Finding an investor for your tech business should, in theory, be a relatively trouble-free endeavour… if you know what you’re doing, that is.
After all, tech is always trending, which means great things when it comes to garnering investor interest. Scoring yourself a quality investor tells you that you’re doing something right, that your idea is viable, and that your prospects are looking good. By the same token, if you’re failing to attract investors, something is drastically off putting about your tech business.
Keep reading to quickly learn 3 ways you can find investors for your tech business.
Review the Investor’s Profile
Investors come in many different shapes and sizes, and they each have needs, and profiles, of their own.
Because every investor has different objectives and qualities, it’s important to closely review their profile so that you can determine whether they’re the right fit for you. What their values? What have they achieved so far? What are they looking for? You need to work out what they want and see if it meets somewhere in the middle with what you want.
For example, Tej Kohli has set up a great overview of his track record over on Crunchbase. After checking out the profile, you’ll see everything from his social media pages to his jobs, board and advisor roles, and personal investment history. A proven entrepreneur and technologist, he also knows the tricks of the trade. All of this is valuable insight that should help you confidently partner with a reputable investor, instead of throwing your lot in with an unknown entity.
Bolster the Business Plan
Once you have your sights set on an investor you rather like, its time to tweak your business plan somewhat to maximise your venture’s appeal.
Are you dealing in areas where investments are practically no-brainers, like AI, automation, or blockchain? Is your idea wholly unique? Do you have your business mapped out for the next few years, with milestones to meet and ambitions to achieve? All these aspects will sway an investor enormously.
There are many ways to craft a solid business plan, but most include business summaries, budget and auditing results, and the structure of the firm. For tech firms, manufacturing logistics and designer portfolios could be worthy of inclusion also. Iron out those creases, and investors will see that your tech firm has potential, and that it won’t squander the funds given.
Negotiate Flexibly
You should try to treat investors more like business partners, rather than a bank or charity, per say.
That means negotiating flexible return rates, and if possible, being generous with what you offer. It’s about making the arrangement looking as attractive to investors as possible, and if your tech business stands to potentially make a lot of money, the only offering up a tiny fraction of those profits can seem like a cheap, or even exploitative, move.
Go the extra mile here, and investors might just clamber aboard your tech venture. You do need to draw a line somewhere, but an accommodating approach where possible will work in your favour. Even if they ask for a larger return stake than you expected, it might be you’ll make so much money that you won’t miss that which you lose…
