{"id":425709,"date":"2023-07-07T11:38:01","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T10:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/"},"modified":"2023-07-07T11:38:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T12:38:01","slug":"questions-to-ask-investors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 questions to ask potential investors (from industry experts)"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are your potential investors right for your startup? Ask these questions crowdsourced from founders and investors to find out. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":425751,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[146,156],"tags":[],"event_tags":[],"class_list":["post-425709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-funding-guides-us","category-investor-directory-us"],"acf":{"post_content_width":"default","post_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<p>Taking investment isn\u2019t just about money. You want to make sure that you and your investors are a good fit for each other, and that they can support you with more than just capital.<\/p>\n<p>Before going ahead with a deal, you need to understand if an investor is right for you. We\u2019ve spoken to investors and funded founders to put together this list of our top ten questions to ask potential investors.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"do-your-research\"><\/a>First, do your research<\/h2>\n<p>Success starts with pitching to the right people. Do as much research as you can before you send or present your pitch deck to investors. You\u2019ll want to know that they\u2019re interested in your industry and can provide what you need.<\/p>\n<p>Personalization is key, so show them that you already know a bit about them and that you reckon there\u2019s some good alignment. Whether it\u2019s an angel or a VC, find out what you can online to figure out whether there\u2019s potential before you make contact. This will save your time and theirs.<\/p>\n<p>What to look out for during your research:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Which <strong>industries<\/strong> do they invest in?<\/li>\n<li>At which <strong>stage(s)<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<li>And in which <strong>countries<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<li><strong>How much<\/strong> do they typically invest?<\/li>\n<li>What <strong>companies<\/strong> have they invested in before?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Why<\/strong> do they invest? (what drives them?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"expert_highlight","expert_highlight":{"":null,"image":{"ID":17564,"id":17564,"title":"Anthony Rose, Ceo & Co Founder","filename":"Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","filesize":262140,"url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","link":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","alt":"","author":"22","description":"Anthony Rose, Ceo & Co Founder","caption":"Anthony Rose, Ceo & Co Founder","name":"e938a7ce2ef74e92ba10b35a4442c48d","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":22998,"date":"2019-11-15 07:31:59","modified":"2023-11-14 11:53:43","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1536,"height":1536,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"_themosis_media":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","_themosis_media-width":100,"_themosis_media-height":100,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","2048x2048-width":1536,"2048x2048-height":1536,"themosis":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","themosis-width":150,"themosis-height":150,"tog-small":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","tog-small-width":300,"tog-small-height":300,"tog-medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","tog-medium-width":600,"tog-medium-height":600,"tog-large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","tog-large-width":1000,"tog-large-height":1000,"tog-huge":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Anthony-Rose-CEO-Co-Founder.png","tog-huge-width":1400,"tog-huge-height":1400}},"quote":"<p>Have fun with your research: Use ChatGPT to help you. Scrape an investor\u2019s website and ask ChatGPT to summarize the five most important key points from the website. That\u2019ll help you understand what the investor looks for, what they&#8217;re interested in and if there\u2019s alignment with your company. Then, when you make contact, you can speak to those key points and personalize your communication. You can even mention that you used ChatGPT (they might be impressed). Have fun with it and get innovative.<\/p>\n","name":{"title":"Anthony Rose","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/author\/anthony\/?nr=1","target":"_blank"},"role":"CEO & co-founder","company":{"title":"SeedLegals","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/?nr=1","target":"_blank"},"linkedin":{"title":"","url":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/anrose\/","target":"_blank"},"facebook":"","instagram":"","twitter":"","hide_image":false}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<h2><a id=\"questions-to-ask-investors\"><\/a>Top 10 questions to ask investors<\/h2>\n<h3><a id=\"what-excites-you\"><\/a>What excites you?<\/h3>\n<p>Investors need to be inspired by what you do. Both of you have to believe in the company for it to be successful. Aim to understand what drives the investor and what excites them about your industry.<\/p>\n<p>This question is also an opportunity to get to know your potential investor, establish a connection and evaluate if your personalities are a good fit.