If your profile is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure, it probably won't resonate. Most investors appreciate it when you can keep the “noise” level to a minimum.

There are two "pitch" areas on your startup profile.

The first, which appears on the Discover browser, can only be 90 characters. It should be a very short description about your startup allowing members to decide if they want to open your profile and learn more.

The second, which can be be a bit longer, is an introductory paragraph which should provide a basic understanding of your business. It should provide context for the other sections of your profile. We suggest that you briefly:

• describe your product;
• identify your target customer;
• state what big problem you plan to solve; and
• explain the unique and enduring way you plan to solve that problem.
• If space permits, you can also briefly describe the business opportunity in context of the landscape you are planning to compete within. Needless to say, you can write more about all of these in the executive summary section of your profile.

Bear in mind that your "pitch" should not try to close a deal, but rather open the door. It is always best when they are written objectively. Let the main ingredient of your business be the hero, not the spices that you have chosen to use to enhance that ingredient's flavor.

After all, don’t you want investors saying . . .

“I caught a deal T-H-I-S big”.

Here's the process we recommend for finding and then encouraging investors to read your profile.

And, perhaps more importantly, the typical factors that investors use when screening deals.

• Step 1: Ok, you’ve published your startup profile and have subscribed to aligned networks  (the industry network that matches your business; and a University network, probably where you went to school).
• Step 2: Before you consider paying a guest fee to subscribe to an additional network(s), we recommend that you first secure feedback from the investors and mentors that are in your aligned networks. More than likely, they'll be your classmates and colleagues.
• Step 3: Give them a few weeks then take a look at the traction report on the bottom of your startup’s profile. It will show you where investors are filing your profile (e.g. their screening room; observe/track folder; no interest folder or deal room). Obviously, deal room is best. You should also take a look at the “Knee Jerk” feedback report. These are the comments made before your full profile is opened and screened, so it should tell you if your short pitch is resonating. The traction report will also show you to what extent your profile is being opened and referred.
• Step 4: Then, based on all the feedback you start receiving, you can make revisions to your profile if need be. If your profile is “being tracked” by an investor, they will be alerted that you have changed your profile. You can declare a change as being an: Update; Revision; or Pivot.
• Step 5: You’re probably now ready to research the Ambassadors that sponsor the networks where you have subscribed and if need be, consider subscribing to additional networks.

After you researched and are sure that your startup meets an Ambassador’s preferences, if you have subscribed to one or more of the networks that the ambassador sponsors, you can "noodge" their circle members.

And, if the ambassador has formed a screening committee and your profile meets their application criteria, you can also APPLY directly.

Here's how  . . .

• "NOODGE" = ask Circle members to sceen your profile. Visit the ambassador's profile page and click on "NOODGE". It's a way of encouraging an ambassador’s CIRCLE MEMBERS to read your profile and then collaborate with each other. Ambassadors that are clubs and professional associations generally form open circles. Ambassadors that are investment firms (i.e. angel and venture funds) generally form private circles. Keep in mind that investors can collaborate with anyone in the networks they have joined, but they can only refer deals to fellow circle members. If an Ambassador has an AngelRoot circle, you can ask all of their members to read your profile with one click - "noodge". But, please do not noodge more than one circle a week. In other words, don’t be a noodge when you "noodge". A “being noodged” flag will appear alongside your profile on each circle member’s Discover browser.
• "APPLY to be screened by the ambassador's screening committee". Visit the ambassador's profile page and click"APPLY". The feature is intended to compel that organization’s SCREENING COMMITTEE to review your profile. We offer the direct apply option to help organizations that curate deals, form consensus. If an Ambassador is offering an APPLY option, that probably means that they have a more formalized screening process to curate deals. For example: VC and Angel Funds utilize screening committees; and programs such as business plan competitions utilize judges.

We offer ambassadors a number of ways in which they can ask startups to apply directly. Some will have you apply directly on AngelRoot; others on their own web site or through third party software that they may utilize. We will work on APIs to save you the extra key strokes if enough startups ask us to. Bear in mind, some Ambassadors charge application screening fees. If AngelRoot has been asked to handle payment processing, we will retain 10% of the fee collected on the Ambassador’s behalf.

Generally speaking, if you apply directly, assuming of course that your profile meets that ambassado's criteria, it should compel at least one member of the Ambassador’s screening committee to read your profile. Keep in mind, some ambassadors only have one person assigned to deal screening.

DO NOT concurrently "Noodge" AND "Apply" at the same time. Always "Noodge" first.

As a rule of thumb, circle members and screening committees members will very rarely screen the same startup profile more than once, so be sure that you are ready before noodging or applying.

When writing your profile, remember most ambassadors utilize a formal screening process. The following criteria are often used when investors screen deals. We have included many of these as factors to guide investors when they screen startup profiles.

• PURPOSE: The company’s purpose/vision is clear, understandable, original and compelling.
• TARGET CUSTOMER: The target customer has been clearly identified, carefully chosen and the company has the ability to reach and retain them.
• OPPORTUNITY: The opportunity has been realistically defined and is substantial / the addressable market is a significant one and the target customer that the company has identified has a real and solvable problem
• PRODUCT/SERVICE: The product or service provides a meaningful and enduring benefit to the target customer and has significant competitive advantages.
• BUSINESS MODEL: The business model has been evaluated comprehensively, articulated clearly and thoughtfully developed. The business is sustainable, operationally feasible, financially attractive and scalable.
• LANDSCAPE: The company is cognizant of its landscape. The regulatory, tax, social, political and industry environments are all favorable.
• COMPETITIVE: Market entry is possible. The company can withstand competitive pressure.
• MILESTONES: The company has identified measurable and achievable milestones and the capital being raised seems sufficient to achieve the milestones.
• PROJECTIONS: The financial projections seem realistic and achievable.
• CULTURE: Since inception, the company has spent money frugally and wisely.
• BUSINESS RISK: The company has identified major and relevant business risks and the ratio of business risk to reward is attractive.
• TEAM: The team has sufficient expertise to manage the business in the current stage of their business cycle and/or they have addressed the need for additional key people and the strategies to attract and retain these individuals. The team is both nimble and thoughtful (i.e. the team will be quick to respond when changes may be necessary to their plans but they will not make changes without careful consideration).
• PRESENTATION: The executive summary demonstrates the team’s ability to be disciplined and focused.
• STEWARDSHIP: The team seems well balanced so far as zeal, objectivity and integrity. The team will be excellent stewards of other people’s money.

