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How do I pitch investors in the stage of ideation? I have to chime in here because I believe the stereotypical response has some built-in biases. First let’s address the stereotypical response: If your and your co-founders are able to build the product yourselves, then yes by all means DIY, launch, and get the traction you need for proof of concept (and funding). If you have something to sell from day one, more power to you. That said, let’s address the fact that the above advice is not realistic for many entrepreneurs, notably those who do not enter the startup world with an engineering degree straight out of school. You may be a creative marketing or business person, who’s been in the working world for a few years, and with many obligations. And you may not be able to earn revenue from day one because you first need to achieve critical mass. If this is you, read on… Believe it or not, it can actually be easier to raise money at the ideation stage than at the launch stage (ignoring unicorns). However, (1) your idea needs to be a terrific one - i.e., something people can identify with, and (2) you need to convince people that you can execute well. Start off highlighting real pain points and a viable solution with real “wow” effect. You need people to nod their heads in agreement. Next, form a team of co-founders with complementary skill sets. (I highly recommend you don’t go alone on this.) You need also an addressable market, and a target demographic. All of the above should be presented in a concise, legible investor slide deck with the following sections: Intro, problem, solution, product/service, opportunity, business model, strategy, competitive landscape / advantage, team, and target raise / terms. Be realistic about how much money you need. It should be just enough to build the product and support 3–6 months of very low burn. If you ask for too much at the ideation stage, you will get nowhere. Aim to raise your seed funding from friends, family, and Angel investors. Focus on your experience and relevant skills to help convince others that you (and your co-founders) are the ones to get this done. You should casually let folks know what you’re working on. Don’t give them a hard sell, as this will only backfire. Seed your idea based on the level of interest, and don’t go overboard or come across as desperate. Let them ask you questions, and once the interest is there, feel free to get passionate about your idea. Casually mention you’re going to be raising capital soon - and that you already have serious interest from a handful of people. Do not presume the person you’re speaking with may be interested in investing. If he/she expresses interest in participating, then offer to send them more information. This is the point at which you can provide them with your investor deck. If all goes well, your next step will be to get people off their butts and write checks. This requires some skill, whereby you may need to do some bluffing. Raising money is a bit of a sleazy salesman’s gig, unfortunately. You will need to step out of your comfort zone if this is not you. Just do it with sincerity and provide folks with the comfort of knowing that if you don’t achieve your minimum target raise, you will return the funds. People will respect you for it. Good luck!