Startups on 100 pitches platform to ready-up for Investors

Founders of startups participating in the Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW)’s 100 pitches program will benefit from investor readiness preparation courtesy of Village Capital. The NIW.Startups program received over 350 entries in the recently closed call for applications. An ongoing judging process will this week culminate in the unveiling of startups that will participate in the NIW.Startups 100 pitches platform.

The investor readiness preparation will be based on Village Capital’s acclaimed Venture Investment Readiness Awareness Levels (VIRAL) Pathway tool for understanding early stage investor perspectives.  The half-day intensive training will be on 19th February at iHub, Nairobi.  This will be part of a two-week regime of training and coaching sessions meant to prepare founders for the 100 pitches sessions on March 5th-7t at the NIW.

The VIRAL Pathway due diligence framework is designed to help startup founders take the first step in evaluating venture risks and opportunities. It creates a common language for founders and investors to communicate exactly what they mean and what they are looking for in fundraising and investment funnel conversations respectively.

The framework solves the investor’s cognitive overload problem when scheming through thousands of investment requests. It, in turn, assists founders to communicate their venture position succinctly to investors. According to Ross Baird, Village Capital President, “When the top of the funnel is clear and transparent, all entrepreneurs can get a fair shot, and investors are better able to find the best ideas.”  According to NIW.Startups organizers, the framework will help address concerns that investors and founders alike often get frustrated when they attend pitching challenges and are unable to advance investment conversations.