13 Top VC Questions you Must Answer to Ace your Investor Meetings

13 Top VC Questions you Must Answer to Ace your Investor Meetings

Fundraising – it's the lifeblood of early-stage startups. But navigating investor meetings and their often cryptic questions can feel like deciphering ancient hieroglyphs.


Today, we're going to discover the types of questions VCs ask once they’ve reviewed your deck and precisely what they mean, so that you can smash those investor meetings.

The Challenge: Lost in Translations

Imagine you've put everything into your pitch deck, you wrote the most engaging investor cold email and secured an investor meeting.You jump on zoom, share your story, it's high-fives all round until you get to the investor questions, and your mind goes blank.

You end up scrambling to answer the questions, unsure if you're hitting the mark and it all just feels embarrassing.

This is a common struggle for many pre-seed founders. VCs often speak in a language of "market size" and "unit economics" that can leave you feeling lost.

13 Investor Questions you may have to Answer

Team & Execution Questions (Ability to Execute the Idea):

1. Why do you think you're uniquely the best team to execute on this idea?

2. They could also ask you about a time where things didn't pan out the way
that you intended them to be. (Shows ability to learn from mistakes)

3. Are you willing to move? (Willingness to adapt)

Vision & Opportunity Questions (Market Potential and Why This Problem):

4. How are you different? (Competitive Advantage)

5. What do you want to do with this? (Vision and Passion)

6. Who needs and must have your product or service? (Target Market and Problem Solved)

7. What is your addressable market and how you're going to be getting in front of them? (Market Size and Go-to-Market Strategy)

Product & Traction Question (Solution and Validation):

8. What feedback have you received so far? (Customer Validation)

Financial Viability Questions (Potential for Profitability):

9. What is your marketing plan? (Customer Acquisition Strategy)

10. How will you acquire customers in a cost-effective way?

Investment & Deal Terms Questions (Investor Confidence and Interest):

11. How have you funded your business so far? (Skin in the Game and Commitment)

12. How many months of runway do you have? (Financial Health and Need for Investment).

13. Who else has committed to investing this round? Or who else are you speaking with? (Investor Interest and Deal Leverage)

Understanding VC Questions and what they mean

I’m going to break down the key areas VCs focus on during pre-seed rounds and translate their questions into actionable insights for you. So let's dive into the investor questions:

Market Questions: Do VCs Believe You Can Scale?

This sounds like a seemingly basic question about your market but it’s positioned to reveal deeper concerns.

Does your market analysis hold water? According to a study by PitchBook, 38% of VC rejections are due to a market being too small or undefined.

Don't get caught off guard! Be prepared to demonstrate a deep understanding of your target audience, the size of the addressable market, and the specific problem you solve. Show VCs the data that validates your market potential, not just assumptions.

Note : Score My Deck provides actionable feedback on your market analysis, helping you to demonstrate a deep understanding of your target audience and convince VCs that your solution addresses a significant and growing market need.

Business Model Blues: Are Your Unit Economics Strong?

Investors are not fooled by a fancy pitch deck with dazzling graphics.

Studies by NVCA (National Venture Capital Association) show that 22% of VC rejections stem from concerns about a company's financial viability.

VCs want to see the nitty-gritty: your pricing strategy, customer acquisition costs (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV). Can you demonstrate a broad path to profitability?

At the pre-seed stage, it’s more about acquisition strategies and less about retention or lifetime value.

This transparency allows you to address a major VC concern upfront and showcase the financial potential of your venture.

Go-to-Market Mystery: Do You Have a Winning Strategy?
Your go-to-market strategy isn't just about fancy marketing campaigns. It's about convincing investors that you know how to reach your target audience in a cost-effective way.

A study by the Kauffman Fellows Program found that 29% of startups fail due to ineffective marketing and sales strategies.

Be prepared to discuss your distribution channels, customer acquisition tactics, and any traction you've already achieved. If it helps, cite a competitor selling to a similar audience demographic and use their strategy as a benchmark.

