About this episode
In this episode of Fundraising Without Borders we sit down with Roy Wang, formerly at Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and EY, and now Managing Partner at MontBlanc Advisors and Assistant Vice President at Saudi Public Investment Fund. Roy is also one of Innovation Manager fundraisers covering the US market. Roy will shed light into the challenges and rewards of securing private investments in the US.
What type of companies stand out to US investors and how to spot early signs of success? Roy explains it’s important to show US investors that the company has a foothold in the country, with either a physical presence or more importantly, with local customers. In addition, founders should be prepared to present and defend their financials, know their numbers to every detail, and be able to back up the assumptions behind their business projections.
Furthermore, Roy talks about the importance of “de-localizing” and showing potential for the US and global expansion for a business to be considered investment worthy by fund managers in the US. He continues by explaining how companies should come up with a plan to adapt to the new normal in a post COVID world and how new investments are beginning to re-surge after several months of stagnancy.
We close by asking Roy what’s his best pieces of advice for founders wishing to get involved with venture capital and raise investments in the US:
- Think about YOUR investor: who do you want to partner with? How can they help YOU and how can YOU help them make money?
- Don’t be discouraged. Perfect your pitch. Broaden your network. Constantly improve your product. Try, try, and try again! Eventually people will see the great potential of your product.
- Do your homework, research about who you are meeting with and about the US VC ecosystem in general; A little preparation will go a long way.
Do you have what it takes to fundraise in the US?
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