EARLY-STAGE FUNDING IS A CRITICAL MILESTONE . but one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is pitching to the wrong investors . Just as many seed funders aren ’ t interested in latestage businesses , an investor that specialises in Series B firms will be a waste of your time if you are just getting started . Also , make sure that your target is open to investment in your industry . It helps to understand the investor landscape in the GCC before reaching out .

Another thing to understand in tailoring your pitch – after having established that your target is potentially interested in your industry and in companies at your stage of development – is the type of investor to whom you are speaking . For example , high-net-worth individuals ( HNWIs ) and angels typically have entrepreneurial mindsets and eschew rigid due diligence in favour of a gut instinct about your idea and your team . They may also have lower ROI expectations .

By contrast , VCs , while being known to take an interest in all stages of start-ups , are more detail-oriented and will have a laundry list of questions , so your preparation will certainly be put to the test . Due diligence will be front and centre and you can expect a higher investment ticket than that of an angel investor as well as higher expectations of returns and timelines on those returns .

Family offices , while historically risk-averse , they have recently started taking on riskier prospects while still focusing mostly on those that complement their current business vertices of investment . Research will be critical to winning a nod from investors like this .

Lights on , open for business

Early-stage funding is a critical milestone . Once secured , your idea can breathe . You can introduce yourself not only to a waiting market but to a range of seed programmes and incubators that , through the backing of the UAE government , offer innovators a chance to bring their vision to life . �

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