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Ask most people involved in startup culture, and you would find that the consensus is that you’re going to be far better off finding a co-founder or founding team for your startup than trying to go it yourself.

Having a great idea will only take you so far on your startup journey. At the very earliest stages you’re also going to need to have some way to articulate the vision and galvanize investors and partners behind your idea. This is where the pre-seed pitch deck comes in, as a way of visualizing the idea behind the startup and focus people’s attention on why it is important.

Finding the Problem-Solution Fit for your first product is not easy. You have no bearing on the right customer problem, no paying customers, and close to zero customer input while building the product. Unsurprisingly, one of the key reasons startups fail is “trying to build and sell solutions that customers don’t want.” According to a CB Insights report.

In recent years, entrepreneurs have been able to find funding earlier in the startup process. It was not long ago that pre-seed funding was a rarity indeed. Even when a startup founder was able to secure it, it was usually a “friends and family” arrangement, with a parent or sibling chipping in to help kick things along, as much as a favor as anything else.

Metrics for pre-product and pre-revenue startups are often overlooked. We share what founders need to know when it comes measuring your startup, from day zero.

The MVP is how a startup really announces itself to the world. It’s the first look most people will get at the startup’s big idea and how it’s solving customer problems. It’s often very raw. Typically, you’ll find that the MVP is hardly recognisable compared to the product that you know and love today.

Many entrepreneurs have incredible visions, but converting that vision into a successful startup often relies on finding the right co-founder, or co-founders. For one thing early-stage investors will look at your team before your idea, and secondly, co-founder(s) will be invaluable as a complement and contrast to your own skill sets as you start to build the business.

You’ve had an amazing product idea for a startup. You’re certain your idea is a game-changer you are ready to put your head down and start building. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could know, with confidence, that you weren’t the only one that thinks it’s a great idea? That what you’re about to build has a market that’s ready and waiting to buy your product.

Vision and mission statements are a way of defining your company’s purpose, goals, and brand. Unlike “hard,” tangible value drivers (e.g., your coding team and financial assets) or “soft” drivers (e.g., a marketing strategy and management team), these statements are an intangible driver of value for any business. These intangibles are difficult to quantify and often seem to be driven by feeling rather than anything substantiated.

The problem statement is an all-important asset to the startup. It forms the core of the business and the reason for it to exist, by laying out the real-world challenge that your business is focused on resolving.

TLDR: A vision without validation doesn’t mean much to an investor. Before seeking capital, make sure you’ve got the proof to back the vision up.

A trade mark is a vital tool in protecting your business and building your brand. It can bring value to your business, protect your products from competitors and help create a brand that customers are loyal to.