Silicon Valley: Pitching to Investors

5 replies
Has anyone here had an idea for a website/app/product and actually pitched it to investors?

This is where I'm at in my journey.. I know there are many ways to make extra money without investing a lot up front, I've been on a grind for a while now and have made steady progress. But I'm also thinking BIG picture and know I don't have the funds to turn my main idea into reality without some help.

It might seem a little crazy but since Silicon Valley is the mecca of tech entrepreneurship, I'm thinking why not go there with my pitch (once its ready) and see what happens. I don't want to mess around with crowdfunding or outsourcing, and I haven't been able to find a creative partner or team on my own..

So if anyone has any stories or experiences with pitching to investors I'd like to hear them! Mostly just looking for encouragement here if nothing else
#investors #pitching #silicon #valley
  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Here's how I'd do it:

    I'd hang out at angel investor forums and talk about the problem my app tackles

    I wouldn't pimp my app outright, just talk about the problem first

    Most importantly, talk about how LUCRATIVE (dollars and cents!) solving the problem is

    Ease into your solution

    If things go well, at the very least, you'll get seed funding and INTRODUCTIONS. The introductions are worth more.
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  • Profile picture of the author aizaku
    I have no advice on the subject since Ive never pitched my idea to investors before..

    that being said, I'm sure they'd appreciate some kind of proof of concept.

    I hope you have facts and data supporting your idea.

    best of luck out there,
    Ike
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  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    Originally Posted by flipflop09 View Post

    Has anyone here had an idea for a website/app/product and actually pitched it to investors?

    This is where I'm at in my journey.. I know there are many ways to make extra money without investing a lot up front, I've been on a grind for a while now and have made steady progress. But I'm also thinking BIG picture and know I don't have the funds to turn my main idea into reality without some help.

    It might seem a little crazy but since Silicon Valley is the mecca of tech entrepreneurship, I'm thinking why not go there with my pitch (once its ready) and see what happens. I don't want to mess around with crowdfunding or outsourcing, and I haven't been able to find a creative partner or team on my own..

    So if anyone has any stories or experiences with pitching to investors I'd like to hear them! Mostly just looking for encouragement here if nothing else
    know what you'll be giving up.

    Angel or Concept Developers look for ideas, yes, but they invest in the person.

    It is assumed you have a well thought out plan, even the shortest of business plans outlining what you need, why, and how it will be used...

    And what you expect (guess or project) the results of this.

    Chances are, unless you need a million or more, and that is a minimum, you won't get any interest from the Valley, unless you have PROPRIETARY POSITION...

    A patent? Copyrights? Any testing of concept, research or market demand?

    They have a different way of funding with tech, they do it in increments and each benchmark determines whether the next round of funding comes or not.

    They are not afraid to cut their million to ten million dollar losses, but it is a step by step often tedious process, and if you expect to lose money for a year or two, that had better be in your plan.

    From what I can see, you are nowhere near ready to solicit funding on any level. But, I could be wrong.

    What is preventing you from starting this, on a smaller scale and then growing it with an eye on expansion? Lots of different strategies.

    But let's say you HAVE the next big thing, then it will come down to your presentation skills, how well you can explain it, know all the moving parts, can show or graph the step by step process to get your thing to the end user, how does that happen?

    My free advice, do some homework on start-ups and funding methods and know you may be giving up control at some point, and get as educated as you can on what others have done.

    Follow the path of scores of Silicon Valley start-ups and Amazon book search reveals tons of information, how many of those books have your read?

    Just by posting this here, I give you a next to nothing chance of getting funded, way too soon in your dream.

    GordonJ

    PS Find all related books:
    https://www.amazon.com/Startup-Seed-...valley+funding

    This guy actually raised a million here in Northeast OH, in Cleveland from angel investors.
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Originally Posted by flipflop09 View Post

    Has anyone here had an idea for a website/app/product and actually pitched it to investors?

    This is where I'm at in my journey.. I know there are many ways to make extra money without investing a lot up front, I've been on a grind for a while now and have made steady progress. But I'm also thinking BIG picture and know I don't have the funds to turn my main idea into reality without some help.

    It might seem a little crazy but since Silicon Valley is the mecca of tech entrepreneurship, I'm thinking why not go there with my pitch (once its ready) and see what happens. I don't want to mess around with crowdfunding or outsourcing, and I haven't been able to find a creative partner or team on my own..

    So if anyone has any stories or experiences with pitching to investors I'd like to hear them! Mostly just looking for encouragement here if nothing else
    I think you are not understanding what an investor does... YES they provide capital for you to grow your business, and NO they don't magically provide you with a team to make your IDEA a reality. That is not at all how it works.

    Being someone that has explored the option in my past, and being someone that currently mingles if you will, with the investor types the moment you say things like "I don't want to mess with..." your sunk, its over, call it a day.

    From what you are saying here... you are grinding.... I would say you are spinning... you cant find a creative partner? so basically you have a bunch of notes, and nothing more? you need to get way beyond where you are at.. there has to be in some way something other than an "Idea" ( if you pitch an idea btw, $10 says the concept if worth anything will be developed with out you involved )

    You REALLY need to grind this out.. you need to make your ideas reality... once you are there, then maybe you can start looking at funding. To think that funding is your solution to put whatever it is together and to afford someone that can actually set your idea in motion... I'm sorry to say but that is a dream!
    Signature
    Success is an ACT not an idea
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  • Profile picture of the author Skystar
    .
    I've been through this routine a time or two & let me tell you one thing for sure: _There is no startup money from strangers ! You _must_ have a product or service that's making money and you're looking for expansion capital. That's the _only_ way it works.
    .
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