How to introduce yourself in 30 seconds to secure investments in Silicon Valley

The meeting focused on the specifics of working with investors in Silicon Valley: from preparing an investment pitch and startup presentation to building business relationships with the venture community.

The Tech editorial team attended the workshop and recorded the key points of the meeting, which we share in this video.

Vasily Dub, founder and CEO of Raisable

Three rules for telling a story that will be heard:

1. Contextual fit

Understand where you are, who you are talking to, and what needs to be said.

There are four different types of pitches, but every conversation has one goal: to earn the next conversation.

30 seconds — the elevator ride. Goal: earn a question. In this time, it is enough to say two or three sentences to introduce yourself and what you do.

2–5 minutes — the stage and hallways. Goal: earn a coffee meeting at various events, demo days, pitch nights, in hallways, and lobbies.

20 minutes — coffee. Goal: earn a meeting. At this stage, the first real conversation takes place.

45 minutes — detailed discussion. Goal: earn a transition to the due diligence stage before investment.

2. The right story

Sell opportunities, not the product. Speak in 30-second segments so that each phrase earns the right to prompt a question.

3. Trust

Trust is what a startup is built on and what allows it to grow in the long term. In the early stages, a company may not have significant revenue, a stable business model, or proven demand. Therefore, it is necessary to look beyond the first round of investment. At later stages, evaluation criteria change: at the Seed stage, investors want to see a product; at Series A, confirmed demand; at Series B, revenue growth; at Series C, a sustainable business economy.

But at every stage, one principle remains: trust must be constantly confirmed through actions.

In Silicon Valley, it is important not just to be able to present your startup, but to build long-term relationships. Thirty seconds can start a dialogue, but it is trust, confirmed by actions, that helps turn investor interest into real investment.