 Good luck.

If an investor is taking the time to read it, it means that they have more than likely already reviewed your highlights and read your pitch.

Generally speaking, an executive summary should objectively describe the company, the team and its business; briefly explain WHAT is planned; and WHY the opportunity exists.

If your executive summary resonates, your full business plan coupled with a live presentation will allow investors to better understand HOW the plan will be executed and the quality of the management team – the critical WHO factor.

Remember, the purpose of your executive summary is not to close a deal, but rather, get you through the front door.

Here are some general tips for preparing your executive summary:

• Highlight your business – do not try to fully explain it. Even though there is an option to upload your own executive summary, in most every instance, investors will first read the information you provide in the on-line form. We understand that standardized formats tend to stifle creativity. Sorry, but it is the most efficient way for investors to screen deals.
• Be as concise as possible – keep it simple.
• Maintain a consistent and realistic time context. For example if your business is only in the concept stage, words like “we believe we will achieve ABC by XYZ date, or we plan to ABC in the next XYZ months” are much better than saying “we have”.
• Quantify whenever possible. Facts are always better than narrative. Investors read hundreds of executive summaries. It is important that they UNDERSTAND your business before hearing about how GREAT the business is and how PASSIONATE your team is about it. If your executive summary is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure (“all sizzle”), it will not resonate well. Keep the “noise” level to a minimum.
• Focus on the business, not on the terms of an investment. An executive summary is not an offering document.
• And, in the event that there is a question that is not applicable to your business or you cannot answer, DO NOT FORCE AN ANSWER. Unless you are applying to a business plan competition with different rules, it is better say: “We’re considering the following options . . . “. For example, if your company has invented a molecular 'teleportation' machine (e.g. “beam me up Scotty”) but has not as yet figured out a business model, you will probably not lose an investor’s interest if you don’t answer the business model question.

Here are some suggestions for preparing various sections of your executive summary.

We've also included some of the sections of our own early executive summary to give you an idea (it also serves to prove that we practice what we preach):

INTRODUCTION / BUSINESS SUMMARY: Set the stage. This is the first exposure a reader will have to your business, so keep in mind that one of the first things that should be communicated is the business's frame of reference. Do not be assumptive. You need to explain what the business is before telling the reader how great it is and how committed your team is to making it a success.

• AngelRoot Inc., is a development stage New York State Benefit corporation. We will operate AngelRoot.com a cloud based platform for startups and investors. Our web site is prototype ready and being alpha tested. We believe that we will complete alpha-testing by the end of 2017 and then begin beta testing.
• AngelRoot was designed as an on-line incubator with an eye toward ultimately becoming a ubiquitous global ecosystem for those who create, fund and help grow businesses based on emerging technologies and nascent ideas. The underlying platform is intended to become a startup deal-repository complete with what we believe are elegant and heretofore unavailable analytic tools for early stage investors to discover, source, quantitatively screen, collaborate, refer, analyze and curate.

• In as much as AngelRoot will not be a funding portal, we do not facilitate investments in pre-curated deals. Instead, AngelRoot is designed to facilitate curation. Unlike funding portals that can help a very few number of cool startups become "hot" deals, we aim to help the vast majority of startups become "cool".

PURPOSE AND VISION: Summarize why your team started the business – your vision. What is the business promising? This is your opportunity to tell a story. Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to engage someone. Talk briefly about how the team developed the idea and the relationship between your team members. Early-stage investors almost always look at the team first (ability to execute) and the idea second. Engage the reader.

• AngelRoot was originally founded by Wharton Angel Network (WAN) alumni investor volunteers. The platform was created out of necessity. By May 2013, WAN had grown to become one of the world’s largest angel clubs. It needed an integrated  platform but none was available so a group of us decided to independently design and build one.
• Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to cultivate big ideas and advance significant technologies.
• Our primary corporate objective is philanthropically based. Our goal is to annually distribute no less than 20% of the revenue we collect from startup guest fees to the entities that are nominated by the organizations that sponsor AngelRoot networks (aka Ambassadors) in accordance with how they are voted upon by the members of each AngelRoot network. In doing so, we hope to encourage members to elect:
• universities with a department, concentration or curriculum that advances entrepreneurship;
• nonprofits that advance the development of technologies that can not only serve the public good but can also be commercialized by entrepreneurs;
• nonprofits that provide educational, scholarship and/or vocational support to encourage entrepreneurship; and
• nonprofits that advance best practices about ethical early-stage investing and/or mentoring startup companies.

TARGET CUSTOMER AND HIS OR HER PROBLEM: Who is it that your business is targeting (i.e. the homogeneous characteristics of your addressable market) and what is your target customer seeking (what is the target’s “problem” that you plan to solve). Generally, “investment worthy” businesses are those that have a clearly articulated, very large, addressable market that share a substantial problem (they have a real level of “pain”). Examples are:

• It’s the 1970’s and we are introducing, Sanka® (your brand name), a new brand of coffee (your customer’s frame of reference) to: caffeine concerned coffee drinkers (your target customer) because our product offers no caffeine to upset them (your unique and enduring benefit);
•  It’s 1998 and we’re launching Google® to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible, because billions of people find it near impossible now to find the information they are looking for on the web;
• It’s 2017 and we’re launching AngelRoot™. Fundamentally, AngelRoot was created to solve the most significant conundrum that virtually every startup faces during fund raising. 99+% of startups will fail to achieve their fund raising goals, but will not be told why. (customer problem).
• Our positioning is: To startup companies beginning their fund raising journey (our primary target customer); AngelRoot™ (our brand name); an on-line incubator and deal platform (our frame of reference - what someone will think when they hear our brand name); helps startups become more investment worthy (the enduring benefit we strive to deliver to our target customer); by allowing them to listen in to what investors are saying to each other about their business (the primary method we will use to deliver the benefit to our target customer). Our business rationale (premise) is; that investor feedback can be invaluable in helping startups improve their business plans and refine their presentations.

