THE FUNDING GAP INTERFACE LONDON
- MAY 2015

2 Everyone knows the stories
about a few apps that just go viral with no promotion. For the 99.9% of all other apps launched, it’s necessary to spend to acquire users… DEVELOPERS NEED TO SUPPORT APP AND GAME LAUNCHES WITH PAID UA PollenVC - Interface 2015

3 THE FUNDING GAP… LAUNCH
You’re earning money from day 1 This is your money trapped in the payment system Apple Releases your cash PollenVC - Interface 2015

4 TYPICAL LAUNCH SCENARIO LAUNCH
Fail to get credit with ad networks Can’t reinvest to acq more users You get paid by Apple DOWNLOADS REVENUE Revenue/Downloads PollenVC - Interface 2015

PollenVC - Interface 2015

6 HOW DEVS FUND USER
ACQUISITION Venture Capital Using equity financing from yourVC is expensive and dilutive (and they don’t like it…) Publisher The developer can’t afford to fund UA on their own so they look for a publisher and give up a rev share. Credit Card High growth or long tail developers don’t meet the credit parameters for ad networks, so relegated to pre-paying. Doesn’t work in high growth scenarios. Err… Not at all… So many times, the funding gap means that great apps and games never see the limelight as devs cannot afford to promote effectively. PollenVC - Interface 2015

7 It’s not just the
cash, it’s what you can do with it. 7 REINVEST DIRECTLY INTO PROMOTION ACQUIRE MORE USERS ACCESS FUNDING BASED ON DAILY SALES PollenVC - Interface 2015

8 TYPICAL LAUNCH SCENARIO LAUNCH
Fail to get credit with ad networks Can’t reinvest to acq more users You get paid by Apple DOWNLOADS REVENUE Revenue/Downloads PollenVC - Interface 2015

9 LOWER YOUR EFFECTIVE CPI
BY REINVESTING WHEN YOU ARE RIDING HIGH… PollenVC - Interface 2015

10 MONETISATION ACQUISITION Test Refine
Test Refine PollenVC - Interface 2015

11 MONETISATION ACQUISITION SUCCESS SUCCESS
FORMULA PollenVC - Interface 2015

12 STEPS TO SUCCESS Do
a small scale test campaign and measure EVERYTHING Understand your key metrics - LTV, D1/7/14/28 Retention, ARPDAU etc. Once you understand your metrics, progress to stage 2 1 2 3Trial several networks to test acquisition costs Understand attribution mechanism and underlying virality If you can acquire users profitably, progress to stage 3 Plan how you’ll finance your UA campaign early Don’t get caught short if you find the formula that works Hit it hard, and double down… $$$ $ PollenVC - Interface 2015

13 YOUR GAME FUNDS ITS
OWN UA PollenVC - Interface 2015

14 TAKEAWAYS Test & Develop
relentlessly before you begin to ramp up your User Acquisition campaign. Don’t launch until you know you can acquire users profitably! Plan how you will fund User Acquisition growth campaigns. Keep your equity funding in the bank! PollenVC - Interface 2015

THANK YOU
@martinmacmillan
martin@pollen.vc