What are the top three thrings that investors look at when analyzing your product/service? What are some hints for a first time invetor meeting?

What is their reason for being (The big problem they solve) What is their value prop? why would someone care about the product/service? How do they plan to go to market and win an unfair share? How strong is the team and can I get excited about working with them, What kind of growth and potential return can I get for my LPs

Founders who are talking

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In resegmenting a market and going niche, what is the best approach in figuring out how much to price your product?

Answered by Dan Martell – Founder & Investor. Posted in Product Development

Ask the market what they would pay or how much value they would derive from your solution. Pricing is both an art and a science. The great part is you don't have to get... (more)

What are investors looking for when they look at a business plan? Any advice on things not to include? Things to avoid?

Answered by Tim Berry – Founder of Palo Alto Software

Investors want to believe that the check they write today has a reasonable chance of producing a much bigger check in a few years. It's not just your business success that ... (more)

from you Dan: "What users are spending their time on (ex: Social, Mobile, Video, etc). For example, if you don’t know about Formspring.me – then you’re not paying attention...

Answered by Dan Martell – Founder & Investor.

I ask people frequently, especially those not in my space. Teenagers and those that live in the midwest or from Moncton, NB (my home town). You want to understand what "n... (more)

We're an early stage SaaS startup, with modest demonstrated customer traction (~350 free and 21 paid customers), about to raise our first round. What are the key metrics yo...

Answered by Mark MacLeod – Partner, Real Ventures Posted in Management

Congrats on getting paid accounts so early. As an investor, I would be looking for growth rates in your new accounts. You're 350 this week. Where will you be 1 month from n... (more)

I'm told that investors don't want to see full business plans anymore, so is just a one page summary and power point presentation adequate in 2010 and beyond?

Answered by Raymond Luk – Partner, Year One Labs

I can't speak for other investors but we don't require business plans at Year One Labs. We hardly look at pitch decks either, come to think of it. I like to spend time wi... (more)

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