How to Attract Investors' Attention: Three Key Questions from Experts

At a panel discussion during TechCrunch Disrupt, a group of experienced investors revealed their criteria for evaluating startups. Joyti Bansal, who has experience creating and selling several companies, Medha Agarwal from Defy, and Jennifer Neundorfer from January Ventures shared straightforward insights into what truly convinces investors—and what turns them off. Their recommendations have become a valuable cheat sheet for founders seeking funding in a crowded market.

The main mistake: overusing trendy buzzwords

The discussion started with a review of common mistakes in pitch materials. Agarwal noted a consistent pattern: the more often a founder mentions AI, the less likely the startup actually uses AI. Investors are aware of this trick. Truly innovative companies talk about artificial intelligence as an integral part of their product, not just as a buzzword. This means AI should be embedded in the solution, not just mentioned on slides to look attractive.

Three key questions investors ask

Bansal outlined a universal evaluation system used by seasoned investors. He believes every presentation should answer three critical questions.

First question: Is the market large enough? Investors want to know if the idea can develop into a truly big company. The problem must be strategically important, not just interesting. Bansal emphasizes that the market should have real potential for scaling.

Second question: Why this founder? Many people will see the same problem. If the problem attracts attention, at least 20 startups will try to solve it. Investors want to know what makes you unique. It could be your expertise, a special team composition, or skills competitors lack. They will ask: why will you win?

Third question: Is there proof of success? Before investing, investors require validation. This could be initial customer feedback, revenue figures, or any evidence that the market truly needs your solution. Bansal stresses that without minimal validation, the idea remains just a theory.

These three elements form the final criterion: can this startup become a billion-dollar company? If investors see no positive answer to at least two of these questions, funding is unlikely to be approved.

Validation as the biggest advantage

Agarwal discussed another key point—the need to demonstrate engagement with real customers. Investors lose trust in founders who hide information about competitors or fail to clearly explain competitive advantages. Honesty about business challenges and existing competition often makes a more positive impression than exaggerated promises.

How AI startups can stand out in a crowded market

Considering partial recommendations for companies launching in AI, the panel highlighted several critical points. First, founders should clearly explain how AI technologies enable their product—not just how the technology works, but how it solves a specific customer problem better than competitors.

Second, investors are interested in the go-to-market strategy. How will you acquire customers? What will be your pricing? How will you compete with established players? A clear strategy is more important than the technology itself.

Third, Neundorfer emphasizes that she pays attention to companies creating entirely new behavior models, rather than just gradually improving existing processes. A revolutionary solution appears more attractive to investors than incremental improvements.

How to stay on the right track in a dynamic environment

Wrapping up the discussion, investors were asked about navigating the rapidly changing landscape. Agarwal recommended founders constantly monitor industry trends and understand market shifts. Neundorfer suggested staying active in founder networks where tools, methods, and deep insights about what works can be exchanged.

However, the simplest advice came from Bansal: focus on product development. When the product genuinely solves a problem and communicates that value passionately, pitching to investors becomes easier, and the chances of success increase. It reminds founders that investors are looking for real results, not just polished words—and that’s where all efforts should be directed.