OPPORTUNITY: Taking your target, landscape, trends and competitive advantage into account, define and to the extent possible, quantify the addressable “market” for your product or service. That is to say, how large is the market that you plan to pursue and what share are you seeking to achieve.

• Even with the advent of crowd sourcing platforms and funding portals, the process that startups and investors use to discover and evaluate each other remains chaotic. There are more startup companies in the United States looking for capital than High School seniors applying to college. Yet, whilst the application students submit and the metrics colleges utilize to curate have all been standardized, the process associated with raising early-stage capital has not. We plan to introduce a standardized process by which all startups and all investors can connect in much the same way the Common Application® connects college bound high school seniors with university admissions departments.

PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Clearly define your product or service (form, function, features, Brand/IP) and explain how it will uniquely benefit your target customer. This is a particularly good section for you to discuss whatever you feel is proprietary and/or protectable about your product or service in context of the benefit it provides. It is much better to explain the claims of a pending patent in context of the benefit you feel those claims will provide (and competitive position) than to merely state that you have a pending patent.

• It is our plan to maintain a core competency centered on delivering elegant on-line analytics to assist early stage investors more intelligently evaluate companies seeking capital while maintaining a culture rooted in empathy for startups.
• Essentially, the platform was designed to introduce transparency to fund raising while disintermediating the process used to curate.
• Certain intellectual property (the “Feedback IP”) is necessary to operate the platform. The Feedback IP is a non-obvious, novel business method that serves to transform a startup business into a more investment worthy startup business by enabling the ratings and comments made by one class of user (e.g. investors/mentors) to be shared (i.e. collaboration) among the same class of user (e.g. other investors/mentors) while contemporaneously, and anonymously enabling it to be viewed (i.e. feedback) by other classes of users (i.e. entrepreneurs on behalf of their startup). We will attempt to secure a business method / utility patent(s) to claim the right to protect the Feedback IP. Even though we believe the process is novel, there can be no assurance that the Feedback IP is patentable.

BUSINESS MODEL: Explain how you plan to develop, make, market, price, sell, distribute and promote your product or service. Describe anything that is novel about your model and compare its efficiency to your competitors. If applicable, explain the value of your company’s intellectual property in context with your business model. Ideally, your business model should be scalable and sustainable.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Define your competitive environment. Discuss technological and other trends that may assist or impede your success.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Explain what has been accomplished since inception, how long it has taken and how much it has cost.

BUSINESS MILESTONES: Objectives and Strategies. Looking forward what do you plan to accomplish, how long do you think it will take and about how much money do you think you will need?

BUSINESS RISKS: It is important that you communicate that you understand the balance between investment risk and reward. This is not the place to talk about rewards or typical investment risk, but rather where you should objectively be addressing business vulnerabilities.

TEAM: Briefly describe your current team and explain why they have the experience (track record), smarts, enthusiasm and determination to run the business at its current stage. Identify the competencies of new team members and advisors that you will need to commercialize the business. Early-stage investors most always look at team first (especially, the ability to execute and to become world-class) and idea second.

Remember - Do Not Submit Anything That You Consider To Be Confidential or Proprietary. We do not have the ability to keep any of the material you submit confidential. DO NOT SHARE YOUR TRADE SECRETS. AngelRoot shall not have any obligation, duty or responsibility to maintain or attempt to maintain the confidentiality of any information submitted.

If your profile is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure, it probably won't resonate. Most investors appreciate it when you can keep the “noise” level to a minimum.

There are two "pitch" areas on your startup profile.

The first, which appears on the Discover browser, can only be 90 characters. It should be a very short description about your startup allowing members to decide if they want to open your profile and learn more.

The second, which can be be a bit longer, is an introductory paragraph which should provide a basic understanding of your business. It should provide context for the other sections of your profile. We suggest that you briefly:

• describe your product;
• identify your target customer;
• state what big problem you plan to solve; and
• explain the unique and enduring way you plan to solve that problem.
• If space permits, you can also briefly describe the business opportunity in context of the landscape you are planning to compete within. Needless to say, you can write more about all of these in the executive summary section of your profile.

Bear in mind that your "pitch" should not try to close a deal, but rather open the door. It is always best when they are written objectively. Let the main ingredient of your business be the hero, not the spices that you have chosen to use to enhance that ingredient's flavor.

After all, don’t you want investors saying . . .

“I caught a deal T-H-I-S big”.

Here's the process we recommend for finding and then encouraging investors to read your profile.

And, perhaps more importantly, the typical factors that investors use when screening deals.

• Step 1: Ok, you’ve published your startup profile and have subscribed to aligned networks  (the industry network that matches your business; and a University network, probably where you went to school).
• Step 2: Before you consider paying a guest fee to subscribe to an additional network(s), we recommend that you first secure feedback from the investors and mentors that are in your aligned networks. More than likely, they'll be your classmates and colleagues.
• Step 3: Give them a few weeks then take a look at the traction report on the bottom of your startup’s profile. It will show you where investors are filing your profile (e.g. their screening room; observe/track folder; no interest folder or deal room). Obviously, deal room is best. You should also take a look at the “Knee Jerk” feedback report. These are the comments made before your full profile is opened and screened, so it should tell you if your short pitch is resonating. The traction report will also show you to what extent your profile is being opened and referred.
• Step 4: Then, based on all the feedback you start receiving, you can make revisions to your profile if need be. If your profile is “being tracked” by an investor, they will be alerted that you have changed your profile. You can declare a change as being an: Update; Revision; or Pivot.
• Step 5: You’re probably now ready to research the Ambassadors that sponsor the networks where you have subscribed and if need be, consider subscribing to additional networks.

