Secrets of a Successful Pitch: Recommendations from Irina Abasova and Aset Dosymkhanov

Aset Dosymkhanov, co-founder of the venture studio RockStar Bootcamp

Irina Abasova, businesswoman, investor

About Us

Aset. I am the managing partner of a venture studio. Our main mission is to help startups with product research, CustDev, and packaging to attract investment. A recent successful case is our work with the startup Paidax, where we helped them close a $600,000 round with the participation of private investors. We also develop strategies for potential mergers or acquisitions with major Kazakhstani players.

Irina. I am an investor and the founder of the largest community of investors in Kazakhstan. We mainly invest in traditional businesses, so I have experience working with conservative investors who are far from the IT sector. Their interest in investing is growing, and this could be useful for you. Since 2021, our community has successfully invested in traditional businesses and SMEs in various industries.

Recommendations

Aset. Before attracting investment, test the viability of your idea in the market. Determine if there are really customers willing to pay, and test demand. Example: create a presentation or a minimum viable product (MVP) and check if anyone is willing to place an order or pay in advance.

Identify the solvent segment. Different groups of target audience evaluate the product differently. Find the most solvent group that is ready to spend money on your product, and focus on them.

Analyze large markets. For venture investors, market scale is important. The larger the market, the higher the likelihood of successful growth. Investors prefer niches in trillion-dollar markets. Avoid niches with limited demand and narrow, less solvent segments.

Create value even without a product. Use the pre-order method to test demand. If you can sell an idea or concept before creating a product, it is a signal that the product will be in demand. For example, many people buy tickets for events in advance, even before they take place, trusting the promise. Similarly, you can offer "intermediate" versions of products or services to test customer reaction.

Test sales as simply as possible. Launch advertising or organize meetings to understand how the audience reacts to your product or service. Do not be afraid of early feedback; it will help you quickly understand what is in demand and in what form.

Irina. Prepare separate presentations for investors who are not familiar with the venture market. Make them simpler, avoid complex terms and narrow IT jargon.

Presentations should be in Russian to avoid creating additional barriers. Explain terms in simple language and simplify complex concepts if necessary. People from other fields may be deterred by overly complex terminology.

Use analogies. Comparisons and examples from familiar fields will help convey the essence of the project. Imagine that you are explaining your product to a schoolchild who is not familiar with the technology.

Focus on the essence. For traditional investors, it is important to understand the value of your product and how it generates profit, without delving into the details of technological solutions or specific aspects of venture financing.

Look for new investor markets. In addition to the venture market, try to attract traditional investors. They may be interested in IT projects, but they need a clear explanation and understanding of the project structure.

Talk about prospects and risks. Highlight the commercial prospects and risks of the project in an accessible form, so that the investor can evaluate the project from the perspective of a traditional approach to financing.