Are you a Start-Up or more established company, seeking to raise Seed Funds or Venture Capital? This "how to" guide helps you to identify what stage your company is at from an investment point of view and identifies what makes your company investable.
9. You will no longer make all key
decisions yourself
10. You will no longer make all key
decisions yourself
You have to account
for company performance
to someone else
11. You will no longer make all key
decisions yourself
You have to account
for company performance
to someone else
One day you are
expected to “exit”
(sell your whole business)
13. It’s all about the
money.
If you want to grow a
large company, this may
be the way to do it.
14. Because even owning
only 5% of €100m
company (€5m)
is better than
100% of €0.5m
company
(only €0.5m)
100%
5%
15. In some cases, it may be
possible to grow without
external funding.
But to do so you’ve got to be really, really
outstanding amongst top competition to
make that work!
21. Customers are the
ultimate validation
Business awards and column
inches are great, but someone
has got to pay for
your ‘stuff’ –
otherwise it literally
has no value
22. Your sales process
needs to be scalable
And not
dependent on one
person or a small
number of people.
25. Money is a commodity.
Knowledge is not.
Do you have expertise and
track record that is not
easily replicated?
26. Money is a commodity.
Knowledge is not.
Do you have expertise and
track record that is not
easily replicated?
Your team should bring
experience and expertise.
Money is always just money.
(Although Ts & Cs apply)
28. Spend.
What are you going to spend
the money on? Specifically.
Not vague things like
“salaries” and definitely not
“contingency”
29. Spend.
What are you going to spend
the money on? Specifically.
Not vague things like
“salaries” and definitely not
“contingency”
Solvency.
How are you going to remain
solvent until you have the
funds in?
30. Spend.
What are you going to spend
the money on? Specifically.
Not vague things like
“salaries” and definitely not
“contingency”
Solvency.
How are you going to remain
solvent until you have the
funds in?
How Much.
How much money do you
need as capital investment
and when?
31. Spend.
How Much.
What are you going to spend
the money on? Specifically.
Not vague things like
“salaries” and definitely not
“contingency”
How much money do you
need as capital investment
and when?
Solvency.
ROI.
How are you going to remain
solvent until you have the
funds in?
What returns are going to be
generated by this
investment?
32. Raising funds is like running
a race.
Most of the time that it takes
to win a race is spent
in the training
beforehand.
33. Raising funds is like running
a race.
Similarly, an investor
proposition takes
time to develop, fine
tune and rehearse
before you approach
investors
41. VCs only invest in 2 out of
every 100 pitches.
Your investor proposition needs to demonstrate
that your company is capable and likely to
provide a return for your investors.
44. Investors probably make up their
minds in 20 minutes…
…but may take a few months to
tell you (in a formal term sheet)
45. Investors probably make up their
minds in 20 minutes…
…but may take a few months to
tell you (in a formal term sheet)
That’s why it’s important to have a
clear story before you meet
investors. First impressions count.
46. The process is just as important
as the outcome when developing
investor documents.
It is all great training
for your pitches.
47. The more you know, the more
confident you are and the more
investable you become.
You need to be comfortable
with what you don’t
know, as well as what
you do.
49. Documents you will need,
And I can help you perfect:
1. Forecasts
(3 years Profit and Loss Accounts, Cash Flow,
Balance Sheets)
We may build a business model to simulate how
your business works – spreadsheets which
translate your strategy and tactics into numbers.
The work that goes into specifying how you plan
to expand is what is key.
50. Documents you will need,
And I can help you perfect:
2. One Pager
What your company does
and why it’s investible
3. Slide deck
To summarise your investor
proposition
4. Investor
Memorandum
A type of business plan,
giving all key information
for an investor
52. Corporate
planning
Investor
messaging
Identify big issues: tax
corporate structure,
accounting, finance and
legal.
Jargon busting and
translation into “what
does this mean for
us?”
(You might need
specialist advisors)
(I can help you to
master the lingo)
57. There isn’t a one size-fits-all
formula for calculating the value
of a company.
So you should ‘shop around’ to
find the deal that works best for
all parties.
58. The clock is ticking.
Push for the truth early
on and waste no time.
Ask about their
process, their funds
and their timelines.
61. Future
expansion.
Can this investor fund
future equity financing
rounds?
Term sheet.
How are you going to
remain solvent until you
have the funds in? What
are the consequences of
the terms?
62. Future
expansion.
Can this investor fund
future equity financing
rounds?
Term sheet.
How are you going to
remain solvent until you
have the funds in? What
are the consequences of
the terms?
Due diligence.
Investors will (should) do a
deep audit of the
company’s legal, financial
and operational segments.
63. Future
expansion.
Can this investor fund
future equity financing
rounds?
Term sheet.
How are you going to
remain solvent until you
have the funds in? What
are the consequences of
the terms?
Due diligence.
Investors will (should) do a
deep audit of the
company’s legal, financial
and operational segments.
Two way street.
You can do due diligence
on your investors by
checking with other clients
66. Maybe, some of it.
But even if you can…
Is it a good use of
your time?
67. You need to be
closing customer
deals & keep
momentum
going in building
the business
68. You aren’t going to
raise equity many
times, but when you
do, it is literally worth
doing it right
69. That’s where
I can help!
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us dina
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70. We have helped Irish
companies to raise over
€30 million
71. My associates and I have
over 50 years combined
experience in corporate
finance, fundraising and
delivering tech company
growth.
(From the inside as well as being advisors)
76. Calculate and capture your value
proposition in investor documents
Source appropriate investors and assist
with Enterprise Ireland as needed
77. Calculate and capture your value
proposition in investor documents
Source appropriate investors and assist
with Enterprise Ireland as needed
Manage the funding round and support
you through pitches
78. Calculate and capture your value
proposition in investor documents
Source appropriate investors and assist
with Enterprise Ireland as needed
Manage the funding round and support
you through pitches
Negotiate terms and guide you through
closing the legal documents
79. Calculate and capture your value
proposition in investor documents
Source appropriate investors and assist
with Enterprise Ireland as needed
Manage the funding round and support
you through pitches
Negotiate terms and guide you through
closing the legal documents
Oversee due diligence, close the round
and bring in the funds
80. Get in touch today!
Click here to talk to me on Twitter
Click here to connect on LinkedIn
@
helen@xbs.ie
Or call me +353 (0) 86 325 5665
www.xbs.ie