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"expert_highlight","expert_highlight":{"":null,"image":{"ID":48025,"id":48025,"title":"Phil Mcsweeney","filename":"Phil-McSweeney-1.png","filesize":170750,"url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","link":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","alt":"Phil Mcsweeney","author":"82","description":"Phil Mcsweeney","caption":"Phil Mcsweeney","name":"0789008a6c264abd9ffe73cc41123307","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":47991,"date":"2023-07-03 14:06:45","modified":"2023-11-14 15:54:32","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":282,"height":383,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1-221x300.png","medium-width":221,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","medium_large-width":282,"medium_large-height":383,"large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","large-width":282,"large-height":383,"_themosis_media":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1-100x100.png","_themosis_media-width":100,"_themosis_media-height":100,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","1536x1536-width":282,"1536x1536-height":383,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","2048x2048-width":282,"2048x2048-height":383,"themosis":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1-200x150.png","themosis-width":200,"themosis-height":150,"tog-small":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","tog-small-width":282,"tog-small-height":383,"tog-medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","tog-medium-width":282,"tog-medium-height":383,"tog-large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","tog-large-width":282,"tog-large-height":383,"tog-huge":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Phil-McSweeney-1.png","tog-huge-width":282,"tog-huge-height":383}},"quote":"<p>Ask the human questions. Find out who your investors are as people and what they\u2019re interested in. This will help both of you decide if you can work well together. This type of question will help to create rapport and build a connection. The human relationship between you and your investors is as important as the resources they can provide.<\/p>\n","name":{"title":"Phil McSweeney","url":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/phil-mcsweeney\/","target":"_blank"},"role":"Angel Investor","company":{"title":"AngelThink","url":"https:\/\/angelthink.co\/","target":"_blank"},"linkedin":"","facebook":"","instagram":"","twitter":"","hide_image":false}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<h3><a id=\"question-2\"><\/a>How can you support us with mentorship and training?<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s important to think about how potential investors can support you beyond capital. Many investors offer mentorship and training to their founders and provide industry knowledge they\u2019ve gained from experience. It\u2019s a good idea to work with investors who can provide knowledge as well as capital.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-3\"><\/a>Tell me about your network and strategic partners<\/h3>\n<p>As well as capital and knowledge, investors should also help you access a strong network to enhance your ability to succeed.<\/p>\n<p>When deciding which investors you want to work with, consider if their network and partnerships are a good fit for you. A good network can help you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create opportunities to sell your product or service<\/li>\n<li>Access industry expertise<\/li>\n<li>Reach a wider audience to market your product<\/li>\n<li>Collaborate with other companies<\/li>\n<li>Inspire new ideas to improve and expand<\/li>\n<li>Access more funding opportunities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you understand how the investor can support you with access to their network and partnerships.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-4\"><\/a>What would you like to get from this investment?<\/h3>\n<p>When you know what the investor wants, you can judge whether you\u2019re a good match for each other. Are you confident that your company can give them what they\u2019re after?<\/p>\n<p>For example, they might expect an exit in five years but you know you don\u2019t want that kind of pressure on you. Or perhaps they just want to be a part of how your company makes a positive impact. Can you deliver the kind of ROI they\u2019re looking for? Both parties should be clear on expectations before you enter a deal.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-5\"><\/a>Do you see yourself being with us for the long term?<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s good to get a sense of how committed an investor is to your venture. You want to know that you excite them enough to go the distance with you and that you can count on them in the long term.<\/p>\n<p>As part of this question, ask if they\u2019ll support with follow-on funding.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"cta","cta":{"type":"default","subheading":"Raise startup funding","heading":"Fundraising made simple","content":"From first investment to Series A and beyond, close your deal fast on SeedLegals.<br \/>\r\n","bullet_points":false,"form":{"type":"none","hubspot_form":{"layout":"newsletter","hide_founderinvestor_toggle":false,"default_community":"founder","custom_form_id":"","gdpr_disclaimer":"By subscribing, you agree to receive information from SeedLegals. You can unsubscribe anytime. View our <a href=\"\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">privacy policy<\/a>"},"custom":{"embed":""},"gtm_form_type":"default","gtm_form_location":"default"},"button":{"title":"Find out how","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/raise\/safe\/?nr=1","target":"_blank"},"image":42761}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<h3><a id=\"question-6\"><\/a>What are your expectations about board seats or control?<\/h3>\n<p>This question will help you understand how involved an investor wants to be in decision-making and the strategic direction of your company. It\u2019s important to understand their expectations.<\/p>\n<p>Many founders don\u2019t want investors getting too involved, but some like to have substantial guidance and mentorship. Make sure you align on the degree of control and influence investors want in your company before moving ahead with a deal.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-7\"><\/a>What&#8217;s your view on the potential risks and challenges in our industry?