Venture Financing Tips: 3 Tips for Pitching Angel and Venture Investors

Are you about to walk into a meeting or pitch session for potential investors? Hear from Jesse Jones, Fourscore Business Law Founder, about his top 3 tips for pitching to angel and venture investors. In this video, he discusses knowing your investor, choosing your investor, and winning your presentation. Stay tuned for the next video in our Venture Financing Tips series and subscribe to our monthly newsletter full of resources here.

For entrepreneurs, the prospect of raising funds to propel business growth should come with a mix of excitement and fear. While taking angel and venture capital isn’t right for every startup, it may be the ideal financial structure to help you scale.

Download our whitepaper here, including a directory of funding sources in North Carolina and the Southeast.

Venture capital gives you the opportunity to raise significant amounts of funding by essentially selling a part of your company as you build it. For that reason, entrepreneurs should understand that angel and venture capital is typically expensive money, so the smartest entrepreneurs will make sure to seek outside capital from those that can provide value in terms other than simply dollars.

If you are planning to meet with a potential investor, understanding what to expect when it comes to structuring venture deals will help ensure you get started on the right foot. 

Venture Financing Tips: 3 Tips for Pitching Angel and Venture

Three tips for pitching investors. If you're pitching investors, most founders focus on the wrong things. Here are three tips that actually matter.

First, know your investor. Do your homework. Understand what they invest in, how much they invest, and what they care about.

Second, treat it like you're interviewing them. You're not just taking money, you're choosing a long-term partner, so make sure they are the right fit for you. And third, keep your pitch simple.

10 to 15 slides maximum. Focus on your team and the size of the market. At the early stage, investors are not betting on your product, they're betting on you.

So highlight your team, show the opportunity, and keep it clear. That's what gets checks written.

For more venture financing tips and resources, visit fourscorelaw.com and check out our

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Common Questions About Venture Financing Tips: 3 Tips for Pitching Angel and Venture Investors

• Q: What should I include in a startup pitch deck for investors?

  A: Keep your pitch deck to 10-15 slides maximum, focusing on your team and the size of the market. Early-stage investors are betting on you, not your product, so highlighting your team and the opportunity is what gets funding.

• Q: How many slides should a pitch deck have for angel investors?

  A: A pitch deck should have no more than 10-15 slides. Keep it simple and clear — focus on your team and market size rather than trying to cover everything about your product.

• Q: What do NC startup founders get wrong when pitching investors?

  A: Most founders focus on the wrong things when pitching. Investors at the early stage aren't betting on your product — they're betting on you and your team, so lead with your people and the market opportunity.

• Q: Should I research an investor before pitching them?

  A: Yes — always do your homework before pitching. Understand what they invest in, how much they typically invest, and what they care about. Treat the meeting like an interview where you're also evaluating whether they're the right long-term partner for you.