Case-study and select experiences from raising seed capital for my latest startup: Planeto (http://planeto.com).

1. Pitch Perfect
(or “I’m tired of eating noodles!”)
Martin Walfisz

2. CASE STUDY:
THE PLANETO PITCH
27 SLIDES + APPENDICE

3. € 1 000 000+
(in 3 rounds)

7. THE FOUNDERS
2 SLIDES

10. THE VISION & PRODUCT
8 SLIDES

17. Whoa!
Isn’t that a bit overwhelming!?

19. Planeto is a Quiz Platform,
not a single quiz game…
Talking about platforms and technology
is generally a good thing.

21. THE MARKET
6 SLIDES

29. THE BUSINESS
6 SLIDES

37. THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
1 SLIDE

39. THE TWIST
1 SLIDE + APPENDICE

41. LESSONS LEARNED

42. Prepare a Short Pitch
• Sometimes you only have 5 minutes
• 6 slides
1. Founder’s background (if it adds value)
2. Your product/service (make it count!)
3. The current market (and your raison d'être)
4. Financials
5. What do you want from the potential investor?
6. Any secret twist?

43. Your Mindset
• Be very clear about what you
pitch
• Listen & adapt to your audience
– If it’s boring, you’re doing
something wrong!
• Find the right balance between
long-term vision and “get the
business off the ground”
I typically err on the side of conveying
too much vision & long-term plans…

44. Practice, practice, practice…
• The pitch is a live performance
• The investor invests in the
person, not the plan
• Understand the eye of the
beholder
• Live practice…
1. Friends
2. No-money contacts
3. Smaller business angels
4. Established business angels &
VCs

45. Improve, improve, improve…
• After every pitch, ask yourself
what can be improved…
– Did the audience understand your
idea?
– Did they understand the market?
– Did they understand the business
and financials?
• …and then improve it
immediately!
• Your deck is a living, breathing
business plan…

46. Your [IRL] Network
• Meet people!
– Someone always knows
someone, that knows
someone, that knows
someone with money…
• Grab two lunches and
five coffee-breaks every
day

47. Understand the VC language
• Shares • Stock options
• Value per share • Equity
• Ownership • Convertible loan
percentage • Dilution
• Preferred stock • blah and blah…

48. Company Valuation
Valuation methods:
1. Faith
2. Users/Customers
3. Revenue
4. Profit
It’s your valuation – be in control
(but be reasonable)

49. Closing a round
• Takes time and effort
– For me it’s very emotionally exhausting
• Set a deadline
– …and then hope that those verbally committed are still
onboard
• Don’t forget the formal process
– Do you have the right to issue new shares?
– Register with authorities
• Share holders agreement
– Get a good lawyer!

50. Some final advice
• Figure out a vision and business idea that you truly believe in –
your PASSION is key!
• You really can do anything – it just takes time and effort
• When things go wrong, cry for 24 hours, then wake up and fix
the problem
• Raising money takes a lot of effort – bootstrap for as long as
you can (noodles are good!)
• …but avoid asking for money when you are desperate

51. THANK YOU!