<\/h3>\n<p>This is a good question to help you get an idea of how well an investor knows your industry and how they think. It can also help you gain some insight and perspective from them, and share your own as well.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-8\"><\/a>Can you introduce us to other founders in your portfolio for references?<\/h3>\n<p>Ask your investors if they\u2019re happy for you to get some references. Reach out to founders of other startups they&#8217;ve invested in and ask what the investors are like to deal with post-raise. Ask about how supportive they are and what challenges there have been, if any.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-9\"><\/a>What\u2019s your preferred exit strategy?<\/h3>\n<p>If you can, it\u2019s a good idea to get a sense of how and when your potential investors want the company to exit. They might also ask you this question when you pitch.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"question-10\"><\/a>If you were me, where would you take the company?<\/h3>\n<p>This is a good question to get investors to envision themselves as an integral part of the future of your company. It also helps you understand more about how the investor thinks, how well they know your industry and to build a connection.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"expert_highlight","expert_highlight":{"":null,"image":{"ID":26890,"id":26890,"title":"Jonny Seaman","filename":"Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","filesize":75389,"url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","link":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","alt":"Jonny Seaman","author":"77","description":"Jonny Seaman","caption":"Jonny Seaman","name":"976194896f87499d83a100d1bbe4144c","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":26854,"date":"2022-06-10 11:25:51","modified":"2024-01-18 11:44:25","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":800,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":800,"_themosis_media":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-100x100.jpg","_themosis_media-width":100,"_themosis_media-height":100,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":800,"themosis":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-200x150.jpg","themosis-width":200,"themosis-height":150,"tog-small":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-300x300.jpg","tog-small-width":300,"tog-small-height":300,"tog-medium":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile-600x600.jpg","tog-medium-width":600,"tog-medium-height":600,"tog-large":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","tog-large-width":800,"tog-large-height":800,"tog-huge":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Jonny-Seaman-profile.jpg","tog-huge-width":800,"tog-huge-height":800}},"quote":"<p>Let potential investors share ideas and make them feel heard. There\u2019s something true in the saying, &#8216;ask for money, get advice; ask for advice, get money&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>Asking this question can help investors feel more tied to your company if they can imagine its future.<\/p>\n","name":{"title":"Jonny Seaman","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/author\/jonny-seaman\/","target":"_blank"},"role":"Investor Partnerships Manager","company":{"title":"SeedLegals","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/?nr=1","target":"_blank"},"linkedin":{"title":"","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/resources\/author\/jonny-seaman\/","target":"_blank"},"facebook":"","instagram":"","twitter":"","hide_image":false}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<h3>Do you have any concerns so far that we can address?<\/h3>\n<p>This can be an uncomfortable question to ask. But it\u2019s a smart idea to find out if there\u2019s anything you can address or improve now that will make investing in your company more appealing.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"pitch-resources\"><\/a>Resources: How to pitch<\/h2>\n<p>To perfect your pitch and improve your chances of getting funding, read our posts:<\/p>\n<p>Create your pitch deck with step-by-step guidance: <a href=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/pitch-deck-template-us-startups\/?nr=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Free pitch deck template<\/a><br \/>\nExpert insights on pitching: <a href=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/how-to-create-investor-pitch-deck\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to create a pitch deck: Top tips from an expert pitch coach<\/a><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"cta","cta":{"type":"default","subheading":"SeedLegals Pitch","heading":"Create and share your pitch on SeedLegals","content":"Show investors you're serious with a professional pitch on SeedLegals. Build your page in minutes, share in one click and track investor interest.<br \/>\r\n","bullet_points":false,"form":{"type":"none","hubspot_form":{"layout":"newsletter","hide_founderinvestor_toggle":false,"default_community":"founder","custom_form_id":"","gdpr_disclaimer":"By subscribing, you agree to receive information from SeedLegals. You can unsubscribe anytime. View our <a href=\"\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">privacy policy<\/a>"},"custom":{"embed":""},"gtm_form_type":"default","gtm_form_location":"default"},"button":{"title":"Learn more","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/raise\/pitch\/?nr=1","target":"_blank"},"image":false}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"<h2><a id=\"talk-to-an-expert\"><\/a>Talk to the experts<\/h2>\n<p>At SeedLegals we&#8217;re here to help founders raise funding more easily and sort the legals for your startup efficiently and affordably. Book a free call below with one of our team to find out how we can help.<!-- Start of Meetings Embed Script --><\/p>\n<p><!-- End of Meetings Embed Script --><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"form","layout":"custom","heading":"Get answers fast, for free","content":"Bring all your questions - we\u2019ve got the answers!