Here are five keys things that investors are looking for you to demonstrate :

(a) Metrics – or “up and to the right”. The most oft-quoted investment factor – but only one of the things that investors are looking for. Include pretty much anything you can to show your product is being used – being used frequently, and by a lot of people. Essentially these metrics show that your product is delivering its value proposition in the real world – so they show that you’re onto something. Other metrics include Cost Per customer Acquisition, Net Promoter Score…. [add your favourites here !].

(b) Team – Some investors focus solely, or primarily, on the quality of the team. The simple idea being that you back amazing people. Following great people will win out in the long run. Even if their idea is not fully formed then they will pivot. They may even fail but their next venture will be better.  We don’t expect you will fail – just make sure that you demonstrate you’re “investable”.

(c) Revenues – Pretty obvious really – especially important for B2B startups. Demonstrate that people/companies will pay for your product.

(d) Design/UX – The theory here being that a beautiful design will win in the market. Think of the simple elegance of the left/right swipe of Tinder. If you can be one standard deviation away from the norm, then you create something which delights users but doesn’t scare them.

(e) Customers – not so much an objective measure of the number of customers or revenues associated – rather a subjective measure of the “quality” of the customers. So if your customer base is Coca-Cola, Microsoft, P&G, HM Government etc

One of these is interesting… If you can show you have more than one, let’s talk ! (All five and you’re probably got a Unicorn !)