After you researched and are sure that your startup meets an Ambassador’s preferences, if you have subscribed to one or more of the networks that the ambassador sponsors, you can "noodge" their circle members.

And, if the ambassador has formed a screening committee and your profile meets their application criteria, you can also APPLY directly.

Here's how  . . .

• "NOODGE" = ask Circle members to sceen your profile. Visit the ambassador's profile page and click on "NOODGE". It's a way of encouraging an ambassador’s CIRCLE MEMBERS to read your profile and then collaborate with each other. Ambassadors that are clubs and professional associations generally form open circles. Ambassadors that are investment firms (i.e. angel and venture funds) generally form private circles. Keep in mind that investors can collaborate with anyone in the networks they have joined, but they can only refer deals to fellow circle members. If an Ambassador has an AngelRoot circle, you can ask all of their members to read your profile with one click - "noodge". But, please do not noodge more than one circle a week. In other words, don’t be a noodge when you "noodge". A “being noodged” flag will appear alongside your profile on each circle member’s Discover browser.
• "APPLY to be screened by the ambassador's screening committee". Visit the ambassador's profile page and click"APPLY". The feature is intended to compel that organization’s SCREENING COMMITTEE to review your profile. We offer the direct apply option to help organizations that curate deals, form consensus. If an Ambassador is offering an APPLY option, that probably means that they have a more formalized screening process to curate deals. For example: VC and Angel Funds utilize screening committees; and programs such as business plan competitions utilize judges.

We offer ambassadors a number of ways in which they can ask startups to apply directly. Some will have you apply directly on AngelRoot; others on their own web site or through third party software that they may utilize. We will work on APIs to save you the extra key strokes if enough startups ask us to. Bear in mind, some Ambassadors charge application screening fees. If AngelRoot has been asked to handle payment processing, we will retain 10% of the fee collected on the Ambassador’s behalf.

Generally speaking, if you apply directly, assuming of course that your profile meets that ambassado's criteria, it should compel at least one member of the Ambassador’s screening committee to read your profile. Keep in mind, some ambassadors only have one person assigned to deal screening.

DO NOT concurrently "Noodge" AND "Apply" at the same time. Always "Noodge" first.

As a rule of thumb, circle members and screening committees members will very rarely screen the same startup profile more than once, so be sure that you are ready before noodging or applying.

When writing your profile, remember most ambassadors utilize a formal screening process. The following criteria are often used when investors screen deals. We have included many of these as factors to guide investors when they screen startup profiles.

• PURPOSE: The company’s purpose/vision is clear, understandable, original and compelling.
• TARGET CUSTOMER: The target customer has been clearly identified, carefully chosen and the company has the ability to reach and retain them.
• OPPORTUNITY: The opportunity has been realistically defined and is substantial / the addressable market is a significant one and the target customer that the company has identified has a real and solvable problem
• PRODUCT/SERVICE: The product or service provides a meaningful and enduring benefit to the target customer and has significant competitive advantages.
• BUSINESS MODEL: The business model has been evaluated comprehensively, articulated clearly and thoughtfully developed. The business is sustainable, operationally feasible, financially attractive and scalable.
• LANDSCAPE: The company is cognizant of its landscape. The regulatory, tax, social, political and industry environments are all favorable.
• COMPETITIVE: Market entry is possible. The company can withstand competitive pressure.
• MILESTONES: The company has identified measurable and achievable milestones and the capital being raised seems sufficient to achieve the milestones.
• PROJECTIONS: The financial projections seem realistic and achievable.
• CULTURE: Since inception, the company has spent money frugally and wisely.
• BUSINESS RISK: The company has identified major and relevant business risks and the ratio of business risk to reward is attractive.
• TEAM: The team has sufficient expertise to manage the business in the current stage of their business cycle and/or they have addressed the need for additional key people and the strategies to attract and retain these individuals. The team is both nimble and thoughtful (i.e. the team will be quick to respond when changes may be necessary to their plans but they will not make changes without careful consideration).
• PRESENTATION: The executive summary demonstrates the team’s ability to be disciplined and focused.
• STEWARDSHIP: The team seems well balanced so far as zeal, objectivity and integrity. The team will be excellent stewards of other people’s money.

 Good luck.

If an investor is taking the time to read it, it means that they have more than likely already reviewed your highlights and read your pitch.

Generally speaking, an executive summary should objectively describe the company, the team and its business; briefly explain WHAT is planned; and WHY the opportunity exists.

If your executive summary resonates, your full business plan coupled with a live presentation will allow investors to better understand HOW the plan will be executed and the quality of the management team – the critical WHO factor.

Remember, the purpose of your executive summary is not to close a deal, but rather, get you through the front door.

Here are some general tips for preparing your executive summary:

• Highlight your business – do not try to fully explain it. Even though there is an option to upload your own executive summary, in most every instance, investors will first read the information you provide in the on-line form. We understand that standardized formats tend to stifle creativity. Sorry, but it is the most efficient way for investors to screen deals.
• Be as concise as possible – keep it simple.
• Maintain a consistent and realistic time context. For example if your business is only in the concept stage, words like “we believe we will achieve ABC by XYZ date, or we plan to ABC in the next XYZ months” are much better than saying “we have”.
• Quantify whenever possible. Facts are always better than narrative. Investors read hundreds of executive summaries. It is important that they UNDERSTAND your business before hearing about how GREAT the business is and how PASSIONATE your team is about it. If your executive summary is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure (“all sizzle”), it will not resonate well. Keep the “noise” level to a minimum.
• Focus on the business, not on the terms of an investment. An executive summary is not an offering document.
• And, in the event that there is a question that is not applicable to your business or you cannot answer, DO NOT FORCE AN ANSWER. Unless you are applying to a business plan competition with different rules, it is better say: “We’re considering the following options . . . “. For example, if your company has invented a molecular 'teleportation' machine (e.g. “beam me up Scotty”) but has not as yet figured out a business model, you will probably not lose an investor’s interest if you don’t answer the business model question.