\r\nWe\u2019ll match you with the right specialist.","custom":{"image":false,"button_text":"Get Started","form":{"type":"hubspot","hubspot_form":{"layout":"default","hide_founderinvestor_toggle":false,"default_community":"founder","custom_form_id":"21723609-6f1b-45c0-9691-77d462dc3bed","gdpr_disclaimer":"By subscribing, you agree to receive information from SeedLegals. You can unsubscribe anytime. View our <a href=\"\/us\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">privacy policy<\/a>"},"custom":{"embed":""},"gtm_form_type":"default","gtm_form_location":"default"}},"add_shadow":true}],"hero_image":425751,"blog_layout":"v2","show_author_card":false,"revision_date":"","has_custom_post_authors":true,"is_expert_reviewed":true,"has_sources":false,"related_posts":[{"post":{"ID":425709,"post_author":"82","post_date":"2023-07-07 11:38:01","post_date_gmt":"2023-07-07 10:38:01","post_content":"","post_title":"Top 10 questions to ask potential investors (from industry experts)","post_excerpt":"Are your potential investors right for your startup? Ask these questions crowdsourced from founders and investors to find out. ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"questions-to-ask-investors","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-07-07 11:38:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-07-07 12:38:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","menu_order":54,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"post":{"ID":414742,"post_author":"82","post_date":"2019-02-01 13:46:56","post_date_gmt":"2019-02-01 13:46:56","post_content":"We teamed up with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/sparkup.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sparkup<\/a>, the network focused crowdfunding platform,\u00a0to analyse 100s of successfully funded companies to bring you the 11 key elements you need for a great pitch deck.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1327\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8daf7e53abe600012951ef_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-2-638-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">\u200dPitch Deck Do's<\/span><\/h3>\r\nThe average visitor will only spend 3m44sec reading your slides so make sure you communicate all of these in 20 slides or less to maximise your chance of success.\r\n\r\nSpend time on your deck. Make sure your team slide looks awesome!\r\nKnow your metrics better than anyone. Traction speaks the loudest.\r\nShare success stories and great testimonials\r\nBe punchy, concise, clear and aim to engage\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1328\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db1b8b7a50a0001e20127_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-4-638-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">\u200d1. Company Purpose<\/span><\/h3>\r\nConsider this your teaser slide that showcases your company's mission and vision through a killer statement. This is your 15-second compelling elevator pitch.\r\n\r\nMake it memorable.\r\n<h2>2. Problem \/ Opportunity<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>What is the problem or opportunity?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Why is it important to solve it?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Who are you solving the problem for?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1329\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db1eb36499300015d887d_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-5-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>3. Solution<\/h2>\r\nDescribe how your solution solves the problem you have just outlined and why it is better than other solutions in the market.\r\n<h2>4. Market Size<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Convince your viewer that the market opportunity is large and attainable.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Provide the dollar value of your Total Available Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM) and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nKey statistics work well here.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1330\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db76053abe60001296332_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-6-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>5. Product<\/h2>\r\nWhat are the key features of the product and how does it work?Why do customers care about the product? What are the major product milestones so far? Include images of your product\r\n\r\nIf you don't have a working product yet include visuals of what you are building.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1331\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db76b36499300015d8f73_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-7-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>6. Team<\/h2>\r\nThis is one of the most important slides to focus on in order to build credibility. This slide should include:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Pictures of key team members<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Name and title of key team members<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Significant accomplishment for each person that identifies key strengths and experience<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThis slide can also include Board Members and Advisors in order to increase the credibility of your overall team.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1332\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db777689c090001cb11dc_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-8-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>7. Competition<\/h2>\r\nUse a matrix to showcase how you are the best at what you do or at least how you differ from other players. Having direct competitors is OK and proves there is a market for your offering.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1333\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db781b7a50a0001e206c9_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-9-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>8. Business Model<\/h2>\r\nIllustrate the ways you are going to make money by providing 1-3 different revenue sources.