How to Tailor Your Pitch for Different Investors (VCs, PEs, Institutions, Strategics)

A Guide to Adjusting your Pitch to Attract Different Investor Types

Why do different investors need different pitches?  What are some of the key differences in pitching to different investors?  What do VCs, PE and institutional investors need in an investor pitch. How do you tailor your pitch?

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Why Different Investors Need Different Approaches

You’ve crafted what you believe is the perfect pitch: a compelling pitch deck with a clear vision, strong financial projections and a business model designed to impress.

But if you’re presenting the same investor pitch deck to venture capital firms, private equity investors, and institutional investors, you’re missing a key opportunity. Each investor type has it’s own needs, and your chances of success depend on how well you address their specific investor expectations.

In this guide, based on our team’s 15 years of experience writing winning pitch decks, you’ll pick up some of our tips about how to tailor your pitch to work with:

• Venture capitalists (driven by growth potential and disruptive ideas)
• Private equity firms (prioritising financial viability and operational efficiency)
• Institutional investors (seeking stability, governance, and strategic partnerships)
• Strategic investors (trade sales, roll ups, industry partners)

We’ll include success stories from UK businesses and highlight best practices to help you make a lasting impression, whether in a fireside chat or a full investor meeting.

How Should You Tailor Your Pitch for Different Investors?

1. Pitching to Venture Capitalists (VCs)

What VCs Want to See:

• Market size and scalability: “Is this a £1bn+ opportunity with room to expand?”
• Growth potential: “Can this business scale rapidly through effective distribution channels?”
• A great idea with a competitive advantage: “What sets you apart from potential competitors?”

How to Tailor Your Pitch for VCs:

• Start with a compelling case for your product or service:
  • Weak: “We offer customer service software.”
  • Strong: “UK businesses lose £3.2bn annually due to poor customer retention. Our AI-driven platform increases repeat purchases by 30%.”
• Highlight early success stories:
  • Example: A London-based fintech might say, “We’ve onboarded 200 potential customers in three months, including partnerships with two major UK banks.”
• Showcase your team slide:
  • VCs invest in people as much as ideas. Highlight your team’s extensive experience in blue chip companies or in specific areas, e.g. product development or market research.

What to Avoid in VC pitches:

• Overloading your deck with irrelevant data: keep it concise and impactful.
• Ignoring the importance of a personal relationship: VCs often back founders they trust.

2. Pitching to Private Equity (PE) Firms

What PE Wants to See:

• A robust business plan with clear financial projections: “Can this generate steady cash flow?”
• Operational improvements: “Where can efficiencies be made?”
• Exit strategy: “Who are potential partners or acquirers?”

How to Tailor Your Pitch for PE:

• Lead with financial viability:
  • Example: A Manchester-based logistics company might say, “We’ve grown EBITDA by 22% year-on-year through automation, with potential for further gains via strategic partnerships.”
• Emphasise your competitive advantage in distribution channels or supply chain:
  • Weak: “We have a strong brand.”
  • Strong: “We own exclusive UK rights to a patented warehousing system, reducing costs by 15%.”
• Address risks transparently:
  • Example: “While 35% of revenue comes from one client, we’re in advanced talks with three potential customers to diversify.”

What to Avoid in PE pitches:

• Vague claims about expansion: PE firms want specifics like “We’ll enter the German market via acquisition, targeting €8M EBITDA within 18 months.”
• Underestimating the key role of leverage in their investment strategy.

3. Pitching to Institutional Investors (Pension Funds, Family Offices)

What Institutional Investors Want to See:

• Low-risk, long-term financial viability: “Is this a secure investment?”
• Strong governance and compliance: “Are your reporting standards rigorous?”
• ESG alignment: “Can we defend this to our investment committees?”

How to Adapt Your Pitch for Institutional Investors:

• Demonstrate stability and predictable returns:
  • Example: A renewable energy fund might say, “Our UK solar assets have 20-year government contracts, ensuring reliable cash flows.”
• Highlight ESG credentials with relevant data:
  • Weak: “We’re committed to sustainability.”
  • Strong: “Our portfolio aligns with TCFD standards and has reduced carbon emissions by 40% since 2020.”
• Showcase your team’s expertise in risk management:
  • Example: “Our CFO has 15 years’ experience in regulated industries, ensuring compliance with FCA guidelines.”

