Mark MacLeod: A checklist of what VCs are looking for in an elevator pitch

In my experience, the best way to attract VC investment is to not need VC investment and have success on your own. If you can build your business by bootstrapping/angel financing the VCs will come to you. When they come to you you'll:

1. Get better terms 2. Close the deal fast 3. Not worry about your pitch

The pitch should be a formality to get them excited, not a way to get them excited in the first place.

Unfortunately most start ups start running out of money/savings and then start looking for VC investment which puts the VC in control of the conversation.

This seems the sum of most of HN posts.

Any individual who answers these honestly about himself can see precisely where the shortcomings of one's plans are.

Here's an "Elevator Pitch Builder" from the Harvard Business School: http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/careers/pitch/

In addition to Mark's presentation grader, these things can really help.

The article's title "The VC Presentation Grader" is more accurate; the elevator pitch is just the first of 16 items on the list ending with "is this greed-inducing".

It's a good list of the kinds of questions most investors will have in although in practice there range of answers is a lot more nuanced than a yes/no.

Your objective isn't to convince the VC to invest during the elevator pitch. It's not trying to breathlessly tell them your entire company's history. You just want to finish with them wanting to learn more.

Even better have enough traction and press that they call you first ;<).