If you’ve got a pitch deck and a great idea, there’s nothing to stop you reaching out to investors for the capital boost that will get your start-up to the next stage. 

Co-founder disputes are cited as the reason for around 65% of startup failures, according to research by Harvard Business Review. This makes the division of equity between co-founders a key decision that can make or break a startup.

FixForm is on a mission to make building maintenance simple for both facilities teams and building users. Their user-friendly platform uses QR codes and smart technology to make reporting, managing and resolving problems easier than ever.

Everything feels possible when you’re starting up a new business. You have a great idea, trusted co-founders, and everyone is cheering you on. Slowing down to make sure all the legal documents are signed and sorted can feel like an unwelcome delay, but it’s a vital part of making sure you, your co-founders and your business are protected for the future.  

The principal benefit of having an early-stage fund in your capitalisation table is that it can help your startup to raise investment. An early-stage fund investor represents an important vote of confidence in your business. It tells other potential investors that your early-stage startup has been successfully vetted and qualified by a specialised fund. This encourages both existing and potential equity holders to invest more because they perceive less risk. 

Having a long-running technical position in your start-up might sound like something that’s only necessary for more established companies. Why hire a member of staff when you can outsource software development? In reality, there’s much more to start-up tech roles than just coding. The right person will provide a range of essential skills that will grow and evolve alongside your company. 

Investment is important to the founder of an early-stage startup because it pays for the team, the infrastructure, and the prototypes that are needed for them to grow. To a business angel, early-stage investment is important because it allows them to obtain a significant equity stake at a low valuation. This gives them the ability to influence the direction of the startup and by extension the outcome of their investment.

Building a business around monthly recurring revenue (MRR) makes growth more predictable, and provides investors with a useful metric for understanding trends in profitability and cash flow. This makes the MRR business model popular with technology startups that offer software as a service (SaaS). 

OTIV is a dynamic new addition to the Pitchdrive community. This smart start-up is looking to revolutionise on-rail transport in complex environments like cities and busy industrial areas by using autonomous technology to improve safety and efficiency.