Get Our Attention
We hear from entrepreneurs constantly—and we love it. We love being exposed to new ideas, fresh energy, and exhuberant optimism. So part of your job as an entrepreneur is to get above the noise of all the startups asking for investment. And the best way to do that is with effective communication. With that in mind, here are some hints for getting our attention.
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Use simple, concise language. This is especially important in your online application as there is no chance to clarify. Even in conversation, stay away from buzzwords.
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For example, don't say "We use location based services to let end users utilize their big data social graph to discover new eating establishments." A better explanation is "We let consumers get recommendations of nearby restaurants from their friends."
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Presentations are timed. If invited, you get a specified amount of uninterrupted time depending on the format, followed by timed Q&A. Details will be given upon invitation.
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Talk about your team at the end. Most people take extra time in the beginning slides to warm up. It's better to spend that warm up time on the problem/solution.
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Have an ask slide – how much you are raising, how much is committed, what your valuation expectation is, and type of security (preferred equity, note, discounts, etc...). If you have raised prior capital, indicate that as well.
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You will be asked to email your presentation ahead of time for so we can pre-load it and be efficient with time. Please have a PDF or PowerPoint version ready.
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Demos, if any, must be completed within the alotted presentation window.
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We urge you to brush up on your presentation skills. There are lots of sites that can give you advice—just Google it.
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Finally, if you have a compelling data point, tell us that upfront and get our attention. Examples include having paying customers, issued patents, a well known team member, or a TiE Charter Member who has invested in you.
Ready? Apply here.