#PitchDeck #FirstPitchMeetings For many entrepreneurs, the first pitch to any VC can seem intimidating - but there's really no reason for it. Here are things I personally look for and admire - I recently met a young company and I felt the founders had done a great job; so I now know it's possible. 1) First and foremost, come well prepared and be professional - this should mimic a sales meeting. Do the following basics right: * Prior to the meeting do some research on the firm - who are you meeting, their LinkedIn profiles, the companies they recently invested in, their Twitter/LinkedIn profiles and comments - whatever you can find on them * show up on time for the meeting - if for whatever reason you are going to be late, make sure you email or whatsapp in advance * if you show up early, use the time to get familiar with the room, the equipment, getting on WiFi etc. In all cases be ready with your phone hotspot if you need to * be prepared with all the slides/metrics/demos you plan to show in multiple browser tabs - don't fumble during the meeting * when you start the meeting, - do a time check and confirm how much time you have - do a round of introductions - include everyone in the room, get their names and roles down * Start with questions - what is the background of the fund - have they invested in any companies in the space - have they met other companies in the space - is the area you are in something they are both interested in and knowledgeable about - MOST IMPORTANTLY - ask them what their process is, how much time to a decision typically, and what would make THIS meeting most productive At all times, make sure you don't have a long list and you should read the irritation of having to answer questions in your audience - and preface it with things like "this is very helpful - couple more questions before I dive into what we're doing" * When you then start your pitch, it is ideal if you primarily focus on answering the following 5 questions 1) Who is the ideal customer profile(ICP)? Why is this a large pool of customers? 2) What problem are you solving for them? Why is this a PAIN point and what is the cost of this pain to them? 3) What is the solution you are bringing - Why is it materially better than the state of the union - ideally 10x better. - Why is NOW the right time for this - Why are you as a founding team best suited to address this problem - What is the BEFORE and AFTER for the customer - How much is the direct benefit to them - and what would they pay if you solved the pain - Any Case studies of customers for whom you have addressed the problem - with testimonials 4) How have you funded and built the company so far - and what are you raising for the next 18 months. What will it get you to in terms of the business metrics? 5) How will this become a large company? What assumptions are you making in this regard? What gaps in the team need to be filled at senior levels and when - if right away, have you identified the Ideal Candidate Profile or better still, do you have people identified and committed to joining. This is largely what needs to be covered in the first meeting - nobody ever funds in the first meeting, but many may kill the deal in the first meeting. So be clear that the goal of the first meeting is to ONLY get the 2nd meeting. If you hit all these points and the meeting has gone well, you can get into other operating metrics such as CAC, LTV, gross margins, growth etc. In all such cases, it is important to be honest with what you know and what you don't know yet. Nobody is expecting a perfect business - what we want are founders with good self awareness and intellectual integrity. Hope this is useful. And while we do not expect founders to make the most perfect of slideware, in today's genAI days, the bar has been raised, and it's really time for one to have a professional look to the company. Remember that you are evaluating the VC as much as they are evaluating you. Take pride in what you're doing, without being arrogant. Approach meetings and the pitch process as a partnership with a goal of finding a good long-term partner. Ask VCs where you are in their process - and what the path to money is. As long as you do so politely and professionally and keep following up diligently, the process can be both enjoyable and stress free. Please tell me what else you have done well or seen others do well in the fundraising process.

It’s great to see so many developers across India pursuing their passion and sharing their ideas with users around the world. I had the pleasure of meeting Hitwicket, India’s top-rated cricket app, Prayoga, an AR-based yoga app, and LookUp, an easy to use dictionary app! 🏏 🧘 📖