A good story is the key to any pitch
When it comes to putting together your pitch deck and preparing for an investor meeting, there are countless articles and advice you can refer to. For example, we have a list of articles on our Resources page (see under “Pitching”). And one of my favourite blog posts is Tomasz Tunguz’ “7 questions a startup should answer […]
What makes a great investor?
As someone who is still relatively early in his investing career, I often think about what qualities set successful investors apart from the rest. Good investing doesn’t just happen. And while luck may help at times, it’s not the answer. Here are few key ingredients that I consider important for being a great investor: Live in […]
How we can improve the odds of finding unicorns
It was my first day at Version One when I realized that finding “VC-fundable” startups would not be easy. Aileen Lee, founder of Cowboy Ventures, posted a brilliant analysis on why VCs have to look for billion dollar companies (“unicorns”) to deliver acceptable returns, and how rare it is to invest in one: “The odds […]
The best way to approach investors: four tips
When you’re on the hunt for funding, it’s natural that you want to get things moving as quickly as possible. However, identifying and approaching the right investor should be a measured process. Blasting the same quick email to a dozen investors will never work in your favor. The average investor receives hundreds of pitches each […]
Crowdfunding: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Generally speaking, I’m a huge fan of crowdfunding. I’m an investor in one of the major platforms, Indiegogo. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are helping fill the financing void for startups that struggle to find traditional financing. For example, I recently wrote about crowdfunding being a viable option for hardware startups who notoriously have a tough time attracting funding […]