S2E13 - How to secure an early-stage investment for your SaaS? with Lotte Geldermans

Securing early-stage investment for your SaaS (Software as a Service) startup is a pivotal step in turning your innovative ideas into a thriving business. To attract potential investors, it's crucial to first develop a compelling business plan that clearly articulates your product's unique value proposition and the problem it solves. Create a robust financial model that demonstrates a realistic and scalable revenue stream. Building a prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) can also instill confidence in investors by showcasing your team's ability to execute. Networking plays a crucial role; attend industry events, engage with potential investors on social media, and leverage your professional connections. Be prepared to tell a compelling story about your vision and how your SaaS addresses a market need. Finally, consider seeking guidance from mentors or advisors who have experience in your industry. With a solid plan, a strong network, and a compelling story, you'll be better positioned to secure the early-stage investment needed to propel your SaaS startup to success. In this episode of The Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, we tackle a critical aspect of securing early-stage investments. Our subject matter expert is Lotte Geldermans, the portfolio lead at PitchDrive, an early-stage VC utilizing a data-driven approach for rapid investments. Lotte brings five years of experience at PitchDrive, overseeing a growing portfolio of startups. Lotte shares insights gained from evaluating numerous startup ideas and the evolution of the startups they've invested in. Key Timecodes (0:28) Show and guest intro (1:36 ) Why you should listen to Lotte Geldermans (2:55) What is the difference between pre-seed and seed investments? (3:51) What needs to be in place to actually be ready for an investment? (4:46) Things that need to be in place to be considered for a seed investment (5:40 Differences between angels and early-stage VCs (8:32)  The most common mistakes companies make while trying to secure their first funding. (11:45) What kind of data has to be present and good to be investment-ready? (15:27) What has to be really good to get a higher valuation for your company? (19:00) The first signs of traction (22:59) What kind of process should SaaS companies trying to secure a pre-seed or seed round adopt? (29:04) Where, when, and how to exit? (31:35) What happens between pre-seed and seed? (33:35) How to grow to 10K monthly recurring revenue  (34:44) How to grow to $10M Annual recurring revenue (36:29) What Lotte wishes she had known ten years ago