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5 Lessons from 150 startup pitches

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

I just reviewed several hundred startup pitches for Capital Factory. Most were on paper and video; 20 were invited to pitch in person. We've all heard of the elevator pitch, but when asked to produce it almost no one succeeded. Interesting patterns emerged: Everyone makes the same classes of error.

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8 Startup Gaps That Will Frustrate Funding Efforts

Startup Professionals Musings

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. angels entrepreneur funding gaps process startup'

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Top Eight Reasons Startups Don’t Get Money

Startup Professionals Musings

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. Lack of clear objectives/goals. Use them and win.

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Finding a Technical Cofounder for Your Startup

SoCal CTO

I've recently received several emails from people looking for a technical cofounder for their startup. Make sure you go through the 32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder. You should definitely hit up the Startup Weekend events as well. And look at StartupDigest.com for lots of startup oriented events.

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5 Tactics To Minimize Meeting Time And Get More Done

Startup Professionals Musings

I recommend the elevator pitch -approach instead, which you probably learned in dealing with busy investors, where the person calling the meeting is asked to summarize the purpose, value and recommended solution in the first minute or two. For one-on-one coaching from the startup founder, I call this approach five-minute mentoring.

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8 Guidelines For Friends And Family Startup Funding

Startup Professionals Musings

If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be honest with naïve family members and friends about the inherent risks of a startup – at least 70% fail in the first five years.

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10 Keys To Limiting Your Startup Story To Ten Minutes

Startup Professionals Musings

The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.