Here are some suggestions for preparing various sections of your executive summary.

We've also included some of the sections of our own early executive summary to give you an idea (it also serves to prove that we practice what we preach):

INTRODUCTION / BUSINESS SUMMARY: Set the stage. This is the first exposure a reader will have to your business, so keep in mind that one of the first things that should be communicated is the business's frame of reference. Do not be assumptive. You need to explain what the business is before telling the reader how great it is and how committed your team is to making it a success.

• AngelRoot Inc., is a development stage New York State Benefit corporation. We will operate AngelRoot.com a cloud based platform for startups and investors. Our web site is prototype ready and being alpha tested. We believe that we will complete alpha-testing by the end of 2017 and then begin beta testing.
• AngelRoot was designed as an on-line incubator with an eye toward ultimately becoming a ubiquitous global ecosystem for those who create, fund and help grow businesses based on emerging technologies and nascent ideas. The underlying platform is intended to become a startup deal-repository complete with what we believe are elegant and heretofore unavailable analytic tools for early stage investors to discover, source, quantitatively screen, collaborate, refer, analyze and curate.

• In as much as AngelRoot will not be a funding portal, we do not facilitate investments in pre-curated deals. Instead, AngelRoot is designed to facilitate curation. Unlike funding portals that can help a very few number of cool startups become "hot" deals, we aim to help the vast majority of startups become "cool".

PURPOSE AND VISION: Summarize why your team started the business – your vision. What is the business promising? This is your opportunity to tell a story. Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to engage someone. Talk briefly about how the team developed the idea and the relationship between your team members. Early-stage investors almost always look at the team first (ability to execute) and the idea second. Engage the reader.

• AngelRoot was originally founded by Wharton Angel Network (WAN) alumni investor volunteers. The platform was created out of necessity. By May 2013, WAN had grown to become one of the world’s largest angel clubs. It needed an integrated  platform but none was available so a group of us decided to independently design and build one.
• Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to cultivate big ideas and advance significant technologies.
• Our primary corporate objective is philanthropically based. Our goal is to annually distribute no less than 20% of the revenue we collect from startup guest fees to the entities that are nominated by the organizations that sponsor AngelRoot networks (aka Ambassadors) in accordance with how they are voted upon by the members of each AngelRoot network. In doing so, we hope to encourage members to elect:
• universities with a department, concentration or curriculum that advances entrepreneurship;
• nonprofits that advance the development of technologies that can not only serve the public good but can also be commercialized by entrepreneurs;
• nonprofits that provide educational, scholarship and/or vocational support to encourage entrepreneurship; and
• nonprofits that advance best practices about ethical early-stage investing and/or mentoring startup companies.

TARGET CUSTOMER AND HIS OR HER PROBLEM: Who is it that your business is targeting (i.e. the homogeneous characteristics of your addressable market) and what is your target customer seeking (what is the target’s “problem” that you plan to solve). Generally, “investment worthy” businesses are those that have a clearly articulated, very large, addressable market that share a substantial problem (they have a real level of “pain”). Examples are:

• It’s the 1970’s and we are introducing, Sanka® (your brand name), a new brand of coffee (your customer’s frame of reference) to: caffeine concerned coffee drinkers (your target customer) because our product offers no caffeine to upset them (your unique and enduring benefit);
•  It’s 1998 and we’re launching Google® to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible, because billions of people find it near impossible now to find the information they are looking for on the web;
• It’s 2017 and we’re launching AngelRoot™. Fundamentally, AngelRoot was created to solve the most significant conundrum that virtually every startup faces during fund raising. 99+% of startups will fail to achieve their fund raising goals, but will not be told why. (customer problem).
• Our positioning is: To startup companies beginning their fund raising journey (our primary target customer); AngelRoot™ (our brand name); an on-line incubator and deal platform (our frame of reference - what someone will think when they hear our brand name); helps startups become more investment worthy (the enduring benefit we strive to deliver to our target customer); by allowing them to listen in to what investors are saying to each other about their business (the primary method we will use to deliver the benefit to our target customer). Our business rationale (premise) is; that investor feedback can be invaluable in helping startups improve their business plans and refine their presentations.

OPPORTUNITY: Taking your target, landscape, trends and competitive advantage into account, define and to the extent possible, quantify the addressable “market” for your product or service. That is to say, how large is the market that you plan to pursue and what share are you seeking to achieve.

• Even with the advent of crowd sourcing platforms and funding portals, the process that startups and investors use to discover and evaluate each other remains chaotic. There are more startup companies in the United States looking for capital than High School seniors applying to college. Yet, whilst the application students submit and the metrics colleges utilize to curate have all been standardized, the process associated with raising early-stage capital has not. We plan to introduce a standardized process by which all startups and all investors can connect in much the same way the Common Application® connects college bound high school seniors with university admissions departments.

PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Clearly define your product or service (form, function, features, Brand/IP) and explain how it will uniquely benefit your target customer. This is a particularly good section for you to discuss whatever you feel is proprietary and/or protectable about your product or service in context of the benefit it provides. It is much better to explain the claims of a pending patent in context of the benefit you feel those claims will provide (and competitive position) than to merely state that you have a pending patent.

