Learning how to pitch your startup can be overwhelming. Here’s our quick guide to pitching investors, including how the Onward Accelerator can help.

Qualities of a great pitch

Keep it succinct

Your message should be clear and to-the-point. Avoid rambling or going off topic. To start off your pitch, talk about a relevant change in your industry, market, or the world at large. This is a good jumping off point to explain how your product will address that issue.

Share your UVP

Make it clear to investors that some people are ahead of the curve, and some are behind — and you are someone who’s ahead. Talk about your Unique Value Proposition, or UVP. This is what makes you different from the rest. Emphasize features of your product that no one else has, and that your investors will definitely want.

Show You Can Make Things Happen

Utilize data, proven results, and case studies to show that this isn’t just a pipe dream. You actually have the ability to make your ideas a reality and achieve the results you want.

Answering common questions

TAM, SAM, and SOM

Be prepared to discuss the Total Addressable Market (TAM) worldwide, as well as the Serviceable Available Market (SAM). The SAM is the amount of the TAM you could realistically provide for your product, taking into consideration factors like language and distribution. Finally, be ready to talk about the Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM), which is the percentage of the SAM you could realistically capture. Additionally, you should be able to show and discuss your CAP Table (current investors and equity owners) as well as current financial status.

Questions You Can’t Answer

If someone asks a question or makes a point that you are not prepared for, don’t try to make up an answer on the spot. Be upfront and say you have not researched that topic yet, or perhaps that you’ll look into it and get back to them. You’re a startup — it’s okay that you haven’t thought of everything yet!

What Investors Want

Your product matters, but for potential investors, there’s something that matters even more — you. For early stage startups, investors are making a bet on the founders. Startups need to have a product or offering that is enticing, but more importantly the founders have to show that they are passionate about their product, have done the market research, and have a valid idea. Founders that are eager to learn and will pivot when necessary stand out, even if their pitch or product needs some refinement.

How the Onward Accelerator Can Help

You don’t have to figure out your pitch all on your own. Accelerator programs offer incredible advice and industry connections. At Onward, we provide a unique accelerator experience for pre-seed and seed stage startups in the energy industry. Unparalleled access to the Onward ecosystem of experts, crowdsourcing and data science platforms, the latest in AI/ML innovation, and the skills and experience of the Onward community provide Onward Accelerator cohort participants everything they need to succeed. 

Participants can expect to have direct conversation and support hours with SMEs, and program sessions are designed to allow direct peer-to-peer and SME interaction. Participants can get help with anything related to their company and are expected to commit 2-4 hours per week to attend sessions and complete assignments. You can also schedule support hours outside of program sessions. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it, and you’ll walk away more than ready to pitch your startup to investors.