11 Tips for the VC Pitch Satya Patel Battery Ventures

Pursue feedback

Milk your contacts

Don’t talk to strangers

1 hour = 30 minutes

Lead with the team

Demos speak louder than words

A business model is not optional

Small bites, big appetite

If you don’t know, say so

Ask for the order

It’s not you, it’s me

Raise money when you don’t need it Other random tips It always takes longer than you expect It always takes longer than you expect More than two VCs is too many Don’t fight for the last dollar Create scarcity No NDAs Execution is original, ideas are not Entrepreneurs don’t work part-time Too much money can be as bad as not enough Go C-Corp

Raise money when you don’t need it

What should be in a pitch? Try to limit yourself to 15 slides that you can cover in 30 minutes, leaving 30 minutes for question along the way. Make sure you cover all of the following in roughly this order: The team The problem you are solving The size and growth of the market Your product/service and its value proposition Description of your typical customer target and an example use case and/or demo Your customer acquisition model/strategy Your business model and financial projections Competition and why you will win Your current status and fundraising plans Why your company is a fit with the investor In addition to presenting the above, make sure you have answers to the following questions, at minimum: What are the risks to the business? Who else do you need to add to the team? What are you going to do with the money and how long will it last before you need more? Why is your team best suited to solve the problem you have identified? Why is the problem that you have identified important? What are the exit opportunities? (Who do you think would buy the business if it succeeds?) At the end of the meeting, ask for feedback on your business and on their interest in doing further due diligence

Try to limit yourself to 15 slides that you can cover in 30 minutes, leaving 30 minutes for question along the way.

Make sure you cover all of the following in roughly this order:

The team

The problem you are solving

The size and growth of the market

Your product/service and its value proposition

Description of your typical customer target and an example use case and/or demo

Your customer acquisition model/strategy

Your business model and financial projections

Competition and why you will win

Your current status and fundraising plans

Why your company is a fit with the investor

In addition to presenting the above, make sure you have answers to the following questions, at minimum:

What are the risks to the business?

Who else do you need to add to the team?

What are you going to do with the money and how long will it last before you need more?

Why is your team best suited to solve the problem you have identified?

Why is the problem that you have identified important?

What are the exit opportunities? (Who do you think would buy the business if it succeeds?)

At the end of the meeting, ask for feedback on your business and on their interest in doing further due diligence

Questions? Satya Patel Battery Ventures [email_address] 650-372-3939