Launching a start-up can be tricky, especially if you are in need of investments. But as a part of the Canadian Start-Up Visa Program, getting investments from one of the designated organizations is mandatory in order to obtain your visa. The application process can vary depending on the organization, and some may require you to submit a pitch deck. The pitch deck you apply with may make or break your chances for an investment, so it is crucial to make it right.
Table of Contents
What are designated organizations and what do they require?
What are successful pitch decks and what to include in them?
- Key Sections, Structure & Length
- Focus on innovation
- Financial modeling and forecasting
- Have a clear proposal
- Market research
- Eye-catching visuals
What are designated organizations and what do they require?
One of the main requirements for getting a start-up visa is getting a letter of support from a designated organization or, in other words, a confirmation the organization is supporting your business. Designated organizations are financial or other groups that are looking for innovative and promising startups to invest in. There are three types of designated organizations which include
- venture capital funds,
- angel investor groups, and
- business incubators.
While there are general rules for applying for all three types of groups, they all have individual requirements and different application processes. That is why it is important to do your research beforehand. First of all, you should match your business to the right organizations and be sure that your type of business is the one they are looking to support. Not all organizations are supporting businesses in the same industry, so find the ones that will support yours. Furthermore, look into their application procedure–some may need only a business plan, but others will need a pitch deck too. It may be possible that you will need to prepare more documents and papers than you initially anticipated. However, you will certainly be expected to fulfill other eligibility requirements before applying for your support letter, which include
- Proof that your have a qualifying business
- Sufficient language skill level
- Proof that you have enough money to settle in Canada
What are successful pitch decks and what to include in them
Pitch decks are required by many investors, since they will want to hear what the business is about straight from the founder(s) themself. This presentation is crucial for getting an investment and a support letter. Therefore, make sure you are well prepared, so your presentation does not flop!
Keep in mind that you need to provoke excitement and interest. The worst thing you can do is present a boring and generic pitch deck. Your slides should be organized in a logical (chronological) order, as if you are telling a story. Present a “timeline” of your business and how each aspect influences the other, with all of it arranged in an easy to follow manner. If your presentation is disorganized, it will make you look unprepared and lacking confidence. If you do not radiate with confidence, it is unlikely anyone will be ready to risk investing in your business.
However, knowing how to tell a story and having a well-organized pitch deck is only half the battle. What will seal the deal is its substance. To avoid absolute failure, there are things to include in your pitch deck that will help to spark investors attention.
- Key Sections, Structure, & Length
First and foremost, it’s important to make sure that the pitch deck is in a logical order that investors will expect to see. When it comes to a pitch deck, storytelling is key. A typical structure will make a strong first impression by first identifying a problem or need and then presenting the solution which is being offered with your product or service. Following this, you will go into more detail about your business: you want to include the business model, any committed clients and/or revenue to-date, the total addressable market, competition (including your competitive advantage), the market approach, an overview of the team with, a description of your team, and detailed financials. The ideal length to keep investors attention is between 10-20 slides.
Check out this pitch deck sample for a better idea!
- Focus on innovation
Matching your business to the right organizations is the first step in getting your investments. It is not only important to match the right industry but also your business idea has to be something the designated organization is able to support. As a requirement of the Start-Up Visa Program, organizations will be looking for innovative startups. Showcasing how you and your team, as well as your business idea, is outside the box and how your business can bring unique development to the Canadian market is the first step to get the investors interested in your business.
- Financial modeling and forecasting
Having bold statements with nothing to back them up will not do you any favors. No investor will take you seriously if you don’t provide proof for your claims. Of course, as a start-up, it is difficult to present demonstrated success, but you can show how it will be achieved financially in the future. Including financial forecasts in your pitch deck is a must-have and will give the investors insight to see will be able to grow, and provide a return on investment over a certain period of time. Financial modeling is a great tool to use for your presentation, as it will provide you with the backup to support your claims, so long as the assumptions used are well supported.
- Have a clear proposal
Just proving your business will financially succeed is not enough to convince an investor of supporting your business. You will have to be a lot more precise than that. The investors will want to know what their cut is. Be very clear and explicit in your pitch deck about the equity shares and ROI the investors will get. Your offer has to be clearly stated in your presentation, as well as what you are asking for from them in return.
- Market research
Market research will provide you with crucial information to include in your pitch deck. Is there a market for your business in Canada and on a global scale? Will your product and services sell? Are Canadians interested in what you have to offer? Is your business going to flourish in the Canadian market and have the ability to compete globally, per the Start-Up Visa requirements? How does your business compare to your competitors? These are the questions the investors will be wondering, so you better have an answer for them if you wish to get their investments. Doing market research is a necessary step for making your business plan, and it is certainly necessary to include in your pitch deck.
- Eye-catching visuals
Presentation is key. If not done properly, it will ruin your pitch deck and your chances of getting an investment. Since your pitch deck should not have too many slides, you need to put in careful consideration about what you put in them and how they are laid out. Even though you have a lot of information to include in your slides, oversaturating them with text is a sure way to lose your audience’s attention. To avoid this problem, use graphs and charts as well as other visual representations where possible to get your message across. Making a good presentation can be challenging, so consider hiring professionals to put your pitch deck together.
There are many factors that go into making a successful pitch deck, such as organizing the slides and taking their visual appeal into consideration, focusing on the innovative aspect of your business, including market research and financial forecasts, and being clear on what you are asking for and the return you will offer. The purpose of all of these elements is to reassure investors your business will be successful, so try to include them all in your pitch deck.
This content is brough to you in partnership with Joorney Business Plans. Joorney Business Plans is the leading immigration business plan writing company in Canada and the U.S. Established in 2013, they write thousands of fully customized immigration business plans and other business documents per year, with an emphasis on the Start-up Visa. Their volume gives them unparalleled expertise. This, paired with their responsiveness, professionalism and quick delivery times, is why immigration applicants – and the professionals who serve them – choose to place their trust in the Joorney team every day! Let them help you on your journey. Get started!
