One of Boston’s most active Venture Capitalists sees 600 pitches a year, but he looks carefully at only 20 companies (of which he invests in only five.) Given the quality of most company pitches I see as a mentor, it’s not surprising how few companies make the cut.
A winning VC pitch should quickly answer only five questions, in order:
• Size of Problem: Is this a big problem? VC’s only want to invest in companies that can be big.
• Right Solution: Is yours the right product to solve this problem?
• Selling: Is there a realistic way you can reach customers?
• Profit: Is there a way you can make money? I.E., can you profitably obtain customers?
• Team: Only if the first four are answered do they even care to ask, Is this the right team?
Most pitches I see spend too much time talking about the product and about the team; pitches should spend the most time talking about the problem and about how the product will be profitably sold.
Finally, to make your pitch stick in the VC’s mind, your pitch should include two more things:
• Two Key Stats: Two statistics that are so compelling that the VC will go home and tell their spouse about them at dinner.
• One Memorable Story: One story, memorable enough that they will again tell their spouse tonight.
Throw out your current pitch deck and create from scratch a new, short one that covers these seven things.
Change Agent 
Leave a Reply