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>How do you make money?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the pricing model?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the long-term value of a customer?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1334\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db79e689c090001cb11f1_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-10-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>9.\u00a0 Market Plan<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>What key marketing channels will you use?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What early successes have you had and what channels have worked?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What are your preliminary customer acquisition costs per customer?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What PR will you be employing?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What early press or buzz have you gotten?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1335\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db7aa36499300015d8f91_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-11-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>10. Financials<\/h2>\r\nThis slide is more about what you have done so far and not what you plan on doing. Showing traction is important here.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>total revenue, ARR, MRR, profits<\/li>\r\n \t<li>CAC, LTV and Margin (unit economics)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>no. customers and partners signed up<\/li>\r\n \t<li>forecasting for 1-3 years to demonstrate your ambition and growth plans. Don't be unrealistic.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1336\" src=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/5a8db7ce53abe60001296415_ultimate-pitch-deck-template-for-high-growth-startups-12-638-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\r\n<h2>11. The Ask and The Spend<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>How much are you raising?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the company valuation?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the % equity offered?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Never list these three things in the same sentence: amount raising, valuation, and % equity offered unless you've actually built your cap table and used a tool to model your actual equity dilution.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Always talk about pre-money valuation rather than post-money valuation.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What are you going to be spending the money on? Group what you are going to spend the money on into categories e.g Operations, Recruitment, Marketing<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What runway will that give you? i.e. how long before you are profitable or raising your next round<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Final Words of Wisdom<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nAlways prepare two versions of your slide deck - one with financials and fundraising details and one without so you can send out teasers to a wide set of people, and only give out your financials to a small set.","post_title":"Startup pitch deck: free template with investor tips","post_excerpt":"Create the perfect pitch deck with our free template, including tips from industry experts and step-by-step guidance. ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pitch-deck-template-us-startups","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-01-20 13:57:00","post_modified_gmt":"2025-01-20 13:57:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/resources\/pitch-deck-template-uk-startups\/","menu_order":580,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"post":false}],"custom_post_authors":{"authors":[{"author":{"ID":82,"user_firstname":"Kaylin","user_lastname":"Sullivan","nickname":"Kaylin Sullivan","user_nicename":"kaylin","display_name":"Kaylin Sullivan","user_email":"kaylin@seedlegals.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2022-04-11 11:06:43","user_description":"","user_avatar":"<img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0652066345ed869ee09c20fad9ad22d5dadc0ee3bb4ca278683547efbb5d93d4?s=96&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0652066345ed869ee09c20fad9ad22d5dadc0ee3bb4ca278683547efbb5d93d4?s=192&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-96 photo' height='96' width='96' loading='lazy' decoding='async'\/>"},"role":"Author"},{"author":{"ID":121,"user_firstname":"Jonny","user_lastname":"Seaman","nickname":"Jonny Seaman","user_nicename":"jonny-seaman","display_name":"Jonny Seaman","user_email":"wordpress35@seedlegals.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2022-09-20 10:56:50","user_description":"","user_avatar":"<img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf272b0326fc60369855e2be383b7088a4f7c6f4853e4a743e5198350c8c7cf5?s=96&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf272b0326fc60369855e2be383b7088a4f7c6f4853e4a743e5198350c8c7cf5?s=192&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-96 photo' height='96' width='96' loading='lazy' decoding='async'\/>"},"role":"Featured expert"},{"author":{"ID":3,"user_firstname":"Anthony","user_lastname":"Rose","nickname":"Anthony","user_nicename":"anthony","display_name":"Anthony Rose","user_email":"anthony@seedlegals.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2019-10-18 15:42:52","user_description":"","user_avatar":"<img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eec24f24334b9a815c127811f69deccd9cf669083b239a62f3a4c38997362003?s=96&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eec24f24334b9a815c127811f69deccd9cf669083b239a62f3a4c38997362003?s=192&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-96 photo' height='96' width='96' loading='lazy' decoding='async'\/>"},"role":"Featured expert"}]},"expert_reviewed":{"heading":"Expert reviewed","tooltip_message":"This article has been fact-checked by a SeedLegals subject matter expert.