Want to get it right on the first time? Here is my notes and guide which I have been using for past 10 years in mentoring / teaching to over 1000 entrepreneurs & students.

The goal is to help you to successfully funded or acquire your desired resource in 60 and 45 days. We have track record and hopefully this guide can help you the way how it has been providing actual value to the startup founders I mentor and invest in.

Section #1: How to pich like pro and get result?

Are you preparing to pitch your startup to top investors, corporations, or government officials, aiming to secure funding, Proof-of-Concept (POC) collaboration opportunities, or government grants within a limited time frame? Or, are you simply curious about the startup ecosystem and wondering how business presentations and startup pitches compare?

Discover our expert suggestions on how to master the art of pitching like a pro and achieve your desired outcomes:

1. Know your audience:

   1. Research the backgrounds, interests, and investment preferences of your audience. Tailor your pitch to address their specific concerns and emphasize the value your startup offers to them.

   2. Be sure to be clear on your ask to your audience and create opporunity where your audience can collaborate and support your cause.

2. Craft a compelling story:

   1. Engage your audience by presenting your startup's journey as a relatable story. Highlight your challenges, key milestones, and successes to create an emotional connection.

   2. Story allows and helps your audience to spread your ask to others as people loves to join a potential movement if it is the right cause.

3. Keep it simple and clear:

   1. Ensure your pitch is concise, easy to understand, and focused on the most crucial aspects of your business. Avoid using technical jargon or overwhelming your audience with excessive information.

   2. Be sure to understand the difference between simple and easy. Simple is hard, but is the key to gain support to your ask.

4. Demonstrate market potential:

   1. Clearly outline the size of your target market, its growth potential, and your strategy for capturing a significant share. This will showcase the potential return on investment.

   2. People want to support opporunities with upside and no immediate limitation.

5. Highlight your unique value proposition:

   1. Explain what sets your startup apart from competitors and how your product or service addresses a pressing market need.

   2. State clearly how current product / service on the market can not solve the problem or use case you are attempting to solve.

6. Showcase your team's expertise:

   1. Emphasize the experience, skills, and passion of your team members, demonstrating that they are well-equipped to execute your business plan and drive the company's growth.

   2. Investors invest in team and business model which is created by members of team.

7. Prepare for financial questions:

   1. Be ready to provide key financial metrics, such as revenue projections, profit margins, and customer acquisition costs. Present a realistic and achievable financial plan that instills confidence in potential investors.

8. Create visually appealing slides:

   1. Use high-quality visuals, clear graphics, and minimal text to ensure your slides are easy to follow and support your key messages.

   2. Connect with your audience with images and get your message accross immediately.

9. Be prepared for questions:

   1. Anticipate the most common questions your audience may ask and prepare concise, well-informed responses. Engage in a dialogue with your audience to build rapport and credibility.

   2. Top teams prepare Q&A in advances with anticipation on the questions audience may ask.

10. Practice, practice, practice:

    1. Rehearse your pitch multiple times to refine your delivery, pacing, and body language. Seek feedback from peers or mentors, and adjust your presentation accordingly to improve its impact.

    2. Pitch time has decreased over time in last 10 years from 4~6 minutes to 2~3 minutes. Be precise and get the point accross.

Section #2: Learning from great founders

Here are 2 pitches from year 2014 & 2016 in Japan and Singapore by 2 amazing startup companies in Taiwan. I often use these 2 pitches as example on what is and what is not a great pitch.

SkyREC pitch at Slush Asia 2016

(https://youtu.be/Lt_xsdeQzRs , Ikeda san from TheBridge)

iChef @ Echelon 2014, Singapore

(https://youtu.be/9DAFKrWhfR8, iChef Youtube Channel)

Section #3: Key elements and slide to your successful pitch

If you are a startup and this is the first time you are doing fundrasing, here is a list of elements that are recommended to include in your 1st draft as these elements present a great fundation to focus on the things investers care for most of time. (如果你是第一次為你的新創準備募資，建議可以在建構PPT初搞時候，納入以下清單裡投資者常常關注的元素。)

#1: Company Name / Product or Service Name / One Sentence Description

(公司名稱 / 產品或服務名稱 / 一句話的說明)

