You’re excited about what you’re building, and you should be. But the investor is asking a different question: can this team build a valuable, sustainable business around the idea? A pitch that concentrates on features leaves that question unanswered.
I’ve screened more than 30 pitches for Keiretsu Forum London, and I keep seeing the same problem. The founder knows the business inside out but can’t explain it clearly to investors, and that can cost them the funding.
Make the problem unmistakable
Before you explain how the product works, show who has the problem, how it affects them and what they do about it today. A problem that is inconvenient but infrequent may not create enough demand. Evidence that customers already spend money or significant time on it makes the opportunity more credible.
Show progress
Progress means more than a working prototype. Depending on your stage, it might be customer interviews, pilots, repeat usage, paid contracts, renewals or a credible route through regulation. Be precise about what is proven, what is still uncertain and what you are testing next.
Explain how the money works
Say who pays, what they pay for and how the economics might work. If the model isn’t proven yet, say so. Investors can accept uncertainty. They are less comfortable when assumptions are presented as facts.
Connect the ask to the next milestone
Show what the money will fund, the milestones it should reach and the evidence those milestones will produce. Your idea opens the conversation; the investment case keeps it going.
Check your pitch
- Is the problem clear before the product appears?
- Do you show progress, not just a prototype?
- Have you said what is proven and what isn’t?
- Is it clear who pays and why?
- Does the funding request connect to a specific milestone?
Does your pitch explain the idea, or make the case?
If it’s the first, send me your pitch deck along with a short summary. I’ll show you where the case needs strengthening.