What to Avoid in Institutional Investor Pitches:

• Overpromising returns: institutional investors prefer “targeting 7-9% annual yields” over “20% upside.”
• Complex jargon: simplify for diverse audiences who may not be sector specialists.

4. Pitching to Strategic Investors (Trade Sale, Industry Partners)

What Trade Investors Want to See:

Strategic investors, such as corporate venture arms (e.g., Barclays’ Ventures) or industry players making equity investments, care less about pure financial returns and more about how your business aligns with their long-term commercial goals.

Key Priorities:

✅ Synergies with their existing business

• Example: If pitching to a logistics giant like DHL, highlight how your SaaS optimises their last-mile delivery.
• Weak: “We reduce delivery times.”
• Strong: “Our routing AI integrates with DHL’s existing fleet systems, cutting fuel costs by 15% in trials.”

✅ Access to new markets/technologies

• Example: A healthtech startup might tell Bayer, “Our diagnostic tool expands your reach into NHS primary care clinics.”

✅ First-mover advantage

• Strategic investors fear missing out. Highlight:
  • “We’re the only UK provider with [patented tech].”
  • “BP’s renewables arm invested in our competitor; don’t let them dominate this space.”

How to Adapt Your Pitch for Strategic Investors:

1. Research their pain points
   • Review their annual report for challenges like “supply chain resilience” or “digital transformation.”
   • Example: “As Tesco aims for net-zero by 2035, our packaging solution cuts your plastic use by 40%.”
2. Propose a partnership roadmap
   • Slide title: “How [Investor] and [Your Co.] Win Together”
   • Timeline with:
     • Year 1: Pilot in 10 UK stores
     • Year 2: White-label product rollout
     • Year 3: Joint expansion into EU
3. Showcase your defensibility
   • Strategic investors want exclusivity. Mention:
     • “We’re open to a 12-month exclusivity period in the UK.”
     • “Our IP is protected until 2040 under UK law.”

What to Avoid in Strategic Investor Pitches:

❌ Overemphasising financial returns (they care more about strategic value).
❌ Vagueness: say “We’ll give you first refusal on acquisitions” instead of “We’ll work closely.”

UK Success Story:

“Cambridge-based AI firm Wayve secured £1bn from Microsoft & Virgin, as their tech was critical for investors’ autonomous vehicle strategies.”

Key Takeaways for Strategic Investors:

• They invest for strategic advantage, not just IRR.
• Prove you’re the missing piece in their commercial puzzle.
• Offer concrete collaboration pathways (pilots, co-development).

Template Prompt:
“We want you to be more than a backer. We see you as the ideal partner to [specific joint goal].”

Key Takeaways for Your Best Pitch Deck

• For VCs: Sell the growth potential, back it with success stories and a great team.
• For PE firms: Sell the financials, operational strengths, and exit potential.
• For institutions: Sell security, governance, and long-term viability.
• For strategics: Show the fit and how it will benefit their business.

Next Steps to Improve Your Chances of Success:

1. Research your potential investors:  Study their past deals and their portfolio.  Look at what they seem to like and what they talk about.
2. Customise key components of your deck: Tailor your pitch by adjusting case studies, financial projections, and team slides for different audiences.
3. Practise investor-specific Q&A: Anticipate questions: VCs will probe your market size, PE firms will drill into costs, and institutions will demand risk assessments.

Need Help Making a Lasting Impression?

Our team specialises in crafting investor-ready pitches and then coaching teams to run persuasive meetings with investors.

We’ll make sure your investor pitch is ready to impress investors. Our team will strengthen every element of your pitch, including your:

• Investor proposition
• Investor pitch deck
• Meeting performance

Book a consultation today and we’ll recommend the best way to get you and your pitch in shape. Call Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email her via the link below.

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