Do you want to know what separates the startups that get funded from the ones that don´t? Today, Mike is joined by Alexandra Nicoletti, a partner at Camber Creek, one of the leading VC firms. Prior to this, Alexandra was in real estate and private equity at Apollo and worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs.

Alexandra has seen every version of a pitch you can imagine. Today she breaks down exactly how to target the right investors, prepare a winning pitch, deliver it and follow up.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Mastering Tech Growth is about continually optimising the growth of your business.
VCs now focus more on how strong the founding team is than they do on the product idea.
Growth at all costs is no longer viable.
Be clear about what your customer´s pain point is and why you decided there was money to be made from solving it.
Tool change is painful for corporations. Demonstrate that what you offer represents an improvement that makes it worth going through that pain.
Your investors become your partners, so it is vital they are a good fit.

It´s no longer possible to ride the AI wave, it´s becoming old. Head in the cloud pitches don´t work. Be realistic and honest. Clearly identify who your customer will be. Pre-revenue startups can still raise funds. User testing, social proof and pilots are strong signs of traction. Briefly outline your go to market strategy during the pitch. If you can´t convince a VC they will not believe you can sell to a customer.

BEST MOMENTS

2:27 "Every decision comes with a trade-off, particularly in the early stages."

7.00 “What VCs are looking for right now is smart growth. It's not growth at all costs.”

9:55 "At the end of the day, we're investing in the people. Less so the product."

10.22 "VCs will invest in a B+ idea with an A+ founding team versus an A+ idea, with a B+ founding team."

24.21 "We don’t need more generic wrappers for ChatGPT. What we do need is fresh perspectives….people doing things differently. "

32.05 "If you can’t sell to an investor, how will you sell to a customer?"

34.33 “Having put some thought into things like go to market is really important.”

41.41 "Founder relationships are a key reason why companies run into issues down the road.”

59.53 "Saying you're 100% going to IPO in five years … that is a red flag."

1.05.43 “I do not want to spend time watching a video demo of the product.”

1.14.53 “I want to know how much you're spending and what you're spending it on.”

If you enjoyed the show, please do me a favour - hit that subscribe button and send me your growth challenges at https://masteringtechgrowth.com . I really want to know what you're working on and what keeps you up at night.

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-nicoletti-a205ab11

https://cambercreek.com

ABOUT THE HOST

Meet Mike, a seasoned tech entrepreneur and visionary with over two and a half decades of invaluable experience in founding and scaling successful tech start-ups. Mike brings a wealth of firsthand knowledge, and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and tech professionals.

As a host, Mike is dedicated to sharing actionable insights, strategies, and stories gathered from conversations with industry leaders, innovators, and experts. With a remarkable ability to distil practical wisdom from guests, Mike curates engaging discussions that resonate with both aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What are VCs Really Looking For? with Alexandra Nicoletti

Mastering Tech Growth