Questions

Hi I'm 25 and never been involved in business before. I am a researcher into longevity and digital immortality and I would like to start a company for digital legacies - a kind of "make your own autobiography" software to store people's thoughts and memories online. What realistic progress do I need to have made before I can raise any money towards this project?

In short yes. In medium term, depends. In your case probably not.

Most investors look for viable options that show that you can get real cheap production/sourcing of goods or services offered, actual market reach to capitalize on goods (example could be a stack of POs or preorders, or substantial email requests) and skillful team in place to pull it together. Im an MBA business coach and entrepreneur, I've also invested in a similar startup like the one you mentioned and they failed 2 years into it. Hey lacked one of the 3 I mentioned and just as a bar stool with 3 legs, you need all 3 to have a sustainable business. Savvy investors look for this... They look for your sounded and balanced approach, realistic forecasts, actionable plans, actions to date, financials, team and your leadership... But none the less i think all investors are also driven by their emotions- how good of a pitch man are you? How can you connect them to your product idea? Etc.. Etc... As you can see the more you dig into getting investors but depending on how you present the 3, to the right investor for your idea, the idea might be enough to give you a try.

I would suggest to not waste your time pitching and burning bridges until you have a prototype, but I wont! I will instead tell you to go research your area, pitch your idea to valuable people who could help you implement something rough, create a landing page to capture emails, create social accounts and promote the idea there, it's values, etc. garner a community... Then once you have a community of supporters of your "what if" go get yourself a Kickstarter campaign going... And promote it through your community. Ask for support... Get some funding.. Then if that's not enough.. Go look for relevant business individuals who would be interested and could invest. Convince by showing off your community size, campaign support, effort, and your drive to do and maybe then you can get investors without an actual product. :)

#unthink


Answered 9 years ago

Unlock Startups Unlimited

Access 20,000+ Startup Experts, 650+ masterclass videos, 1,000+ in-depth guides, and all the software tools you need to launch and grow quickly.

Already a member? Sign in

Copyright © 2024 Startups.com LLC. All rights reserved.