ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an introduction to investors and the processes normally used for assessing business opportunities. The focus of the chapter is on venture capital funds and business angels. The last section deals with the potential importance of public grants. In reality, investors can be considered as discriminating customers who might want to buy shares in your company. If you want to sell something to someone, the golden rule from any manual in the art of selling is: get to know your customers and their preferences. Chapter 1 intends to give a “behind the curtain” view on who investors are and probe a little into part of their mindset. It also provides an insight into how to attract their attention and understand their preferences. 1.1 IntroductionIn the “good old days” when life appeared simpler, even fundraising for new enterprises was simpler. For example, in 1968 Bob Noyce’s business plan for INTEL was a one pager, which still excited investors. He did his own typewriting and noted that “he had little feeling about How to Attract Investors: A Personal Guide to Understanding Their Mindset and Requirements Uffe Bundgaard-Jørgensen Copyright © 2017 Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4745-20-8 (Hardcover), 978-981-4745-21-5 (eBook) www.panstanford.com
how detailed it should be”. However, he got funded despite typing errors (Fig. 1.1).
