The investor profile: who is a good fit for you?
Investors differ greatly in terms of sector focus, financing phase, ticket size (usual investment amount), region and expectations regarding a say in the company. A broad, untargeted approach costs time and can create the impression that nobody is interested in the project.
We therefore first develop an investor profile with you: what type of capital provider suits the phase, capital requirement and sector? What role should the investor play beyond the money? On this basis, a prioritised list of target investors is drawn up, whom you approach yourself.
Teaser and initial approach
The teaser is a short document, usually one to two pages long, that presents the main features of your project: problem, solution, market, team, progress to date and capital requirement. It is intended to arouse interest without disclosing confidential details.
Together with you, we develop the teaser and cover letter so that they are tailored to the respective group of investors. The aim of the initial approach is not a commitment but a first meeting.
The data room
If an investor shows serious interest, they will want to see comprehensive documents. These are usually provided in a data room, nowadays mostly a protected digital repository with regulated access rights. A complete, logically structured data room signals professionalism and considerably speeds up the review.
- Corporate documents and shareholding overview
- Business plan and integrated financial model
- Previous financial statements and current BWA (betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung – management accounts)
- Material contracts with customers, suppliers and employees
- Documents on intellectual property rights, product and technology
Preparing for due diligence
Due diligence (careful examination) is the in-depth investigation of your company by the investor or its advisers, typically from an economic, legal and tax perspective. We prepare you for the economic questions, check your documents in advance for gaps and contradictions and help you to answer queries in a structured manner.
The legal and tax aspects are handled by lawyers and tax advisers whom we involve as required or with whom we coordinate.
Frequently asked questions
Will you introduce investors to us?
Our focus is on strategy, documentation and preparation of the approach. We do not broker equity investments in the sense of investment brokerage. You conduct the approach and negotiations yourself, prepared and accompanied by us on request.
When should we request a confidentiality agreement?
Before sensitive information is passed on, an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) is advisable. For teasers and initial meetings, many investors do without one. The wording should be drafted by a lawyer.
How long does an investor search typically take?
That depends greatly on the phase, sector and market situation. Allow sufficient lead time and start before liquidity becomes tight.