Founders on Video

There is of course always a standard answer when founders ask what they need to get ready in terms of investor materials. We always go through the list, pitchdeck, executive summary, budget and term sheet. And yes, it would be really great if you have a data room ready. What we do not always see are videos, and if you get them they are mostly trying to explaining the product or the underlying tech. And very often they are pretty boring, sometimes sleep inducing.

What we lack are some ways to get to know the founders and/or the team. Who are the people behind the deal and what motivates them? Especially now during the pandemic everything is done remotely and it would be nice to find an easy replicable way to give insight into both the company, the tech and the people driving it. Lucent BioSciences, a Vancouver-based agri-tech company released an incredibly cool seven minute video last month - concurrent with its investment round that is now wrapping up. The video deserves a lot more views than the ninety-six that are on the YouTube counter now.

Sure, seven minutes is not a lot and short interviews are always a bit scripted and edited of course. That said, if you are able to explain your tech, product, intro your team and have some very compelling supporting footage you are not only telling a great story, you bring across the passion of a specific start-up journey. Full disclosure requires me to say I am an investor in and advisor to Lucent BioSciences, but that’s not the point here. It’s just really great video, go see it.