Sharing too much/too little information


2

I am a recent co-founder of a local start up called HeartCode in Singapore and we're looking for funding to support our operations and product.

We have a very strong start-up idea and I took the initiative to talk to several veterans over. To play safe, I shared very little about my start-up and what we're doing. One of the experts told me that the most important 2 things that investors look for is the team and the product.

However, I am stuck in the dilemma whether to share a lot or share very little about my team and product.

To me, my product is very valuable because it can determine the growth or fall of my little company.

How much should I share about my company and product to potential investors and VCs before I actually raise the money from them?

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asked Mar 8 '13 at 14:24
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Mauris
113 points
Get up to $750K in working capital to finance your business: Clarify Capital Business Loans
  • share - there is nothing to be gained from keeping your idea a secret. You may think there are things that can be lost from sharing, but I highly doubt it. Projects that have buzz before anyone has even used it are huge successes, startups fail every day that were working is secret that no one has ever heard of. Share. – Ryan Doom 12 years ago

1 Answer


3

Noone will invest in you without completely understanding what you are doing. You can't wait til they give you money until you share your secret.

Also, a reputable VC has startups come through all the time. They aren't in the business of stealing their ideas, they want to invest and for you to make it happen.

Also, a freebie bit of advice. Make sure you need investment before you waste a whole bunch of time and effort trying to get it. It seems to be a "default" for people beginning a startup and it really shouldn't be. All that time chasing an investment could be spent getting paying customers.

answered Mar 8 '13 at 17:34
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Joel Friedlaender
5,007 points
  • I understand about the default part. Startups tend to overlook the choice of bootstrapping. I chose funding for the sake of acceleration. – Mauris 12 years ago
  • Yes, but investors tend to favor those who have proven their business model, have customers (even with a MVP product) and have survived first contact between their idea and their targeted customer base. – Jim Galley 12 years ago

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