The personality and leadership capabilities of a startup’s founder play a crucial role in the investment decision-making process. This perspective was shared by investment fund representatives during the Investors Reverse Pitch hosted by Startup Valencia at Banco Santander’s Work Café.
The event, organized by Startup Valencia’s Seed Committee, offered investors five minutes to discuss their investment focus and the criteria startups must meet to gain their support.
Javier de Toro, investment manager at Angels Capital, capital “only makes sense when there’s a number one, a leader ready to tackle a large market with a unique proposition.”, Pablo Perea, Head of Investments at GoHub Ventures, highlighted that “the founders are the fund’s cornerstone of success.”
On the importance of people when investing in a project, Teresa Ramos, Director of Communications and Portfolio at DraperB1, stated that her company is on the lookout for “the next generation of entrepreneurs set to change the world we live in.” Orfeo Balboa, Program Director and Partner at First Drop VC, went further to emphasize that investors would not exist without startups, “we need them more than they need us.”
Regarding the type of project a startup must develop to attract investment, Marc Guasch, Investment Director at Zubi Capital Proyectos, mentioned they seek companies that address a social or environmental challenge. Patricia Pastor, Founder and GP at Next Tier Ventures, pointed out that her fund is “highly focused on AI for growth-stage startups, which we can support through their development.”
Rosa Sánchez, in charge of Startups for Valencia – Murcia at Banco Santander, explained the bank’s approach to investing in and financing startups, tailored to their developmental stage.
The event concluded with an opportunity for attendees to engage directly with these influential investors, followed by a visit to the Town Hall Square to experience the first mascletà of the Fallas 2024.
