analysis (1 slide)
Who else is tackling the same problem? (direct competitors)
Why are you better?
Compare features on a table/matrix.
Feature A Feature B Feature C
Product A Yes Yes Yes
Product B No Yes No
Product C Yes Yes No
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Management Team (1 slide)
Who will run the show?
Relevance of experience/skills to role allotted.
Track record.
Who is missing? Solution.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Co-stars (1 slide)
Technology development team.
Partners.
Board of advisors.
Board of directors.
Legal advisors.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Rollout plan (1 slide)
Current status.
Rollout model. Strategy behind it.
Timeline of the rollout.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Risks (1 slide)
What reasons could lead to failure?
Regulatory risks. (Medical and financial ventures,
beware.)
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Exit strategy (1 slide)
Acquisition? IPO?
Diversification?
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Financial summary (1-2 slides)
Mention key assumptions.
Give key figures of revenue growth, profits, ROI.
Projections for next few years.
Mention breakeven period.
Tip: Do not show excel sheets, since you’ll never read them neither will the investor. Only gives a crammed look.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Funding summary (1 slide)
Requirements and details. Highlight ROI.
Breakup of spending.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Conclusion
The points you want your investors to remember.
Re-highlight the attractiveness/strengths.
Funding requirements and ROI.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Thank You!
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani
Final comments
While bullets are effective. Nothing can beat diagrams and pictures. Use them generously.
Do not cram your slides. Speak more than your slide.
Use big text.
Practice and time your presentation.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani