Contents:

A light bulb on the left is connected to a pile of coins by a red arrow.

A brief guide to the most important points:

Thanks to their knowledge, networks and financial resources, investors often play a key role in the success of start-ups:  

  • Before companies start looking for investors, they should be clear about what type of investment they are interested in. 
  • The first thing investors expect from a company is a well-prepared, comprehensive and transparent pitch deck. 
  • Searching for the right investors can be a lengthy process across a variety of channels, such as personal networks, relevant industry events or competitions and awards.

Tip 1: Reaching out to investors at the right moment

Whether it’s a start-up or a scale-up, young companies often find investors to be a key pillar of success thanks to their financial resources, experience and networks. But finding the right investors requires professional preparation. Companies should always have an up-to-date pitch deck ready, as well as current financial figures and a financial model that includes a budget and a three-year financial forecast. A pitch deck not only gives an overview of the business model, team, market and product/service, but also outlines the company’s strategy and presents the projected financial figures and the funding needed to implement the strategy. If you are only just setting up your business, it may be enough to seek support from friends and family, for example. Some founders are even able to raise the necessary funding through their own capital (bootstrapping). 

It’s not worth moving on to the next stage – attempting to obtain financing from external investors – until you have a complete, up-to-date pitch deck and a sufficiently developed business idea and product or service.

Tip 2: Selecting suitable investors

Different investors are needed at each point in a company’s development. In the early stages, business angels are a viable option alongside your personal network. Access to expertise or customers can also be useful during this phase, for instance via external partnerships. During the growth phase, companies typically have a greater need for financing, which is where venture capital funds or strategic investors come in. So before companies reach out to investors, they should know which categories of investors are appropriate in the current situation. The most difficult thing is choosing from all the different options available.

The infographic shows the most common types of investors.

The infographic shows the most common types of investors. The following investors are listed from left to right, starting from the central section: accelerators, business angels, crowd investing, subsidy programs, incubators and venture capital. They are all explained again briefly. 

Establishing a personal relationship is a crucial part of finding the right investors. After all, an investment always leads to a long-term partnership. The original founders should be aware that every time they accept an investment, they are letting external parties join the company. That’s why it’s vital to make sure that the investors correspond to the company and the entrepreneurs.

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Tip 3: Getting in touch with investors

Once you have identified the right type of investors for your company, a time-consuming search often begins. To be successful, companies should have a good understanding of the relevant market conditions and start building up the necessary network early on.  

The following channels are generally used to contact investors:

  • Personal network: Establishing a broad personal network right from the start, and maintaining it over time, is essential when seeking investors. 
  • Events: Start-ups in particular can take advantage of a variety of events that bring investors together with promising young companies. 
  • Competitions and awards: As well as offering prize money, many competitions and awards are a particularly good opportunity to obtain publicity for a company, as participation often attracts the attention of potential investors. 
  • Subsidy programs: Applying to an accelerator program gives companies, especially start-ups, a great chance to benefit from funding, coaching and the support of experienced entrepreneurs. 
  • Investor networks: There are investor networks that specialize in connecting promising start-ups and scale-ups with the right investors. UBS provides access to private investors and Family Offices, for example.

Tip 4: Making a good first impression

Whether it’s a spontaneous, brief introductory conversation or a formal pitch presentation, company founders should always be fully prepared to present their business. This means always keeping the key metrics in mind and being able to explain the business idea, the business model and the investment case to a potential investor quickly and accurately at any time. Having a good level of self-confidence is just as important as factual knowledge.

Tip 5: Convincing investors with facts

A successful investor meeting or pitch combines factual information with interpersonal elements. You can only truly win over potential investors if you get the balance right. In addition to the pitch deck described above, you should pay attention to the following aspects:

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Conclusion: how to find investors

There are various points to remember when looking for investors:

  • Investors contribute financial resources, networks and expertise, but they may also obtain a say in decision-making.
  • Before starting to look for investors, company founders should work out what kind of support they are interested in and prepare all the necessary documents, such as a pitch deck and financial projections.
  • Personal networks, events, competitions and investor networks are a good starting point for finding investors.

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