• It is our plan to maintain a core competency centered on delivering elegant on-line analytics to assist early stage investors more intelligently evaluate companies seeking capital while maintaining a culture rooted in empathy for startups.
• Essentially, the platform was designed to introduce transparency to fund raising while disintermediating the process used to curate.
• Certain intellectual property (the “Feedback IP”) is necessary to operate the platform. The Feedback IP is a non-obvious, novel business method that serves to transform a startup business into a more investment worthy startup business by enabling the ratings and comments made by one class of user (e.g. investors/mentors) to be shared (i.e. collaboration) among the same class of user (e.g. other investors/mentors) while contemporaneously, and anonymously enabling it to be viewed (i.e. feedback) by other classes of users (i.e. entrepreneurs on behalf of their startup). We will attempt to secure a business method / utility patent(s) to claim the right to protect the Feedback IP. Even though we believe the process is novel, there can be no assurance that the Feedback IP is patentable.

BUSINESS MODEL: Explain how you plan to develop, make, market, price, sell, distribute and promote your product or service. Describe anything that is novel about your model and compare its efficiency to your competitors. If applicable, explain the value of your company’s intellectual property in context with your business model. Ideally, your business model should be scalable and sustainable.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Define your competitive environment. Discuss technological and other trends that may assist or impede your success.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Explain what has been accomplished since inception, how long it has taken and how much it has cost.

BUSINESS MILESTONES: Objectives and Strategies. Looking forward what do you plan to accomplish, how long do you think it will take and about how much money do you think you will need?

BUSINESS RISKS: It is important that you communicate that you understand the balance between investment risk and reward. This is not the place to talk about rewards or typical investment risk, but rather where you should objectively be addressing business vulnerabilities.

TEAM: Briefly describe your current team and explain why they have the experience (track record), smarts, enthusiasm and determination to run the business at its current stage. Identify the competencies of new team members and advisors that you will need to commercialize the business. Early-stage investors most always look at team first (especially, the ability to execute and to become world-class) and idea second.

Remember - Do Not Submit Anything That You Consider To Be Confidential or Proprietary. We do not have the ability to keep any of the material you submit confidential. DO NOT SHARE YOUR TRADE SECRETS. AngelRoot shall not have any obligation, duty or responsibility to maintain or attempt to maintain the confidentiality of any information submitted.

If your profile is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure, it probably won't resonate. Most investors appreciate it when you can keep the “noise” level to a minimum.

There are two "pitch" areas on your startup profile.

The first, which appears on the Discover browser, can only be 90 characters. It should be a very short description about your startup allowing members to decide if they want to open your profile and learn more.

The second, which can be be a bit longer, is an introductory paragraph which should provide a basic understanding of your business. It should provide context for the other sections of your profile. We suggest that you briefly:

• describe your product;
• identify your target customer;
• state what big problem you plan to solve; and
• explain the unique and enduring way you plan to solve that problem.
• If space permits, you can also briefly describe the business opportunity in context of the landscape you are planning to compete within. Needless to say, you can write more about all of these in the executive summary section of your profile.

Bear in mind that your "pitch" should not try to close a deal, but rather open the door. It is always best when they are written objectively. Let the main ingredient of your business be the hero, not the spices that you have chosen to use to enhance that ingredient's flavor.

After all, don’t you want investors saying . . .

“I caught a deal T-H-I-S big”.

Here's the process we recommend for finding and then encouraging investors to read your profile.

And, perhaps more importantly, the typical factors that investors use when screening deals.

• Step 1: Ok, you’ve published your startup profile and have subscribed to aligned networks  (the industry network that matches your business; and a University network, probably where you went to school).
• Step 2: Before you consider paying a guest fee to subscribe to an additional network(s), we recommend that you first secure feedback from the investors and mentors that are in your aligned networks. More than likely, they'll be your classmates and colleagues.
• Step 3: Give them a few weeks then take a look at the traction report on the bottom of your startup’s profile. It will show you where investors are filing your profile (e.g. their screening room; observe/track folder; no interest folder or deal room). Obviously, deal room is best. You should also take a look at the “Knee Jerk” feedback report. These are the comments made before your full profile is opened and screened, so it should tell you if your short pitch is resonating. The traction report will also show you to what extent your profile is being opened and referred.
• Step 4: Then, based on all the feedback you start receiving, you can make revisions to your profile if need be. If your profile is “being tracked” by an investor, they will be alerted that you have changed your profile. You can declare a change as being an: Update; Revision; or Pivot.
• Step 5: You’re probably now ready to research the Ambassadors that sponsor the networks where you have subscribed and if need be, consider subscribing to additional networks.

After you researched and are sure that your startup meets an Ambassador’s preferences, if you have subscribed to one or more of the networks that the ambassador sponsors, you can "noodge" their circle members.

And, if the ambassador has formed a screening committee and your profile meets their application criteria, you can also APPLY directly.

Here's how  . . .

• "NOODGE" = ask Circle members to sceen your profile. Visit the ambassador's profile page and click on "NOODGE". It's a way of encouraging an ambassador’s CIRCLE MEMBERS to read your profile and then collaborate with each other. Ambassadors that are clubs and professional associations generally form open circles. Ambassadors that are investment firms (i.e. angel and venture funds) generally form private circles. Keep in mind that investors can collaborate with anyone in the networks they have joined, but they can only refer deals to fellow circle members. If an Ambassador has an AngelRoot circle, you can ask all of their members to read your profile with one click - "noodge". But, please do not noodge more than one circle a week. In other words, don’t be a noodge when you "noodge". A “being noodged” flag will appear alongside your profile on each circle member’s Discover browser.
• "APPLY to be screened by the ambassador's screening committee". Visit the ambassador's profile page and click"APPLY". The feature is intended to compel that organization’s SCREENING COMMITTEE to review your profile. We offer the direct apply option to help organizations that curate deals, form consensus. If an Ambassador is offering an APPLY option, that probably means that they have a more formalized screening process to curate deals. For example: VC and Angel Funds utilize screening committees; and programs such as business plan competitions utilize judges.

