Innopreneur

8 +8 Habits

Venture Leader

Startup

10 Keys to Success

Pitch  >>  6Ws

  

 

First of all, know 3Ws of Venture Investing

   

History and Background

What is your background and previous experience?  Where did the idea for the company come?  How did you get involved with the company?  When did the company begin operations?  What exactly does the company do? What is your long-term vision for the company?  How has it been funded to date?  Where does it stand today?

Management

Management Team

Who is presently involved in managing the company?  What are their credentials?  Why will they be able to build a successful company?  If not all management spots are filled, what is the plan for filling them?  What kind of people are we seeking, and to fill what roles?  If you do not expect to be the CEO that builds the business to $10 or 20 million, what kind of person would you bring in?  When?  Who is on your board of directors?  How does the board function?

Products and Technology

What, specifically, are the company’s products and what, if any, proprietary technologies are used to make them?  What do the products do?  What makes the products unique or special?  In general, how are they better than other products or alternative methods of solving the problem?  Why would the customer buy these products?  How much better are they than other solutions?  Can we demonstrate that they are cost effective? Are there patents?  If so, what, specifically, do they protect?  Why will they be of value to the company?

Markets

What specific problem do the products solve, for whom?  That is, who specifically is the customer?  Why is the problem important?  Why will the customer buy our product?  How do we know the customer will buy?  How do we know the price the customer will pay for our product?  How large is the specific (narrowly defined) market for our product?  What growth is expected in this market?  How do we know the market exists?  How do we know customers will pay our price?

 

 

 

 

Competition

How else can the customer solve the problem our products solve?  What are the alternatives?  How do we compare to each?  Why are we better?  In what ways are we worse?  Who are the vendors of these other solutions?  How do they compete with each other?  Where will we fit into the industry?  Why will we be able to compete effectively against them for the next ten years?  Why are we confident that no new entrant will come along with a better solution and blow us away?  Why do we think we can dominate our market niche?

Benefit from Your Competitors

Differentiation Strategies

Business Strategy

Surprise To Win: 3 Strategies

Creating Sustainable Profits: 9 Questions To Answer

What are the important strategies for building the business?  What kind of business will it be?  (Manufacturing, service, distribution, software, combination?)  What is the Business Model Download PowerPoint presentation, pdf e-book?  (i.e. what will produce the company’s revenue?)  What kind of gross margins will the company have?  What expense levels are required to run the business?  What level of operating Profit Download PowerPoint presentation, pdf e-book can the business generate?  Do you have any corporate partnerships in place?  Do you plan to put any in place?  What channels of distribution will you use to deliver your products to your customers?  How will these channels be established?  By whom?  When?  What are the significant risks to your business?

Manufacturing

What special issues relate to manufacturing the product(s)?  Are there any special materials or processes, any proprietary process?  What special equipment or facilities are required?  What investment is required to set up manufacturing, and for what capacity?  How do you know you can manufacture the product at a cost that will yield acceptable gross margins?

Finances

What kind of revenues can the business produce, on an annual basis, over the next five years?  Profits?  What investment is required to carry the company to the next major level of valuation?  What specific tasks need to be accomplished to do that?  How long will it take? (Try to identify a “next level” that can be achieved in less than 18 months.)  What investment will be required beyond that?  To the extent possible, explain key assumptions behind your forecast.  And make sure the forecast relates in a logical way to the market forecasts you described previously.  How will the investor get his money back?  Will it be through an IPO Acquisition?  When?

 

 

 

Summary of the Opportunity

Summarize why you think there is an opportunity to build a new, successful company.

10 Rules for Building a High-growth Business Download PowerPoint presentation, pdf e-book

Why is this an exciting opportunity?  Why is it an exciting investment opportunity?  What kind of value might the company have in the future?  If you aren’t sure how to value the company in the future, use 1 x annual sales and 15 or 20 x net profits as reasonable estimates. Describe any other factors that make this an exciting opportunity.

How To Make Effective Presentations

Understand EGA of Your Audience

Format of a Presentation

Venture Presentation

Pitch for Investors  >>  6Ws

Language of the Venture Capital

Venture Presentation: 8 Issues in 8 Minutes

Venture Presentation Guidelines