The Art of the VC Pitch: A Roundup of Advice from 6 VCs. I have a few different friends who are trying their hands at entrepreneurship; some have met with investors already, while others are closing in on their meeting date with anticipation and uncertainty. Based on hearing some of the things they were doing to prepare for their meeting, I thought it would be wise to roundup some of the best pitch advice I've come across not only for them but for the other first time entrepreneurs out there who may not know what typical VC pitches are like. Pitches range in length from 5 quick minutes to a half hour or more, but what I have consistently seen while researching this topic is that no matter what length the pitch is, the key is to keep things simple and understandable while not patronizing the VC.
But don't take my word for it, here is advice from six venture capitalists on various aspects of the all important pitch. David S. Rose - How to Pitch an Angel (or VC) Chris Dixon - Pitch yourself, not your idea Bijan Sabet - Startup Presentations. Connecting Angel Investors and Entrepreneurs. ONEtoONE Inversión, fusiones y adquisiciones de empresas familia. 365 Days, $10 Million, 3 Rounds, 2 Companies, All With 5 Magic Slides. Editor’s note: The following is a guest post by Socialcast founder Tim Young detailing how he raised 3 rounds totaling $10M in VC money in a year’s time with a 5-slide deck. This was originally published at “Knowledge Is Social.” “I have a short five-slide deck to share that provides a solid framework for understanding our business.”
Since moving to San Francisco a little over a year ago, I have spent every day helping to build Socialcast and about.me. During this time, I have raised more than $10 million combined over 3 funding rounds for both Socialcast and about.me. Convincing venture capitalists to invest in two startups in less than 365 days was a challenging task, but one that quickly taught me the dos and don’ts of raising money. Stop using the projector for initial meetings Most of my initial venture partner meetings ended up in a conference room. Understanding an investor’s perspective Every venture partner has his or her own ideal approach to learning about your business. 1. 2.
The Silicon Valley 100. The Top 20 VC Power Bloggers Of 2010.