We offer ambassadors a number of ways in which they can ask startups to apply directly. Some will have you apply directly on AngelRoot; others on their own web site or through third party software that they may utilize. We will work on APIs to save you the extra key strokes if enough startups ask us to. Bear in mind, some Ambassadors charge application screening fees. If AngelRoot has been asked to handle payment processing, we will retain 10% of the fee collected on the Ambassador’s behalf.

Generally speaking, if you apply directly, assuming of course that your profile meets that ambassado's criteria, it should compel at least one member of the Ambassador’s screening committee to read your profile. Keep in mind, some ambassadors only have one person assigned to deal screening.

DO NOT concurrently "Noodge" AND "Apply" at the same time. Always "Noodge" first.

As a rule of thumb, circle members and screening committees members will very rarely screen the same startup profile more than once, so be sure that you are ready before noodging or applying.

When writing your profile, remember most ambassadors utilize a formal screening process. The following criteria are often used when investors screen deals. We have included many of these as factors to guide investors when they screen startup profiles.

• PURPOSE: The company’s purpose/vision is clear, understandable, original and compelling.
• TARGET CUSTOMER: The target customer has been clearly identified, carefully chosen and the company has the ability to reach and retain them.
• OPPORTUNITY: The opportunity has been realistically defined and is substantial / the addressable market is a significant one and the target customer that the company has identified has a real and solvable problem
• PRODUCT/SERVICE: The product or service provides a meaningful and enduring benefit to the target customer and has significant competitive advantages.
• BUSINESS MODEL: The business model has been evaluated comprehensively, articulated clearly and thoughtfully developed. The business is sustainable, operationally feasible, financially attractive and scalable.
• LANDSCAPE: The company is cognizant of its landscape. The regulatory, tax, social, political and industry environments are all favorable.
• COMPETITIVE: Market entry is possible. The company can withstand competitive pressure.
• MILESTONES: The company has identified measurable and achievable milestones and the capital being raised seems sufficient to achieve the milestones.
• PROJECTIONS: The financial projections seem realistic and achievable.
• CULTURE: Since inception, the company has spent money frugally and wisely.
• BUSINESS RISK: The company has identified major and relevant business risks and the ratio of business risk to reward is attractive.
• TEAM: The team has sufficient expertise to manage the business in the current stage of their business cycle and/or they have addressed the need for additional key people and the strategies to attract and retain these individuals. The team is both nimble and thoughtful (i.e. the team will be quick to respond when changes may be necessary to their plans but they will not make changes without careful consideration).
• PRESENTATION: The executive summary demonstrates the team’s ability to be disciplined and focused.
• STEWARDSHIP: The team seems well balanced so far as zeal, objectivity and integrity. The team will be excellent stewards of other people’s money.

 Good luck.

If an investor is taking the time to read it, it means that they have more than likely already reviewed your highlights and read your pitch.

Generally speaking, an executive summary should objectively describe the company, the team and its business; briefly explain WHAT is planned; and WHY the opportunity exists.

If your executive summary resonates, your full business plan coupled with a live presentation will allow investors to better understand HOW the plan will be executed and the quality of the management team – the critical WHO factor.

Remember, the purpose of your executive summary is not to close a deal, but rather, get you through the front door.

Here are some general tips for preparing your executive summary:

• Highlight your business – do not try to fully explain it. Even though there is an option to upload your own executive summary, in most every instance, investors will first read the information you provide in the on-line form. We understand that standardized formats tend to stifle creativity. Sorry, but it is the most efficient way for investors to screen deals.
• Be as concise as possible – keep it simple.
• Maintain a consistent and realistic time context. For example if your business is only in the concept stage, words like “we believe we will achieve ABC by XYZ date, or we plan to ABC in the next XYZ months” are much better than saying “we have”.
• Quantify whenever possible. Facts are always better than narrative. Investors read hundreds of executive summaries. It is important that they UNDERSTAND your business before hearing about how GREAT the business is and how PASSIONATE your team is about it. If your executive summary is little more than a hyped-up sales brochure (“all sizzle”), it will not resonate well. Keep the “noise” level to a minimum.
• Focus on the business, not on the terms of an investment. An executive summary is not an offering document.
• And, in the event that there is a question that is not applicable to your business or you cannot answer, DO NOT FORCE AN ANSWER. Unless you are applying to a business plan competition with different rules, it is better say: “We’re considering the following options . . . “. For example, if your company has invented a molecular 'teleportation' machine (e.g. “beam me up Scotty”) but has not as yet figured out a business model, you will probably not lose an investor’s interest if you don’t answer the business model question.

Here are some suggestions for preparing various sections of your executive summary.

We've also included some of the sections of our own early executive summary to give you an idea (it also serves to prove that we practice what we preach):

INTRODUCTION / BUSINESS SUMMARY: Set the stage. This is the first exposure a reader will have to your business, so keep in mind that one of the first things that should be communicated is the business's frame of reference. Do not be assumptive. You need to explain what the business is before telling the reader how great it is and how committed your team is to making it a success.

• AngelRoot Inc., is a development stage New York State Benefit corporation. We will operate AngelRoot.com a cloud based platform for startups and investors. Our web site is prototype ready and being alpha tested. We believe that we will complete alpha-testing by the end of 2017 and then begin beta testing.
• AngelRoot was designed as an on-line incubator with an eye toward ultimately becoming a ubiquitous global ecosystem for those who create, fund and help grow businesses based on emerging technologies and nascent ideas. The underlying platform is intended to become a startup deal-repository complete with what we believe are elegant and heretofore unavailable analytic tools for early stage investors to discover, source, quantitatively screen, collaborate, refer, analyze and curate.

• In as much as AngelRoot will not be a funding portal, we do not facilitate investments in pre-curated deals. Instead, AngelRoot is designed to facilitate curation. Unlike funding portals that can help a very few number of cool startups become "hot" deals, we aim to help the vast majority of startups become "cool".

PURPOSE AND VISION: Summarize why your team started the business – your vision. What is the business promising? This is your opportunity to tell a story. Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to engage someone. Talk briefly about how the team developed the idea and the relationship between your team members. Early-stage investors almost always look at the team first (ability to execute) and the idea second. Engage the reader.

