Tips on Getting Funding
Personal introductions are the best way to give your plan a chance. Use your network to find mutual acquaintances. Introductions give both sides an immediate reference point and raise your request above the incoming noise.
To present your opportunity in the best way possible, make sure your company meets the listed criteria and that your plan is short, to the point, and covers the ten points listed.
# Review our portfolio - we do not fund competitors.
# Know your competitive landscape.
# Make sure your financial numbers are realistic and make sense.
# Many plans (even great ones) will be rejected immediately. Don't take it personally. To find out why, read on...
Common Reasons Plans Are Rejected
# Insufficient expertise -- the product or service lies outside our focus
# Conflict with existing portfolio company
# Money being raised and/or valuation does not fit in our portfolio for 'balance' reasons
# Appropriate managing director is at capacity with other deals
# We can't cover your geography sufficiently given the stage of the companys development
Preparing an Executive Summary
An effective executive summary is typically one to two pages long and answers the following eleven questions:
1. What is your business?
2. Who is your management team?
3. What is your business model (primary source of revenue)?
4. What need are you fulfilling or what problem are you solving?
5. Who are your competitors?
6. Who are your customers?
7. What is the status of your development?
# Idea stage
# Development stage
# Product or service available to customers
# Have raised some revenue
# Have raised significant revenue and are looking to ramp up business
1. How much money are you looking to raise?
2. What is your target valuation?
3. Who are your current investors?
4. Where are you headquartered?
