In a world designed to serve the needs of the top 3%, the goals of the remaining 97% often go unnoticed. In recent years, the startup industry has seen the launch of hundreds of thousands of startups all across the world, from consumer to space tech to climate. Yet, most people only hear about the top 1% of these startups. It is no secret that for startups to hit all the right variables to succeed, they have to have everything going for them. Plus a little luck. The startup industry can be ruthless for those who aren’t so-called “insiders” or second-time founders, and it is as opaque as it is intimidating to navigate. neonVest makes that journey easy for founders. Our purpose is to help founders, particularly early-stage founders, access the right people and tools to scale to the next level. Based on a unique SaaS model, neonVest’s ultimate goal is to amplify the 97% through its open platform. Here is the low down on what neonVest does:
Importance of strong networks
One of the key ingredients in a startup’s success is having access to the right network. We often overlook how important networks can be because they are not measured in the same quantifiable way as other metrics, like revenue or funding. Yet, there is a strong correlation between your success and the size of your network. Many a times, the most important people in your network are second-degree nodes (people who you know through people in your network). 6 degrees of separation is no conspiracy theory, it’s math. And in venture capital, it’s more like 3 degrees of separation. The closer you can get to covering the globe with your direct or indirect connections, the far more likely you are to succeed. One can point to hard work, execution ability, luck and timing as important parts to success, but the single biggest runaway attribute is network growth. If you have important people backing you, more important people will back you. Its like “Money begets money”. For the majority of founders, it is a challenge to even get noticed, let alone raise funding or grab the attention of VCs. This is where neonVest comes into the picture. We are changing the way people build networks. Too much of the time it is random, based on demographics, or because of chance introductions from a mutual friend. Our SaaS platform turns this randomness on its head. We make connections for you every month, specifically to the people you need to know, specifically to people that are invested in your success. Welcome to the new world.
Simplifying the pathway between VCs and startups
Most startup founders can always relate to mental (and physical) anguish that comes with raising fresh rounds of capital. But many don’t realize that the journey actually begins far earlier, about 6 to 12 months earlier, at the time when they should be seeding relationships for an upcoming round. Many of the current ways to reach VCs – like connecting on LinkedIn, sending endless cold emails, and going to seemingly unlimited conferences, for instance, are time-consuming and seldom have high conversion rates to meaningful relationships. neonVest’s Saas platform aims to simplify the complex journey of finding and establishing relationships with VCs. It is a subscription-based platform modelled on B2C platforms like Amazon or Netflix. The distinguishing feature is that neonVest is built for the startup founder, and providing a product key to their growth, rather than one key to their convenience or entertainment. As a founder, all you have to do is get register on our platform with a monthly subscription plan that suits you. Once you fill out an onboarding form that captures your sector, business model, and other basic details, neonVest has an algorithm that matches you with the relevant top-tier VCs and founders on our network. Founders then schedule a 1-on-1 call at both parties’ convenience and kickstart a conversation.
Helping build genuine and long-term relationships
Chasing after your professional dreams comes with many upsides – the intellectual stimulation of building something to your design, the self-confidence after navigating a challenge, or the triumphant feeling after securing funding. But not many speak about the downside – the gruelling nights that melt into days, the threat of exhausting your finances, and the general uncertainty that looms until you’ve signed the shareholders agreement. The entire process of building a business was never designed to be in isolation. We wanted to create something that would help startups and VCs connect in a way that went beyond the current superficial or formal ways of interaction. With neonVest, startups get a recurring opportunity to create potentially warm, genuine, and long-term relationships. Our 1-on-1 video conversations helps founders remove the pressure of talking to VCs, because the conversation is about so much more than pitching. Nothing is on the line. In fact, there is only upside. At a minimum, founders get practical, tangible and extremely useful advice from domain experts. At a maximum, these conversations lead to long-term relationships where the sky is the limit.
Welcome to the neonVest life.
