♞ Three things pre-seed investors want

In partnership with

How to speak to the survival brain of a pre-seed investor…

When you walk into a pitch, you think the investor is looking at your TAM, your CAC, and your MRR. And while those numbers matter to the Logical Brain, there is a deeper, more primal evaluation happening before you even hit slide three.

Investors aren't just buying a business; they are buying a protagonist. The "Startup Graveyard" is filled with great ideas led by founders who lacked the specific DNA required to survive the "Trough of Sorrow." Today, we’re looking at the three non-negotiable traits that determine whether an investor’s Survival Brain flags you as a winner or a liability.

Founder Market Fit

It doesn't matter how big the market is if you don't belong in it.

Investors are looking for Foundational Authority. Have you lived the pain point? Do you speak the "secret language" of your customers? If you’re building a fintech tool but have never felt the sting of a broken reconciliation process, you are an outsider.

An outsider builds features. An insider builds solutions to unwritten rules.

Grit

The startup path isn't a straight line; it’s a series of punches to the face. The plan will fall apart. The lead engineer will quit. The big pilot will stall.

If you can show that you’ve endured before, then investors will feel more secure in investing in you. It’s hard to survive, how will you show that you are a survivor?

Why

When things get dark—and they will—the "Why" is the only thing that keeps a founder from taking a high-paying job at Google and walking away. If your mission resonates with an investor’s values, they aren't just a source of cash; they become a force multiplier for your vision.

Are you looking to fundraise? Here is how I can help:

📱 Book a Strategy Call to get 1:1 feedback on your pitch, pitch deck and/or fundraising strategy.

Onwards and Upwards,

Liam Gill