Idea-stage VC Pitch Preparation

These are the fundamentals every idea-stage founder should be able to articulate clearly, both to investors and to themselves.

1. Problem

A. Core Problem Definition

• Problem Statement (2-3 sentences): What specific problem are you solving?
• Who Has This Problem: Define your target customer segments
• Problem Frequency: How often do customers experience this problem?
• Current Cost of Problem: What does this problem cost customers (time/money/efficiency)?

B. Problem Evidence

• Recent Data Points: List 3-5 statistics showing problem severity (with sources)
• Market Trends: What trends are making this problem worse?
• Personal Experience: Describe your personal experience with this problem
• Customer Pain Examples: 3-5 specific examples of how customers currently struggle

C. Why Now?

• Recent Changes: What has changed in the last 2-3 years that makes this solvable now?
• Technology Enablers: What new technologies make your solution possible?
• Market Shifts: What behavioral/economic changes create urgency?

2. Founder & Team

A. Your Background

• Relevant Experience: Years working in this problem space
• Previous Roles: Job titles/companies that gave you domain expertise
• Personal Problem Experience: How long have you personally dealt with this problem?
• Failed Attempts: What existing solutions have you tried and why did they fail?

B. Unfair Advantages

• Domain Expertise: What do you know that others don't?
• Network Access: What unique access do you have to customers/distribution?
• Technical Insight: What technical advantages do you possess?
• Market Timing: What do you understand about timing that others miss?
• Anything else?

C. Team Composition

• Co-founder Background: Technical/business experience of key team members
• Previous Collaborations: Have you worked together before?
• Complementary Skills: How do your skills complement each other?
• Advisory Support: List relevant advisors and their backgrounds

3. Customer Discovery

A. Interview Summary

• Total Interviews Conducted: Number of potential customers interviewed
• Interview Duration: Average length of customer conversations
• Customer Segments Interviewed: Breakdown by company size/role/industry

B. Key Customer Quotes

• Willingness to Pay: "I'd pay $X to solve this" quotes
• Problem Urgency: Quotes about problem priority/impact
• Solution Interest: Customer reactions to your proposed approach
• Current Workarounds: How customers currently handle this problem

C. Customer Validation Metrics

• Problem Confirmation: % of potential customers confirmed this is a real problem
• Payment Intent: % who expressed willingness to pay for a solution
• Urgency Level: % who called this a top 3 business priority

4. Market & Competition Analysis

A. Market Sizing

• Total Addressable Market (TAM): Overall market size with calculation method
• Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM): Your realistic market segment
• Target Customer Count: Number of potential customers in your initial market (bottom-up analysis)
• Average Customer Value: Estimated annual value per customer

B. Competitive Landscape

• Direct Competitors: Companies solving the exact same problem
• Indirect Competitors: Alternative solutions customers use today
• Competitive Advantages/Disadvantages: Why you'll win vs. existing solutions

C. Market Validation

• Recent Funding: VC investments in adjacent/similar companies
• Industry Growth Rate: How fast is your market growing?

5. Product

A. Product Vision

• Core Solution: What are you building in one sentence?
• Key Features: 3-5 essential features for MVP
• User Experience: Describe the customer journey through your solution
• Success Metrics: How will you measure product success?

B. Technical Execution

• Technical Complexity: Rate difficulty (1-10) and explain key challenges
• Development Timeline: Months to MVP, beta, and full product
• Technical Team: Background of technical team members
• Technology Stack: Key technologies you'll use

C. Development Milestones

• 3-Month Goal: What will you build in first 3 months?
• 6-Month Goal: Product state at 6 months
• 12-Month Goal: Where will the product be in 1 year?
• Success Metrics: Specific KPIs you'll track at each milestone

6. Go-to-Market Strategy

A. Customer Acquisition

• Initial Customer Pipeline: Names/companies of potential first customers
• Sales Strategy: How will you sell (direct, partner, self-serve)?
• Customer Acquisition Cost: Estimated cost to acquire customers
• Sales Cycle: Expected time from first contact to closed sale

B. Distribution Channels

• Primary Channel: Main way customers will discover you
• Secondary Channels: Additional customer acquisition methods
• Partnership Opportunities: Potential integration/distribution partners
• Marketing Strategy: How will you build awareness?

C. Pricing Strategy

• Pricing Model: How will you charge (subscription, one-time, usage-based)?
• Price Point: Expected price range with justification
• Value Proposition: Why customers will pay your price
• Payment Timeline: When/how customers will pay

7. Financial Planning

A. Funding Requirements

• Total Raise Amount: How much are you raising?
• Use of Funds Breakdown: Specific allocation percentages
• Runway Timeline: How long will this funding last?
• Next Milestone: What milestone justifies the next round?

B. Team & Hiring

• Required Team Size: FTE's
• Planned Hires: Specific roles you'll hire in next 12 months

C. Revenue Projections

• First Revenue Timeline: When do you expect first paying customer?
• 12-Month Revenue: Conservative revenue projection
• Customer Metrics: Expected customer count and average deal size

8. Risk Assessment

A. Key Risks

• Technical Risks: What could go wrong with product development?
• Market Risks: What if market timing is wrong?
• Competitive Risks: What if larger competitor enters space?
• Team Risks: What happens if key person leaves?

B. Risk Mitigation

• Contingency Plans: How will you address each major risk?
• Assumption Testing: What assumptions do you need to validate first?
• Pivot Potential: How could you adjust if initial approach fails?

9. Supporting Materials

A. Documentation

• Customer Interview Notes: Upload transcripts/summaries
• Market Research: Attach relevant industry reports
• Financial Model: Link to detailed financial projections
• Product Mockups: Screenshots/wireframes of planned product