Novel Capital’s Post

The "Investing in Mobility Start-up" presentation gives valuable insights not only for investors and start-ups.....have a look !!

You're feeling confident about your fundraise. This morning you had call #3 with a fund you 'vibe' with. And they seem to be taking things really seriously. 1. They've been through your data room 2. They've met your whole team 3. They even had a reference call with your cat 😺 You phone your cousin and tell her that you're definitely going to get a term sheet. Then you open your inbox. "We won't be proceeding... we just couldn't get comfortable with the competitive landscape" 🤬 Competition kills a lot of pitches that get past the first call. Why? Because if a VC decides they're scared of a competitor you're toast. You can argue until your face is blue but there's no bulletproof reason that Microsoft won't crush you. But the real reason why competition is where pitches go to die is that 99% of founders are completely incoherent about it. So here's a 2 part structure that works. 1. "We do X while our competitors do Y" - I can only believe you win if i know you're different - And difference comes out of comparison - So you need to describe BOTH what you do AND what your competitors do 2. "Our target users prefer X to Y" - This is the part most founders miss because it feels obvious to them - You need to explain why this difference matters to your target users - Otherwise it just sounds like you're listing features If you just learned something useful, I written about the art of speaking to VCs about all kinds of topics at pitchdoctor.app/newsletter. It's packed with insights just like this.

With countless startup pitches to review, it's hard for investors to choose. Want to know how D2C Insider Elevate can help you curate Pitch Decks worthy of the Top 1% success club? Wait no more! With Elevate, get a holistic combo of curated mentorship sessions, helping you understand the investor's perspective, followed by access to top investment banking partners, to help you secure your D2C dream. Join Cohort 3 and #letselevate your brand together! d2ci.co/elevate_register Abhishek Shah

What makes pitching to investors such a challenging task for founders and what’s the first step in crafting a perfect pitch? Every founder, including me, has faced the agony of pitching their company, especially during the seed stage. It’s a painful process that often involves a lot of rejections, and many founders remember each investor who said “no.” The key to a successful pitch is simplicity. Investors need to understand what your company does in just two sentences. Clear, concise, and easy to understand. GLOBALIFY

🎥 "Beyond the Boardroom: Building Trust Through Micro-Moments" For us, the relationship between founders and investors goes far beyond board meetings. Those meetings are critical for the macro—big-picture alignment, strategy, and milestones. But the true strength of our partnership lies in the micro—the everyday conversations that happen in real-time. When we need to connect, it’s seamless. Whether through Slack, a quick text, or a call, we reach out...they’re there. It doesn’t matter if it takes five minutes or an hour. These interactions aren’t bound by a quarterly calendar—they happen when they’re needed and its a two-way street. In this clip from SAAS NORTH Conference, our lead investor, Neil Grunberg (Storytime Capital), in conversation our CEO Marc Gingras, reflect on this approach. It’s about having a foundation of trust that allows both sides to bring up concerns, ideas, and solutions the moment they arise—not just at the next board meeting. The same could not be more true with Code Cubitt (Mistral) and William Ma, CFA (MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund). It’s this open, ongoing dialogue that turns investors into true partners, aligned not just in vision but in day-to-day execution. To Neil, Code, Will, and all the investors who embody this spirit—thank you for being part of our team. #BeyondTheBoardroom #FounderInvestorRelationships #TrustInPartnership

Fierce panel Enterprise Ireland MENA Rena Maycock Rosanne Longmore Niamh O'Kennedy moderated by Cara Edwards 🇮🇪 Commercial CEOs 👩💼battling the funding landscape and how they handle detractor questions from VCs to continue to raise capital for their deep tech businesses Reminds me again of Dana Kanze #tedx talk tips of how to raise x7 by answering them with promoter answers - watch this very powerful 💥👊 https://lnkd.in/dnrT_8Tt

Venturefest South Business Growth Series has expanded! Join us in Reading on 4th Sept for a deep dive into deal readiness and preparing for investment success. It's free to register 👇 If you're on the cusp of engaging with investors, or with ambitious plans to grow and will soon engage with the investor community. Join experts from The FSE Group, Openshaw & Co. Blake Morgan LLP, the British Business Bank and other VFS Partners to discuss the essential elements leading to a successful deal, how to plan, and how to avoid mistakes that can lead to a deal falling through. https://lnkd.in/eKDrDYkh

Prepare effectively, knowing which tools to choose 🫰✅️ #startup #startuptips #vc #founder

Join us for Precision Pitch Practice!! Our Free Resource For Founders Looking To Hone Their Skills, Connect With Their Peers, and Venture Forward Successfully. Every Thursday at 12PM EST, with the exception of major holidays and emergencies. We will always be here for you. 🚀 Elevate Your Pitch: Hone your elevator pitch and craft compelling five-minute pitches. 🌟 Expert Insights: Access expertise and gain insights from experienced voices in the venture world, each offering unique perspectives. 🎯 Tailored Pitches: Learn to tailor your pitches for consumers, partners, and potential investors. Why: We've been where you are, and we know it can be a difficult journey. We aim to solve that. You don't have to do this alone! Register Now For Tomorrow: https://lnkd.in/dvmQ-DgX You Can Register For Future Ones Here: https://lnkd.in/d3xgCCtC See you there!! #BostonNewTechnology #PitchPerfect #StartupSuccess #NextBigThing

Lots of great takeaways at #SaaSOpen last week, but one I found particularly interesting, courtesy of Matt Kowalczyk, on the subject of pitching investors: cultural differences between NY and CA VCs. To sum it up, when pitching in SF/the Valley, the conversation will be almost entirely about the team. Head to New York and the conversation will start (and, perhaps, end...) with your numbers and metrics. Certainly found it interesting that there would be such a stark difference like that. For those considering a raise, and potentially heading to East Coast investors for the first time, are your financials ready (and are you ready to talk about them)? If not, could be just the right time for a conversation with KPI Sense (and we'd more than welcome the chance!).