Nikola Yanev’s Post

As venture builders, we get asked a lot "what do you look for in start-ups?" We have our investment thesis which is technology- and sector-specific, but as general tips for pitching and fundraising here's what we came up with: 1️⃣ Deep market understanding: Founders who demonstrate intimate knowledge of their target market, including pain points and competitor shortcomings. 2️⃣ Traction and metrics: Concrete evidence of product-market fit, even if early. Show us your north star metric and how it's trending. 3️⃣ Unique insights: Novel perspectives on the industry that others might have missed. What do you know that others don't? 4️⃣ Clear go-to-market strategy: A well-thought-out plan for acquiring and retaining customers, with realistic CAC and LTV projections. 5️⃣ Team complementarity: How the founding team's skills and experiences align perfectly with the challenge at hand. 6️⃣ Adaptability: Examples of how you've pivoted or iterated based on market feedback. Show me you can learn and adjust quickly. 7️⃣ Realistic financial projections: Grounded numbers that demonstrate an understanding of unit economics and path to profitability. 8️⃣ Defensibility: A clear explanation of your moat - whether it's technology, network effects, or something else. 9️⃣ Vision and ambition: While staying grounded, show me you're thinking big. What does world domination look like for your startup? 🔟 Authentic passion: Genuine enthusiasm for the problem you're solving, balanced with objectivity about the challenges ahead. Remember, it's not about impressing with buzzwords or vanity metrics. It's about demonstrating that you have the insight, ability, and determination to build something truly valuable! What else would you add to this list? Founders, what has worked well in your pitches? Investors -- what are you looking for?

What does it take to secure investment... Securing investment for your startup can be challenging, but there are strategies to put yourself in the best position, even if you’re pre-revenue. Here’s how you can boost your chances: 1. Build awareness through all your marketing and social channels. Show the world what you’re working on and why it matters. 2. Investors are drawn to founders who are deeply committed to their vision. Let your enthusiasm shine through in every interaction. 3. Even before launching, speaking to potential customers gives you valuable insights and helps validate your product or service. Having a strong pipeline of interest pre-launch is a major plus for investors. 4. Show investors that you’re already gaining traction, whether through early demand, engagement, or partnerships. This proves that your startup is worth investing in. If you’re looking for guidance to position your startup for investment success, we can help you drive growth and connect with the right investors. Let’s talk about how to prepare your startup for major growth and investment. Email: [email protected] #StartupGrowth #InvestmentReady #FoundersJourney #InvestorAttraction #8thFund #StartupSupport #PreLaunchSuccess

Navigating the investment landscape can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can position your business for success, even if you’re pre-revenue. Check out the tips I’ve shared in my latest post, and feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss how to take your startup to the next level.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 "𝐍𝐎" 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬? Are you sick of pouring your heart and soul into your startup, only to be rejected by funding agencies? You're not alone. 99% of startups fail to secure funding, and it's not because their ideas aren't good enough. The harsh reality is that most startups don't have a clear, compelling story to tell. They don't have a pitch deck that truly resonates with investors. They don't have a solution that stands out from the crowd. But it doesn't have to be this way. With the right PITCH DECK, the right STORY, and the right SOLUTION, you can increase your chances of securing funding. You can make investors sit up and take notice. So, what's the secret to a killer pitch deck? It's not just about putting together some numbers and graphs. It's about understanding your audience, highlighting your unique solution, and showing why now is the perfect time to tackle that pesky problem. It's about serving up a dish that's sure to impress. And we're not just talking about any dish - we're talking about a dish that's been carefully crafted with: ✅The right ingredients (problem, solution, market timing), ✅The right instructions (clear design, concise language), ✅And the right presentation (engaging visuals, a dash of humor). So, don't let your startup become another statistic. Don't let your idea die because you couldn't secure funding. ➡Create a pitch deck that truly resonates with investors. ➡Create a solution that changes the game. ➡Create a story that inspires. Your investors (and your business) will thank you.

Are you going into a funding round? Here's how to build the ULTIMATE pitch. Founders really underestimate how impactful telling the right story is. So how do you build a great pitch? Here's a sneak peak: 10 slide strategy (1) Problem: Highlight the big issue you're addressing. (2) Solution: Present your innovative solution in a powerful sentence. (3) USPs / Value Proposition: Showcase the top 3 USPs that set you apart. (4) Traction: Share early successes & metrics showing market interest. (5) Competition: Provide an overview of the competitive landscape + your edge. (6) TAM (Total Addressable Market): Detail market size & your potential share. (7) Revenue Model: Explain how you make money. (8) Ambition: Outline your 3-5 year vision + growth projections. (9) Team: Introduce your rockstar team capable of executing the plan. (10) Ask: Clearly state what you need to succeed. Pro Tip: Show your passion and conviction. Investors invest in people as much as they invest in ideas. ----- ♻️Like, Comment, Share Follow Startup Vencha for more, Stop Thinking & Start Doing.

