I will be in Berlin on Friday. How can I get investors to pitch my startup to? We are looking at the seed stage (50-75K) and I realize this is the hardest time to raise money. I have never raised money before.
Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
1–10 of 70 posts
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#2One way is to ask this question on HN with a great deal of information. We don't know who you are, what you do, why you want money, or anything else that would convince someone to gift you their time.
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#3Please don't waste your time pitching to investors in this position in Berlin. If you make X "Very interesting. Let's keep in touch and come back when you make 5 * X EUR revenue."
And if make X >= 100.000 EUR revenue per month, then you most likely don't need 50-75K.
One thing in Berlin ist crucial: Social Proof. If you have it, you can raise 5 Mio EUR with basically zero traction and if you don't have it, it will be a long and timeconsuming process to raise any money at a fair valuation.
Are you willing to spend 6 - 9 months to raise 50 K and do you have significant monthly revenue? If so, your approach to meeting random investors should work. Otherwise you might want to apply for an accelerator in Berlin (for 25 K) or just focus in bootstrapping until you can approach international VCs outside Berlin.
EDIT: Spelling
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#4Please don't waste your time pitching to investors in this position in Berlin. If you make X "Very interesting. Let's keep in touch and come back when you make 5 * X EUR revenue." And if make X >= 100.000 EUR revenue per month, then you most likely don't need 50-75K. One thing in Berlin ist crucial: Social Proof. If you have it, you can raise 5 Mio EUR with basically zero traction and if you don't have it, it will be…
So there are no investors for early startups? (honest question, not a rethorical one)
There is still a lot between 100k revenue and not profitable at all. What about something like barely selfsustaining (but by that proven to be somewhat profitable) with 2 employees? Or making 10k with a 2-man startup?
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#5Please don't waste your time pitching to investors in this position in Berlin. If you make X "Very interesting. Let's keep in touch and come back when you make 5 * X EUR revenue." And if make X >= 100.000 EUR revenue per month, then you most likely don't need 50-75K. One thing in Berlin ist crucial: Social Proof. If you have it, you can raise 5 Mio EUR with basically zero traction and if you don't have it, it will be…
So there are no investors for early startups? (honest question, not a rethorical one) There is still a lot between 100k revenue and not profitable at all. What about something like barely selfsustaining (but by that proven to be somewhat profitable) with 2 employees? Or making 10k with a 2-man startup?
There are a lot of Investors in Berlin. But without Social Proof, it would probably be a waste of time trying to approach them.
If you make about 100k revenue (or if you have otherwise significant traction), you can not only approach investors in Berlin but also ouside, which kind of solves the "Social Proof" problem.
If you are barely selfsustaining, then please stay bootstrapped and grow your business. Otherwise the process of fundraising in Berlin will most likely kill your business.
EDIT: added one paragraph
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#6Please don't waste your time pitching to investors in this position in Berlin. If you make X "Very interesting. Let's keep in touch and come back when you make 5 * X EUR revenue." And if make X >= 100.000 EUR revenue per month, then you most likely don't need 50-75K. One thing in Berlin ist crucial: Social Proof. If you have it, you can raise 5 Mio EUR with basically zero traction and if you don't have it, it will be…
This. And it's not just Berlin, it's the whole Germany including banks - they will all tell you please make 1M, then we will lend you 1M with your 1M as a collateral. Simply forget it unless you managed to choose your parents wisely (i.e. rich or influential).
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#7Where are you actually located? I don't think there is anything happening in Berlin on Friday. I suggest getting involved in your local startup community and heading to wherever the events are, when they are actually there. You wont have abny problem with investors if you actually get involved. What is your startup by the way?
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#8Or (and I am not kidding or being sarcastic), think about going to Munich instead. For well-defined startups with a clear strategy, Munich is a decent location. It's not "cool" or "hipsterish" but instead focused, goal-driven and quite approachable in my experience.
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#9I don't want to sound negative and I might be wrong in my assumptions but 50-75k sounds like something you can get from FFF (family, friends and fools) or supply it with your time. So the question for me is why an investor is going to put money in you if your family and friends don't do it.
A good idea to approach investor is through other startups, people that already know them. You can meet startups entrepreneurs in meetups, I am sure that Berlin is full of meet ups. And if you are not lucky this way you can always try to find them in internet and send them a cold email. A small email with 2-3 lines talking about your product, the money you want and for what it is.
I wish you good luck!
Re: Ask HN: How can I get investor intros in Berlin?
#10Please don't waste your time pitching to investors in this position in Berlin. If you make X "Very interesting. Let's keep in touch and come back when you make 5 * X EUR revenue." And if make X >= 100.000 EUR revenue per month, then you most likely don't need 50-75K. One thing in Berlin ist crucial: Social Proof. If you have it, you can raise 5 Mio EUR with basically zero traction and if you don't have it, it will be…
This. And it's not just Berlin, it's the whole Germany including banks - they will all tell you please make 1M, then we will lend you 1M with your 1M as a collateral. Simply forget it unless you managed to choose your parents wisely (i.e. rich or influential).
Expand to europe. Ot at least the Netherlands