Forerunner Ventures Founder Kirsten Green On What She Looks for In a PitchThe investor breaks down what makes her want to invest in a brand, today's biggest opportunities, and how the tech world is about so much more than technology.
This story appears in theJune 2019issue of狗万官方.Subscribe »
First things first: What's your definition of a tech startup?I think some people have a hard time understanding why, say, a makeup brand like Glossier (in which Forerunner is an investor) identifies as a tech company.
Oh, people are so confused! We getpitchedso many businesses based on a beautiful product I'd love to buy, but it doesn't fit the profile of what we want to invest in because the company's model is selling in a big retailer. Yes, we invest inbrandsand product, but we mostly invest in founders that see opportunity for change. Glossier is about the customer. It's anchored in selling product, but consumers trade in and out of product. So Glossier has usedtechnologyto create a deeper connection with its consumer to grow. Purchases are often about more than the product. And that's why we invest.
So when someone is pitching you, what do you really look for, what do they need to be armed with to catch your attention when they're at that early stage?