ENTREPRENEUR BIZ TIPS: Why VCs and Angel Investors Say "No" to entrepreneurs | Alicia Syrett | TEDxFultonStreet

ENTREPRENEUR BIZ TIPS: Why VCs and Angel Investors Say "No" to entrepreneurs | Alicia Syrett | TEDxFultonStreet

Here’s Great Tip: Why VCs and Angel Investors Say "No" to entrepreneurs | Alicia Syrett | TEDxFultonStreet


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Early-stage investors often receive more than 100 pitches per month, which means they need to say “no” to over 99%. Alicia Syrett, CEO of Pantegrion Capital, frequent on-air personality on MSNBC and CNBC, shares the most common blunders that get startups rejected. Founder/CEO of Pantegrion Capital and The Point 25 Initiative. CNBC Power Pitch and MSNBC Your Business Regular. Contributor for Inc. Instructor at Columbia University. Board of the NY Tech Alliance.

Ms. Syrett was named as one of the “25 Angel Investors in New York You Need to Know” by AlleyWatch, one of Wharton’s “40 Under 40” young alumni by Wharton Magazine, and one of Virgin’s “Five Next Generation Leaders Emerging from Tech.” She has been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, Inc., The Huffington Post, Mashable, Entrepreneur, NPR’s Marketplace, and USA Today. She has also appeared on CNBC’s Make Me a Millionaire Inventor and Cash Crowd, Nightly Business Report (NBR) on PBS, and Fox Business’s Risk & Reward. She founded The Point 25 Initiative and also wrote a Guide for Entrepreneurs for #MentHERnyc, an event she co-founded. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at

37 Replies to “ENTREPRENEUR BIZ TIPS: Why VCs and Angel Investors Say "No" to entrepreneurs | Alicia Syrett | TEDxFultonStreet”

  1. I had one contact me 1 week into literally mid point of my project. They wanted answers from me before I knew what the terms were. I really didn't expect anything more than a mentor. I wanted them to know that the terms were important as much as my concept and vision. And how much of that I'd have control over. I needed to know those things. Of course I'm no know it all, but I can't wait for someone to hold my hand..so I had to research everything i could to obtain knowledge of certain aspects..There has to be an understanding , honesty and communication. That is with anything. I really don't know what to do. Prior to the meeting I told the person I had not had my numbers or a few of my most important parts of the project. I didn't want to show up with no numbers, a draft concept etc. I wanted to give a consice plan. So I had something to show and at that minimum…Really I just am confused.

  2. I arrive on this page by random, I'm sorry to say, this video is one of the most negative and depressing TED talk Video I've watched! Wow!!! She would have said "No" at least 50 times in the 10 minute. I usually don't like writing negative things in the comments but, Hearing all this negativity feels like a warm bucket of tar all over my body, sticky and can't get it off.

  3. Well the lady does not come across as too confident an investor if she had to show off her TV popularity. I hope it does not have to do with gender. Anyway I believe many startups are doing the mistakes she was talking about.

  4. Her advice would be more accurate if she had skipped the word "probably" which she repeatedly says. E.g if investors don't believe in your integrity, they WILL say no, (not probably say no). Angels and VCs always discuss the pitch as a group and if one person says "I don't trust him/her", it will be a no, even for Angels who invest individually. The Angel groups I belong to invest in about 25% of the group pitches, but of course they are already screened according to the group's priorities.

  5. I would have thought that an angel investor was that type of person who can spot a really good business opportunity when it comes along, despite how the individual presenting it is dressed, how bad his pitch is or if his numbers are jumbled. If the business is good, its good. Surely its up to the investor to do his home work. Look at Google, how many people missed out on that opportunity, a lot.

  6. for me; the best investor is bank. cause they dont care about how many percent you earned, how much billion you get. they only ask you pay they interest. Instead of Conventional/individual investor/VC, etc, they want a higher share which converted from their money. i prefere bank as my investor rather than Conventional/individual investor/VC, etc

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