This is why one of the first things you need to do is surround yourself with trusted people and build a network of individuals who genuinely care about your success. Avoid making decisions outside your area of expertise, and always consult a third party. This principle applies to situations like giving away equity or purchasing products and services. As a Founder, it's important to acknowledge that you don't know what you don't know - don't let ego drive you to failure. You can write a prompt in ChatGPT or simply Google: 'How much equity should advisors or investors get at a certain stage and what are other ways to compensate them?'. In general, you will be surprised how many people will he willing to help you. There are also communities and many other initiatives. But none of that will happen sitting on the sofa, if you know what I mean. In the early stages, success isn't about knowing or mastering everything. Instead, it's about demonstrating your thought process and inviting Pros to join your journey, helping turn your vision into reality. Ready to scale your startup? Let’s chat about building a solid foundation for your business success. Book a FREE Bedrokk call here bit.ly/3BkXBLS #startups #founders #investors #gotomarketstrategy #venturecapital ___________________________________ Did you like this post? Connect or Follow Evaldas Girskus Want to see all my posts? Ring that 🔔 and Follow #thestartupguy

I think the best founders show self constraint when it comes to fundraising. They don't ask "Do I need money?" but instead they ask "Am I investable?" If fewer founders reached out before they were investable, VCs would respond to more cold emails. So, here are 5 things that really make a startup investable: 1) Finished Product I don't care if it's truly a MINIMUM viable product. If you have something that you can put in people's hands they'll have a much better idea of what it is you're building. 2) Strong Team You don't need to have 3 PhDs or 4 engineers from Google, but just having people who are up to the task at each role is a good sign. 3) Clearly Demonstrated Demand Sometimes founders try to mental gymnastic their way into proving demand. It should be easy to show that the demand is wide and deep through quantitative and qualitative methods. 4) A Working Go-to Market Everyone talks about obvious methods that may or may not work when it comes to growth, distribution, and marketing, but proof is critical here. 5) Long Term Viability + Scalability Investors' minds always go to "is this a high growth/high scale" OR "is this VC backable?". If they're asking those questions, you need to be more explicit in the vision of what your startup could be. Whenever I hear a founder say that they're waiting to raise when they hit a future milestone, I think much more highly of them AND am way more likely to introduce them to investors in my network.

Great points Jonny Boyarsky! About #2, I don't understand why people with entrepreneurial plans are so fixed on the idea of an MBA or PhD. I'm yet to meet the first person trying to close sales or raise money saying: "Yeah, this is my amazing product and btw, I'm a PhD"🥴 #funds #digitalassets #venturecapital #equity #privateequity #funding #pe #cvc #privateequity #blockchain #tokenization #rwa #investmentfunds #realworldassets

I fully agree with the importance of investing in quality and innovation to stimulate our future growth and success. I wonder how many people have considered shifting their perspective on financial allocations from expenses to investments for the success of a startup?

As a startup founder, I used to think sending investor updates was optional. I was wrong, here is why? It’s a game-changer for both startup founders and investors. Regular updates from founders build trust. 1. It shows investors you are serious about their money. 2. It gives them a bird's-eye view of what’s happening in your startup. 3. It’s a great way to make your asks known. 4. Most investors want to help you to protect their investment. It’s a win-win. 5. It provides you with financial, organizational, and leadership decision-making power. If you can’t measure, you can’t grow. Sending regular updates to investors shouldn't be hard. Here's my guide on "how to write effective startup updates for your investors." Always: 1. Provide a brief overview of the project status 2. Include 2-3 key highlights of the month/quarter 3. Detail your burn rate and runway 4. Mention new hires 5. Share a 6-12-month roadmap 6. Clearly state your asks Never: 1. Skip updates – consistency is key 2. Overcomplicate the information 3. Hide bad news – transparency builds trust 4. Neglect to ask for help when needed Keeping your investors informed is a win-win. It's simple and keep it simple. ♻ Repost this post if you found it valuable. Follow Ramesh Nuti, looks like algorithm like that and shares this post with others.