why your startup stand in crowded market
Investors don’t fund ideas. They fund clear problems, sharp differentiation, and strong execution.
Three investors hit the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt to analyze what makes and breaks a pitch deck. Medha Agarwal of Defy, Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures, and founder-turned-investor Jyoti Bansal candidly discussed what works and what doesn't in a pitch deck with the audience.
What irritates them the most? Too many buzzwords.
According to Agarwal, the more AI a founder mentions in a pitch, the less AI the company probably utilizes. She told the audience, "Those who are doing really innovative things will talk about it, and it's built in, but it's not the core of their pitch."
Before becoming an investor, Bansal established and sold several businesses. He reduced investor expectations to three fundamental questions. He starts by inquiring as to whether the market is big enough to address. Does the founder's idea have the potential to grow into a massive business? And is the issue he or she is attempting to resolve truly worthwhile?
Investors also want to discover why the company should be built by this founder. "You have to have something special about you," Bansal said to the audience, adding that this may include having unusual talents or having extraordinary personnel on the founding team. "Why would you prevail? Twenty more businesses will attempt to find a solution if the issue is intriguing.What is your chance and why would you prevail?
According to Bansal, some validation is the third item that investors want to see. "Traction with clients," he stated. "Validation could take the form of revenue, initial customer feedback, or something else entirely."
According to Bansal, these three queries all lead to the final litmus test: Is it possible for this to grow into a billion-dollar business?
As the market gets crowded, the panel also discussed how AI startups may stand out. Bansal stressed the value of having a well-defined competitive strategy and subject competence. According to Neundorfer, businesses that encourage new behaviors rather than merely gradually enhancing an already-existing procedure are the ones that grab her interest.
Agarwal gave founders more tactical guidance, advising them to describe how AI technology makes their product possible, develop precise go-to-market plans, and show how their company will outperform competitors.
She continued, "It's also very important to be honest about what competitors are out there." She informed the audience of entrepreneurs that some of them had "lost some credibility with me because you didn't have it on your slide."
Lastly, the investors offered guidance on navigating the quickly changing environment. Agarwal advised founders to be abreast of advances in the sector. Neundorfer advised maintaining ties to founder networks in order to exchange resources and perspectives.
Bansal's counsel was more straightforward: "Concentrate on developing your product."
Post a Comment