<br><br><a href=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/authors-and-experts\/\" target=\"_blank\">Meet our experts<\/a> and learn more about our review process and quality assurance in our <a href=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/editorial-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">editorial policy<\/a>."},"v2":{"hero":{"image_background_color":"#E7F1FF","image_fit":"img--cover"},"adverts":false,"related_sidebar_posts":false}},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top 10 Questions to Ask Investors Before Your Startup Funding Round<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Make sure you choose the right investors for your startup with 10 essential questions. Learn how to evaluate investors and secure strategic partnerships.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top 10 Questions to Ask Investors Before Your Startup Funding Round\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Make sure you choose the right investors for your startup with 10 essential questions. Learn how to evaluate investors and secure strategic partnerships.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SeedLegals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/seedlegals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-07-07T10:38:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-07T12:38:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1448\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kaylin Sullivan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@seedlegals\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@seedlegals\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kaylin Sullivan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Top 10 Questions to Ask Investors Before Your Startup Funding Round","description":"Make sure you choose the right investors for your startup with 10 essential questions. Learn how to evaluate investors and secure strategic partnerships.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","og_type":"article","og_title":"Top 10 Questions to Ask Investors Before Your Startup Funding Round","og_description":"Make sure you choose the right investors for your startup with 10 essential questions. Learn how to evaluate investors and secure strategic partnerships.","og_url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","og_site_name":"SeedLegals","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/seedlegals\/","article_published_time":"2023-07-07T10:38:01+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-07-07T12:38:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1448,"url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Kaylin Sullivan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@seedlegals","twitter_site":"@seedlegals","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kaylin Sullivan","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/"},"author":{"name":"Kaylin Sullivan","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/d383c21e21d3cf7d5eee04f9db6bb122"},"headline":"Top 10 questions to ask potential investors (from industry experts)","datePublished":"2023-07-07T10:38:01+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-07T12:38:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/"},"wordCount":9,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png","articleSection":["Funding Guides","Find Investors"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/","name":"Top 10 Questions to Ask Investors Before Your Startup Funding Round","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png","datePublished":"2023-07-07T10:38:01+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-07T12:38:01+00:00","description":"Make sure you choose the right investors for your startup with 10 essential questions. Learn how to evaluate investors and secure strategic partnerships.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hero_ten-questions-to-ask-investors-us-scaled.png","width":2560,"height":1448,"caption":"Hero Ten Questions To Ask Investors Us"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/questions-to-ask-investors\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Top 10 questions to ask potential investors (from industry experts)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/","name":"SeedLegals","description":"Startups made easy","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#organization","name":"SeedLegals","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/seedlegals-logo-1.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/seedlegals-logo-1.svg","width":205,"height":23,"caption":"SeedLegals"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/seedlegals\/","https:\/\/x.com\/seedlegals","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/seedlegals\/?hl=en","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/seedlegals","https:\/\/www.eventbrite.co.uk\/o\/seedlegals-15096667075","https:\/\/uk.trustpilot.com\/review\/www.seedlegals.com"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/d383c21e21d3cf7d5eee04f9db6bb122","name":"Kaylin Sullivan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0652066345ed869ee09c20fad9ad22d5dadc0ee3bb4ca278683547efbb5d93d4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0652066345ed869ee09c20fad9ad22d5dadc0ee3bb4ca278683547efbb5d93d4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0652066345ed869ee09c20fad9ad22d5dadc0ee3bb4ca278683547efbb5d93d4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kaylin Sullivan"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kaylinmichelle\/","yasirmir"],"url":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/resources\/author\/kaylin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=425709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/425751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=425709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=425709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=425709"},{"taxonomy":"event_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seedlegals.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_tags?post=425709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}