A practical guide to pitching venture investors
If you have a startup and want to be ready to raise, this article walks the path step by step.
A good pitch is not a sale; it is the shortest route to getting an investor to a decision — either way.
A structure that works
- The problem, in one sentence and without jargon
- Why now — what has just changed that makes this solution possible
- The solution, and what actually works today
- The market, with a figure whose source you can show
- The unit economics
- The team, and why this team
- A specific ask: how much, what for, and how far it takes you
The recurring mistakes
The biggest is hiding a weakness. A professional investor will find it, and at that point the issue stops being the product and becomes trust.
A risk you raise yourself is half the risk the other side discovers.