• AngelRoot was originally founded by Wharton Angel Network (WAN) alumni investor volunteers. The platform was created out of necessity. By May 2013, WAN had grown to become one of the world’s largest angel clubs. It needed an integrated  platform but none was available so a group of us decided to independently design and build one.
• Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to cultivate big ideas and advance significant technologies.
• Our primary corporate objective is philanthropically based. Our goal is to annually distribute no less than 20% of the revenue we collect from startup guest fees to the entities that are nominated by the organizations that sponsor AngelRoot networks (aka Ambassadors) in accordance with how they are voted upon by the members of each AngelRoot network. In doing so, we hope to encourage members to elect:
• universities with a department, concentration or curriculum that advances entrepreneurship;
• nonprofits that advance the development of technologies that can not only serve the public good but can also be commercialized by entrepreneurs;
• nonprofits that provide educational, scholarship and/or vocational support to encourage entrepreneurship; and
• nonprofits that advance best practices about ethical early-stage investing and/or mentoring startup companies.

TARGET CUSTOMER AND HIS OR HER PROBLEM: Who is it that your business is targeting (i.e. the homogeneous characteristics of your addressable market) and what is your target customer seeking (what is the target’s “problem” that you plan to solve). Generally, “investment worthy” businesses are those that have a clearly articulated, very large, addressable market that share a substantial problem (they have a real level of “pain”). Examples are:

• It’s the 1970’s and we are introducing, Sanka® (your brand name), a new brand of coffee (your customer’s frame of reference) to: caffeine concerned coffee drinkers (your target customer) because our product offers no caffeine to upset them (your unique and enduring benefit);
•  It’s 1998 and we’re launching Google® to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible, because billions of people find it near impossible now to find the information they are looking for on the web;
• It’s 2017 and we’re launching AngelRoot™. Fundamentally, AngelRoot was created to solve the most significant conundrum that virtually every startup faces during fund raising. 99+% of startups will fail to achieve their fund raising goals, but will not be told why. (customer problem).
• Our positioning is: To startup companies beginning their fund raising journey (our primary target customer); AngelRoot™ (our brand name); an on-line incubator and deal platform (our frame of reference - what someone will think when they hear our brand name); helps startups become more investment worthy (the enduring benefit we strive to deliver to our target customer); by allowing them to listen in to what investors are saying to each other about their business (the primary method we will use to deliver the benefit to our target customer). Our business rationale (premise) is; that investor feedback can be invaluable in helping startups improve their business plans and refine their presentations.

OPPORTUNITY: Taking your target, landscape, trends and competitive advantage into account, define and to the extent possible, quantify the addressable “market” for your product or service. That is to say, how large is the market that you plan to pursue and what share are you seeking to achieve.

• Even with the advent of crowd sourcing platforms and funding portals, the process that startups and investors use to discover and evaluate each other remains chaotic. There are more startup companies in the United States looking for capital than High School seniors applying to college. Yet, whilst the application students submit and the metrics colleges utilize to curate have all been standardized, the process associated with raising early-stage capital has not. We plan to introduce a standardized process by which all startups and all investors can connect in much the same way the Common Application® connects college bound high school seniors with university admissions departments.

PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Clearly define your product or service (form, function, features, Brand/IP) and explain how it will uniquely benefit your target customer. This is a particularly good section for you to discuss whatever you feel is proprietary and/or protectable about your product or service in context of the benefit it provides. It is much better to explain the claims of a pending patent in context of the benefit you feel those claims will provide (and competitive position) than to merely state that you have a pending patent.

• It is our plan to maintain a core competency centered on delivering elegant on-line analytics to assist early stage investors more intelligently evaluate companies seeking capital while maintaining a culture rooted in empathy for startups.
• Essentially, the platform was designed to introduce transparency to fund raising while disintermediating the process used to curate.
• Certain intellectual property (the “Feedback IP”) is necessary to operate the platform. The Feedback IP is a non-obvious, novel business method that serves to transform a startup business into a more investment worthy startup business by enabling the ratings and comments made by one class of user (e.g. investors/mentors) to be shared (i.e. collaboration) among the same class of user (e.g. other investors/mentors) while contemporaneously, and anonymously enabling it to be viewed (i.e. feedback) by other classes of users (i.e. entrepreneurs on behalf of their startup). We will attempt to secure a business method / utility patent(s) to claim the right to protect the Feedback IP. Even though we believe the process is novel, there can be no assurance that the Feedback IP is patentable.

BUSINESS MODEL: Explain how you plan to develop, make, market, price, sell, distribute and promote your product or service. Describe anything that is novel about your model and compare its efficiency to your competitors. If applicable, explain the value of your company’s intellectual property in context with your business model. Ideally, your business model should be scalable and sustainable.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Define your competitive environment. Discuss technological and other trends that may assist or impede your success.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Explain what has been accomplished since inception, how long it has taken and how much it has cost.

BUSINESS MILESTONES: Objectives and Strategies. Looking forward what do you plan to accomplish, how long do you think it will take and about how much money do you think you will need?

BUSINESS RISKS: It is important that you communicate that you understand the balance between investment risk and reward. This is not the place to talk about rewards or typical investment risk, but rather where you should objectively be addressing business vulnerabilities.

TEAM: Briefly describe your current team and explain why they have the experience (track record), smarts, enthusiasm and determination to run the business at its current stage. Identify the competencies of new team members and advisors that you will need to commercialize the business. Early-stage investors most always look at team first (especially, the ability to execute and to become world-class) and idea second.

Remember - Do Not Submit Anything That You Consider To Be Confidential or Proprietary. We do not have the ability to keep any of the material you submit confidential. DO NOT SHARE YOUR TRADE SECRETS. AngelRoot shall not have any obligation, duty or responsibility to maintain or attempt to maintain the confidentiality of any information submitted.