Ask Score My Deck to review your competitor’s strategy and suggest alternative ways to reach your target audience.

Competition Concerns: Are You the "Chosen One"?
Let's face it, your vertical probably has competitors. And that’s never a red flag.

According to a Failory report, 19% of startups fail due to a lack of competitive differentiation.

Remember that it’s more of a red flag if you don’t have competitors. If there are no competitors it means the problem is not a big enough problem that needs solving.

Score My Deck helps you refine your competitive advantage and highlight your unique selling proposition (USP).

So to reiterate, VCs want to see your competitive advantage – what makes you stand out? Highlight your unique value proposition (UVP) and explain why you'll carve out a niche in the market. Essentially tell the investor what your moat is.

Beyond the Basics: The Intangible Qualities of your Founding Team

Pre-Seed and most early stage investors largely invest in you because of 5 things. They call it the 5 T’s. Team, Terms, Traction, TAM and Tech.

Thanks to Casey Williams (Investor at Fenway Summer) sharing this when she joined me on The Venture Podcast.

Let’s jump into the intangibles :

Visionary Leadership: Why Do You Care?
Passion is contagious! VCs invest in people, not just ideas. Especially at such an early stage.

Be prepared to articulate your "WHY". What problem are you obsessed with solving? Share your vision for the future with infectious enthusiasm.

Interesting secret, a lot of Startups struggle to attract top hires because of their inability to meet salary demands. But I have a solution for founders: sell your Startup’s vision so well that candidates believe in you so much they’ll take a pay cut to come on the journey with you.

  • Execution Expertise: Can You Walk the Walk? A brilliant idea is only half the battle. VCs want to know you have the skills and experience to execute your plan. Showcase your team's strengths and highlight any relevant experience you've had overcoming past challenges.
  • Coachable Spirit: Are You Open to Feedback? The best founders are lifelong learners. Show VCs you're open to feedback and willing to adapt your approach based on market insights.
  • Skin in the Game: Are You Committed? Investors want to see founders who are "all in." Have you invested your own money? Bootstrapped your way to early traction? Demonstrate your unwavering commitment to the venture.

How Score My Deck Helps You to Navigate Investor Questions

Now, let's talk about how Score My Deck can help you translate these insights into practical action. Imagine having a tool that analyzes your pitch deck, identifies potential weaknesses, and pinpoints the questions VCs might raise based on your pitch deck.

Score My Deck does exactly that. It acts as your pre-meeting coach, providing you with actionable feedback on your deck structure, clarity, and how effectively you address key investor concerns.

This allows you to anticipate questions, refine your pitch, and feel confident heading into that investor meeting.

Here are 5 ways Score My Deck empowers you:

  1. Decode Investor Thinking: Gain insights into how VCs might interpret your deck, allowing you to tailor your messaging.
  2. Pre-empt VC Objections: Identify potential concerns before they arise and craft compelling responses.
  3. Address Investor Concerns: Refine your pitch based on the feedback provided by the Investor AI reviews.
  4. Investor-Ready Pitch: Score My Deck helps you polish your pitch deck, ensuring it resonates with investors and effectively communicates your vision.
  5. Confidence Booster: By feeling prepared for VC questions, you'll project confidence and professionalism in your meetings.

The Final Word: Knowledge is Power

By equipping yourself with the right insights and leveraging tools like Score My Deck, you can better navigate questions from VCs and confidently approach fundraising conversations.

Don't let investor meetings become an exercise in frustration. Use the resources available to you, tell your story with passion, and showcase your unwavering commitment to your vision.

Remember, VCs are looking to invest in innovative ideas and passionate founders. By preparing thoroughly and demonstrating your potential, you'll be well on your way to securing the funding you need.

Tip: Ask Score My Deck for more Investor questions and answers! Then role-play investor meetings with colleagues or mentors.

The more comfortable you are answering questions, the more confident you'll feel in real-world situations.