Angel Investors Ontario Article on the importance of Entrepreneur’s Investor Readiness.
One of Funded’s first article featured 10 things entrepreneurs should do to prepare for discussions with potential investors. At AIO we want to make sure that entrepreneurs are collectively ready to pitch and answer the questions from investors, and that across the province we have some continuity of start-up readiness coming out of the cohorts of incubators and accelerators.
I have seen, far too many times, a founder becomes defensive if the investor starts to ask too many questions. The good news is that the investor is showing some interest, but remember he is also seeing how well the founder reacts under pressure.
Explain your value: What does your company do exceptionally well for your clients that sets it apart from competitors?
Succinct answers are key, and some great examples are provided in this article. What I also believe is important is that the founder needs to be totally ready for due diligence should an interested investor get hooked. If you make the investor wait 30 days to get your data room ready, in many cases they will have spent their available funding on a startup that is prepared, both to pitch well, but to make it through due diligence without a hitch.
If you are trying to help a startup friend on their journey, make sure you practice every potential question on them, and make sure you are satisfied how they answer. Don’t take for granted that you don’t need to cover all subjects in trial runs. It only takes one bad answer in answering questions about Intellectual Property to lose an investor’s interest.
Investors out there should point this article out to entrepreneurs at an early point of contact. The better the founder knows what is expected, the smoother the eventual interaction with investors, and hopefully a mutually beneficial round of financing is concluded.
Read the full article on Page 10!
Non-Disclosures (NDAs), Minefield or Just a Minor Document? A Field Guide for Angel Investors, Entrepreneurs and Business Advisory
Over many years of working with, or considering working with, many companies both minor and major, I have encountered a plethora of NDAs landing on my laptop, with the sender’s annotation that please sign this NDA, it’s just a standard form document. However, I have...
Competing on the World Stage: What Angels, Entrepreneurs, and Olympians Have in Common
As we watch the world’s greatest athletes compete on the Olympic stage this summer, it’s hard not to draw parallels between elite sport and the world of entrepreneurship and early-stage investing. The athletes we admire are not simply gifted — they are disciplined,...
Fourteen Things We Can Improve in 2026 — Reflections for Angel Investors and Innovation Entrepreneurs in Ontario
Introduction: A Year That Demanded Honesty 2025 was one of those years that forced honesty on Ontario’s innovation ecosystem. After attending dozens of angel meetings, pitch events, incubator demos, accelerator showcases, policy roundtables, and investor forums —...
Wait… Who Owns Our Data? Why the US May Access Information Stored on Canadian Soil — and What We Should Do About It.
I’m confused — and I suspect I’m not alone. Can the U.S. government force a U.S. corporation to provide access to data stored in a foreign country — say, a Canadian company’s data sitting on a server in Toronto — simply because the data centre is owned by a...
Building Canada Strong — and How AIO Plays Its Part
Canada’s new federal Budget sets out a bold agenda: making capital investments a national priority, building resilience against global shocks, and ensuring that Canadians are empowered with skills, opportunity, and a competitive economy. The document states that...
Broadening the Tent: Unlocking Early-Stage Capital through Smarter Investor Access. The US Passes Bill to let an Exam Determine if Investor is Accredited.
In today’s economy, startups are not just launching businesses—they’re launching the future. Yet one critical ingredient remains in short supply: early-stage risk capital. As angel investors and entrepreneurs across Ontario know all too well, the journey from ideation...