The key to a winning investment pitch: trust

What’s the recipe for a winning investment pitch? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not business fundamentals. 

As reported by Business Insider, academic research shows that things like founder team experience, market size, revenue potential, and exclusivity of the tech aren’t all that important…but performance is.  

We’re not talking smoke and mirrors, but a performance designed to inspire trust. 

For increased chances of success, a would-be founder’s performance needs:  

• Preparedness – Know the numbers. Understand the market. Anticipate issues in the Q&A part. 
• Passion – Show that you feel the business in your soul. Performing passion is key. 
• Presentation – Intentionally built-in charisma, personal style, speaking ability, and a compelling narrative are essential. 

Gender biases to watch for: 

• In some studies, feminine-associated behaviors (warm, sensitive, emotive) made pitches less likely to advance to the final rounds than masculine behaviors (forceful, dominant, assertive). 
• Investors tend to ask men "promotion" questions about their futuristic visions; women often get "prevention" questions about avoiding possible losses. 

For a deeper dive into what cleantech investors, specifically, are looking for, check out a recording of our first Quarterly Cleantech Leaders Roundtable Investment Roundtable below, featuring a panel of investors from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Obvious Ventures, Galway Sustainable Capital, Inc, and Antin Infrastructure Partners. During the discussion, panelists shared detailed advice on what portfolio companies should know before pitching them. 

You can watch the recorded webinar below.