The key here is the “one sentence” describing your company and product/service. 是否可以透過兩句話來說明你的公司

• company name 公司名稱

• what is the position of your company / 你公司的定位

• how does your product/service help peoplpe /你公司如何幫助大家

Here is a great example 範例

#2 What is the problem you are solving? Who suffers from the pain if the problem is not solved? (到底在解決哪個問題? 誰會痛 (with photo)

#3 Why current existing solution can not solve?(為何既有的服務或商品無法解決或滿足? (with example))

• what would be possible answer:

• please give 3 example of current service type, and why these product/service is not able to solve the current presented program>what is investor thinking: what’s the gap of current and to-be solution. or what is the market insight.> what is the problem/solution fit here!

• 2.3.1 Tools/工具

• Lean Canvas by Ash M.(https://blog.leanstack.com/how-to-document-your-business-model-on-1-page-a6c91ab73efd) is a great tool to help clarify the problem x solution x value.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-lean-canvas-model

#4 How big or severe the problem and market is?

If not solve, what would happen?到底這個問題有多大或嚴重? 如果不解決，會發生哪樣的影響? (with a photo)

• what would be possible answer:> what is investor thinking: (1) market size (2) severity of the problem (3) urgency2.4.1 illustrationThe graph below can be used in the slide to describe your market size in 3 distinct category.— 3 type of market category:Total Available Market (TOM):Served Available Market:Target Market:

https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/hacking-sales/9781119281641/c03.xhtml

2.4.2 Example

https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=total+available+market&safe=strict&rlz=1C1CHZL_zh-TWTW730TW730&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjHw6i5lsDZAhXBGJQKHb-dD98Q_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=810

#5 Vision and Purpose / 願景及使命 (with a photo)

This is actually a iterative process where startup team will learn from the discovery and search process of validating the problem, solution and possible business model.Vision: What would the world look like, if the problem is solved or under controlled?Purpose: Why do you wake up early in the morning and stay up late? Why are you compel to do this at this moment?2.5.1 ExampleAirBnB: “Belong Everywhere” https://www.quora.com/What-is-Airbnbs-mission-vision-statementUber: “ no matter where you are, a reliable ride with Uber is just 5 minutes away.” https://www.uber.com/newsroom/2055524/

#6 Photo of product/service 產品及服務的圖

#7 How does your product/service works 產品服務說明

description how does

your product/service work, and what are the key feature that solves the problem

#8 Market validation and traction 市場驗證及績效

what are the initial prove that there is currently a market/business model? Example would be pre-order that received, # of survey filled, MOU …

#9 Business Model / 商業模式how to make money

如何賺錢investor mind: who are involved and how the money is made? Moreover, why would people want to pay?

#10 Go-To-Market Strategy or Market Adoption / 推廣策略

investor mind: what are the steps you are taking to make people use your service. Moreover, if your strategy is feasible and business sound

#11 Competitor 競爭對手

who are trying to solve the problem like your team?investor mind: what are you doing that they are not doing which makes you a better chance to solve?

#12 Management Team

團隊介紹list of co-founder and core-team and what they do in the team with 1 or 2 lines of backgroundinvestor mind: question why your team can do it

#13 Upcoming 3 Tasks 接下來參加將要完成的事

#14 What help you need 需要幫助的三件事情

#15 Thank you3.0

Section #4: Example Pitch Deck of Amazing Startup

• Airbnb: http://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-a-13-billion-dollar-startups-first-ever-pitch-deck-2011-9?op=1Suggtion: http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/your-startup-s-pitch-only-needs-these-10-slides.html

Section #5: Great article to read / 好文章

4.1 Advise for first timer fundraising startup / 給第一次籌資的新創公司看的幾點注意事項https://medium.com/@tempofeng/%E7%B5%A6%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E6%AC%A1%E7%B1%8C%E8%B3%87%E7%9A%84%E6%96%B0%E5%89%B5%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E7%9C%8B%E7%9A%84%E5%B9%BE%E9%BB%9E%E6%B3%A8%E6%84%8F%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85-b05ff89541c8#.adkl6uhqv