I feel like this only applies to a very specific kind of tech investor demographic.
I'm working on my own idea, and pitching directly to members of the industry that I've chosen to apply programming to. Surely this isn't a rare thing? It seems much less stressful, and given that you are speaking to the very people who are likely to use your software, I feel like it is substantially easier to communicate your value. You're much less subject to the Brownian motion of a two minute speech in a massive candidate pool.
I don't think I've ever come across a guide for startups in such a situation.
I don't think I've ever come across a guide for startups in such a situation.
Yep. I'm self funding a startup here in China. It's hardware but not a kickstarter-widget, it's necessarily relatively capital intensive to prove market-fit, the opportunity is large, it's not in the US, it's already multi-jurisdiction, it's not growing via an accelerator, and it's absolutely not an SaaS or similar. Getting any kind of current advice is really difficult! I feel your pain. Those of us who are outliers just have to learn to filter a lot of this stuff and keep what's relevant. On the plus side, being outliers we probably have greater scope for execution without early competition, and if we play our cards right potential investors are more likely to notice us.
> I'm working on my own idea, and pitching directly to members of the industry that I've chosen to apply programming to.
Isn’t this just called sales/bizdev/gettingcustomers? Ideally you can fund your business from sales to adventurous customers who are willing to put up with you still developing the software. This I think is sttictly better than selling to investors and then your customers.
Customers both provide more valid feedback and sttonger validation of your idea than investors ever could. They also have more skin in the game.
I'm working on my own idea, and pitching directly to members of the industry that I've chosen to apply programming to. Surely this isn't a rare thing? It seems much less stressful, and given that you are speaking to the very people who are likely to use your software, I feel like it is substantially easier to communicate your value. You're much less subject to the Brownian motion of a two minute speech in a massive candidate pool.
I don't think I've ever come across a guide for startups in such a situation.