How to Attract Investor Attention: Three Key Criteria from Experts

At the largest tech conference, TechCrunch Disrupt, three experienced investors revealed what truly catches their attention when evaluating new projects. Jyoti Bansal, founder of companies known for going public; Medha Agarwal from the Defy fund; and Jennifer Neindorfer from January Ventures shared fresh insights on how presentation materials can both help and hinder pioneers.

The most common mistake founders make? Reinventing the wheel with trendy buzzwords. Agarwal pointed out an interesting pattern: the more startups shout about artificial intelligence, the less they actually use it. “Truly revolutionary projects simply describe their innovations as a natural part of the solution — it’s not the centerpiece of their story,” she emphasized.

Three basic questions investors ask

Bansal, who has launched and sold several companies before turning to investing, outlined the system that industry investors follow when analyzing new opportunities.

The first thing they look at is the scale of the opportunity. Is there a sufficiently large market segment for this solution? Does the founder’s concept have the potential to become a truly big company? Does the problem you’re solving genuinely deserve such attention?

Why you — the key question for investors

The second concern for investors is the personal factor. Not just the concept, but you and your team. “Every founder should have something unique and distinctive,” Bansal noted, pointing to the uniqueness of team members or the leader’s special skills. “If the problem is interesting, two dozen other teams will try to solve it too. So why will you succeed? What is your competitive advantage?”

Customer validation: from words to facts

The third component that investors insist on is facts over assumptions. Bansal’s words were telling: “Real market demand.” In his view, this could be initial user feedback, early deals, revenue — anything concrete, but definitely data on demand, not hypothetical calculations.

These three areas of analysis lead to the final assessment: can this project ever reach a valuation of a billion dollars? That’s what determines whether it’s worth investing in.

AI startups: how not to drown in superficial descriptions

The panel discussion specifically addressed how companies in the artificial intelligence segment can build a competitive position in a crowded startup space. Bansal emphasized the importance of practical expertise in the chosen field and a clear strategy that sets you apart from competitors.

Neindorfer shared her criterion: she pays attention to companies designing radically new models of user interaction, rather than just copying and slightly improving existing ones.

Agarwal provided founders with concrete action tools. First, clearly explain how AI expands your product’s capabilities. Second, transparently articulate your go-to-market strategy. Third, demonstrate with numbers and facts why your business will outperform established systems.

Another critical point: honesty about competitors. “Some of you lost my trust because you didn’t mention competitors at all on your slides,” she told the founder audience. Avoiding this topic seems suspicious to investors.

Navigating a rapidly changing landscape: expert tips

Wrapping up the discussion, investors shared guiding principles for survival in a constantly transforming industry. Agarwal recommends founders keep track of industry evolution and stay engaged in industry discussions.

Neindorfer suggested networking with other founders — exchanging tools, wisdom, and insights through professional communities and forums.

Among these tips, Bansal offered the simplest advice: “Focus on creating a product people truly want.” Investors evaluate founders who don’t spread themselves thin but concentrate on the quality of their solution — that’s what they fund. It’s with teams like these that investors are most eager to discuss deal terms.