Pitching to potential investors - tips please??

[Trackside Junior]

Hi all

I'm launching a business that is going to need some investment pretty shortly to get to the next stage of prototyping. I can't tell you what the business is without NDAs, but I'm hoping some of you might be private investors and would be kind enough to give me some general tips on preparing pitches to investors?

Thanks in advance
TJ

Edited by Trackside Junior on Tuesday 26th September 00:21

[anonymous-user]

Make sure that you have no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors in your pitch deck,

Make sure your numbers add up.

Would be a shame to lose someone's interest for something simple.

[Dicky Knee]

Be very clear how much you need and exactly what it will be spent on. Any investor will want to know you will be funded through to another major milestone.

[anonymous-user]

Whether it is EIS eligible.

What the cash will be used for.

At what point the business will become cash positive.

Potential exits.

[Behemoth]

Research your competitors and present them honestly and accurately. I had a horrendous pitch recently, where I found a direct competitor within 3 mins of google searching that blew their business model out the window. Back up any revenue projections with deep detail & more than fingers in the air. If you haven't pitched before, find a trustworthy relative experienced in business and the domain you're in to provide an honest critique.

[kurt535]

serious investors like to know the downsides i.e. how much they might lose.....

also concentrates your mind how much you can afford to lose

[CasioPasio]

Very good thread - learned lots from this one!

[Trackside Junior]

Wow folks, this is fantastic! Thank you so much!

[Trackside Junior]

CasioPasio said:

Very good thread - learned lots from this one!

Me too - even my boyfriend said he felt like he could go and pitch to someone when I was reading them out this morning! I honestly wasn't expecting anywhere near this much to come of it!

[cuprabob]

Be realistic about your growth forecast and the market.

Don't be negative or dismiss competitors but highlight what differentiate ls your offering from them.

[AyBee]

If your current garage is actually real, it may be worth liquidating some of it to fund further investment - I wouldn't want to invest in someone who wasn't willing to put in their own cash.

[Trackside Junior]

I wish it was real! It's a little Pistonheads trick I was told about so I'm trying it. So far it's not working!

[FrankAbagnale]

Roman Rhodes said:

Whether it is EIS eligible.

100% this.

The EIS/SEIS government scheme makes it very attractive for investors to invest money in small businesses.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-scheme...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-scheme...

Some friends of mine have raised money from great investors this way. Take a look at it.

[Trackside Junior]

FrankAbagnale said:

100% this.

The EIS/SEIS government scheme makes it very attractive for investors to invest money in small businesses.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-scheme...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-scheme...

Some friends of mine have raised money from great investors this way. Take a look at it.

I was looking the other day - I didn't even know it existed before this post. It looks like a fabulous scheme!

Investors in my business would be eligible for it too, so very happy days!

[anonymous-user]

Trackside Junior said:

I was looking the other day - I didn't even know it existed before this post. It looks like a fabulous scheme!

Investors in my business would be eligible for it too, so very happy days!

There is quite a bit of work required to get the business approved - definitely need to engage with an accountant.

It's a good scheme that will definitely make an investment significantly more attractive.

[Trackside Junior]

desolate said:

There is quite a bit of work required to get the business approved - definitely need to engage with an accountant.

It's a good scheme that will definitely make an investment significantly more attractive.

I'll start trying to get the ball rolling now then so that it's ready when I need it.

I'm in the mid to late stages of planning at the moment. I need the physical prototype done, but for now I'm trying to fund/ do as much as I can to get everything else ready, so that I'd just need a first investor to get that prototype done and take us to the next hurdle (i.e. getting the final product finished and "out there"). I already have in mind at least one person I'm planning to approach and although he is a family friend, I want to go in as if he isn't - if nothing else to prepare for the later stages and also show him I'm really serious about what I'm trying to do. It's something I know will be really successful and he's helped me A LOT in the past, so really want him to gain from it in the long term.

Edited by Trackside Junior on Wednesday 27th September 11:00

Edited by Trackside Junior on Wednesday 27th September 11:01

[Greshamst]

Trackside Junior said:

I wish it was real! It's a little Pistonheads trick I was told about so I'm trying it. So far it's not working!

What's the trick? Other than pretending to have cars that you don't?

[Trackside Junior]

Greshamst said:

What's the trick? Other than pretending to have cars that you don't?

There you go - it's correct now. ;)