By Bar Maaravi, Horizon Capital.
Your first pitch to investors is a pivotal moment for your startup. It’s not just about sharing your idea, it’s about convincing investors that your business has the potential to thrive and generate significant returns. Many Early-Stage founders struggle during this meeting because they overlook what truly matters to investors: clarity, credibility, and strategic vision.
Ido Dassa, CEO of RacePace during Genesis Demo Day
If you’re gearing up for your first pitch, here are 3 Dos and Don’ts in first pitch, to help you nail that crucial meeting.
Dos:
1. Capture Attention Early.
The first few minutes of your pitch can make or break investor interest. Investors often decide whether they’re intrigued within the first five minutes — sometimes even sooner.
How to Do It Right:
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Start with a clear, concise summary highlighting the problem, your unique solution, and the market opportunity.
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Use a compelling story or a striking data point to immediately engage investors.
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Memorably frame your business. Why does your solution matter? How big is the impact?
Tip: Think of this as your elevator pitch. If you can’t grab their attention quickly, you risk losing it entirely.
2. Show the Numbers That Matter.
Investors want proof of financial viability and scalability. Even if you’re pre-revenue, metrics and projections play a critical role in building confidence.
How to Do It Right:
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Share essential metrics such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), gross margin, and burn rate.
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If you don’t have revenue yet, focus on achievable milestones, early traction (like design partners, beta users, or partnerships), and well-grounded financial projections.
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Be transparent about how funding will be used and the benchmarks you aim to hit.
Tip: Investors appreciate founders who know their numbers inside and out. Be ready to answer questions about assumptions, growth rates, and cost structures.
3. Establish Team Credibility.
Investors invest in people as much as they invest in ideas. Your team’s credibility is a core part of the pitch.
How to Do It Right:
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Highlight your founding team’s experience, skills, and relevant domain expertise.
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Emphasize what makes your team uniquely qualified to execute your vision. Have you solved this problem before? Do you bring deep industry connections or technical innovation?
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Complementary skills are key. Show that the founding team has most of the bases covered — product, tech, sales, and operations.
Tip: Use this as a chance to build trust. For example, if you’re missing a key hire, be upfront but explain your strategy to fill the gap.
Don’ts:
1. Overpromise and Underprepared.
Investors are looking for vision, but they also value realism. Overstating your market size or claiming you have “no competition” are immediate red flags.
What to Avoid:
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Don’t present overly optimistic projections without any data to back them up.
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Avoid dismissing potential risks. Instead, acknowledge challenges and show your strategy to overcome them.
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Don’t wing it — anticipate tough questions and prepare thoughtful, honest answers.
Tip: Investors would rather hear realistic projections than exaggerated ones you can’t deliver.
2. Focus Solely on Features Over Strategy.
Your product might be brilliant, but investors care about more than just what it does — they want to know how you’ll bring it to market and succeed.
What to Avoid:
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Don’t spend the entire pitch deep-diving into features or tech specs without tying them to a clear business strategy.
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Avoid neglecting the go-to-market plan, competitive landscape, and customer acquisition strategy.
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Remember: Your solution is important, but execution wins the game.
Tip: Focus on the big picture. Show how your product solves a real, urgent problem and how you’ll capture the market effectively.
3. Let investor questions throw you off track.
Investor questions are a positive signal — they show interest. However, mishandling those questions can derail your pitch.
What to Avoid:
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Don’t deflect or dismiss tough questions. It’s okay not to have all the answers but show that you’re aware of challenges and actively working on solutions.
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Avoid defensive responses; instead, turn tough questions into opportunities to demonstrate your expertise and thoughtfulness.
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Never dominate the conversation. Be prepared to listen and engage in a productive dialogue.
Tip: See questions as a chance to build rapport. Investors want to understand your thought process and how you handle challenges.
Your first investor pitch is more than a presentation, it’s your opportunity to build trust, credibility, and excitement for your business. You can leave a lasting impression by capturing attention early, sharing your numbers, and highlighting your team. At the same time, avoid common challenges like overpromising, focusing too much on features, or mishandling investor questions.
Good luck — you’ve got this!
Want to read more from Bar Maaravi and Horizon Capital experience? find it Here
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Bar Maaravi, Associate at Horizon Capital | Early-stage VC Investments
