An investable business model
An investable business model is a clear plan for how your company creates, delivers, and captures value in a way that attracts investors. Investors are looking for evidence that your business can scale, generate revenue, and deliver returns. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what makes a business model investable:
1. Clear Value Proposition
-
What problem are you solving?
-
Who has the problem? (target market)
-
Why is your solution better than existing alternatives?
Example: Zoom solved the problem of unreliable video calls with a simple, high-quality solution.
2. Scalable Revenue Streams
Investors look for repeatable, scalable ways to make money. Examples:
-
Subscription model (SaaS): recurring revenue from users.
-
Marketplace/Commission model: take a percentage of each transaction.
-
Freemium + Upsell: attract users free, convert them to paying customers.
-
Licensing / IP royalties: monetize your technology or patents.
-
Ad-supported model: if user base can scale massively.
3. Large & Growing Market
-
Total Addressable Market (TAM) should be big enough to justify the investment.
-
Investors prefer markets that are growing, not shrinking.
-
Showable evidence: market reports, trends, or adoption rates.
4. Defensible Advantage
-
Why can’t someone easily copy you?
-
Competitive moats include:
-
Technology/IP
-
Network effects
-
Brand & community
-
Exclusive partnerships
-
5. Unit Economics & Profit Potential
-
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) vs Lifetime Value (LTV): profitable companies usually have LTV > 3× CAC.
-
Investors need to see that each new customer adds real value.
6. Clear Growth Path
-
Show how you plan to acquire users/customers: marketing channels, partnerships, viral loops.
-
Explain scaling plan: staffing, tech infrastructure, distribution.
7. Strong Team
-
Investors bet on founders more than ideas.
-
Highlight complementary skills, domain expertise, and track record.
8. Exit Potential
-
Investors want a way to realize returns:
-
Acquisition
-
IPO
-
Strategic partnerships
-
Example: Investable SaaS Model
| Component | Example |
|---|---|
| Problem | Businesses struggle to manage remote teams efficiently |
| Solution | Collaboration software + AI productivity assistant |
| Market | 50M+ SMBs globally (TAM $50B) |
| Revenue | $20/user/month subscription |
| Growth | Viral adoption via freemium model |
| Moat | Proprietary AI algorithm + integrations |
| Unit Economics | CAC $50, LTV $300 |
| Exit | Potential acquisition by Microsoft/Google |
✅ Key Takeaway: An investable business model clearly answers:
-
Who is your customer?
-
What is the problem & solution?
-
How will you make money?
-
Can this scale?
-
Why is it defensible?
-
How will investors make a return?
Comments
Post a Comment