Applyifi generates investment decks for startups, matches them to investors

A brilliant idea has struck you, and you know exactly how to build on it and create a profitable business. However, a few things are stopping you on your tracks: concerns about pitching your idea and of course, money. But when raising money from your family and friends seems unfeasible, how do you raise capital? How do you meet investors? And if you do, how do you convince them to invest in your idea? Applyifi can help.

Based in Gurgaon, India, the startup helps other startups generate an investor pitch deck by filling out a form. The deck is then sent out to investors within and outside of Applyifi’s network. Typically, most angel investors look for investment opportunities upward of US$500,000, which makes it difficult for small startups seeking under US$150,000 to raise the capital. That’s the group Applyifi wants to serve.

The company recently helped one of its first batch of four curated startups achieve its maiden funding commitment (though that’s a far cry from having money in the bank). OGES, an online Q&A and best practices platform for the oil and gas industry, has secured commitment for funding from a group of investors and high net individuals (HNIs). Two other startups from its first batch are on their way to raise seed funding as well – one aims to raise US$39,000, and the other US$79,000. They are in talks with accelerators and investors from the company’s network.

“[OGES] does not wish to reveal the amount of funding raised, but this is the first round of capital-raising for the venture and will last them for 15 to 18 months. This will help them expand the product offering, and market the solution to the stakeholders in the oil & gas industry,” Prajakt Raut, co-founder and CEO, Applyifi, tells Tech in Asia.

I now pronounce you startup and investor!

Applyifi has to closely assess how investment-worthy the startup is before rooting for it to a potential investor. The image of the company is at stake here. “We present an assessment report in the form of a 36-point scorecard accompanied by qualitative comments. This helps startups understand their strengths and weaknesses, and provides investors with a perspective on the startup,” says Raut.

He claims that all relevant aspects such as scale potential, concept relevance, business model, business case, go-to-market plans, competitive environment, valuations, exit potential, and most importantly, quality and completeness of the team are factors that are considered during the assessment.

The assessment report and scorecard helps investors make an informed decision. “Different investors seek different startups for collaboration; some want a great product, while others might want a strong team,” adds Raut.

Hence, rather than judging overall how worthy of investment a startup is, it simply assesses and grades different aspects of it. An investor can thereby pick-and-choose a startup of its choice, based on the report. This helps investors save time and the effort of going through all the applications.

Why Applyifi

Apart from helping small startups raise capital and assisting investors in making informed decisions, Applyifi also aims to create more angel investors in the country. “We hope to do so by enabling senior professionals, HNIs and even recently/modestly successful entrepreneurs to co-invest small amounts in startups. Hence, for their benefit, we want to make deal-discovery and opportunity assessment easier,” says Raut.

The company also wants to help business schools and engineering colleges create and manage alumni angel networks. For this, it has a comprehensive training curriculum to help these institutions set up angel groups, identify and shortlist startups, present to angels, conduct due-diligence and close transactions, as well as manage investment portfolios.