WebSummit RetrospectiveInvestors say how they pick startups they talk to on and what grabs their interest

There is a risk of start-ups appearing too standardised - Personally, I appreciate people that focus on non direct pitching and focus instead on the work they do outside of their stands; over conversation at lunch, discussing what they have seen at a talk or doing lots of drinking!We are always looking to invest in people we get on with, so this is a great place to start

Chris Lamontagne

Head  of  Growth  atHambro Perks United  Kindgom

Boutique advisory and investment firm investing in high growth businesses and

special situations.

I think that many startups owners are simply too shy in talking to potential investors. Ideas are big, but then it comes the moment in which it is needed to come out and ask for investment (money) and investment (industrial integration). For example, coming in as a Partner & Investor,I had about 200 new LinkedIn connections with startuppers since the first day of the Event and none of them sent a direct message to me proposing a business meeting, and not because we are too big, I suppose. Business is made of real people, and real people at this events are keen to talk and to understand each other’s opportunity

Aldo del Bo’

Marke5ng  Director  Europe  at  Kaspersky Labs United  Kindgom

85% of companies I have talked to this week have been referred to me by my colleagues.For me that's a very effective way of connecting to owners I might have mutual interest with. With so many startups at the event, finding the best matches without recommendations would be very time consuming.

Conor Doyle

Investment  Analyst  atAtlantic Bridge

Ireland

Atlantic Bridge is a Growth Equity and late stage

technology fund focused on high growth companies in the Cloud, SaaS, Mobile and Big

Data Markets.

The startups I talk to need to fit the industry I’m in obviously. What really makes some of them stand out is the commitment of the owner. If I see that they are ready to work hard as hell for their startup and their idea, they have my attention.

Mat Hunter

Strategy  Director  atCentral Research Laboratory

United  Kindgom

The Central Research Laboratory, in Hayes,

is London’s incubator for start-ups that design and make physical products.

First of all, we do our homework and pick the startups that suit our interests before the event. Portuguese startups are always the first ones we will meet. But we expect to be approached by the owners too. This way we can see their determination. Their message needs to be very clear though - Tell us what’s the problem and what’s your solution for it.

Pedro Bandeira &Rui Falcão

CEO  &  CIO  atREDangels Portugal

Most people contacted me through LinkedIn beforehand. I have ended up having about 5 meetings a day with startups I’m interested in.

Brian Murphy

Financial  Controller  atSOS Ventures

Ireland

SOSV is a $250M venture capital fund focused on

accelerating over 120 startups every year.

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