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More and more businesses are realising the potential that virtual data rooms can have when it comes to informing investors. They allow you to bundle relevant documents together and are a secure way to store sensitive information, particularly because you’ll have granular control over who can access what. This will not only save you heaps of time and money, but also ensures that your relationship with investors is as transparent as possible. 

But what sort of documents should you be including in your virtual data room? It all comes down to which information your investors are going to be looking for, and in today’s blog, that’s what we’ll be breaking down.

What would an early stage investor be looking for?

If your business is in its infancy, you might assume there’s not much information worth sharing. But while that may be true, your investors will still be on the lookout for certain things. More than anything, they’re looking for assurance of your company’s potential. There are a number of ways to go about providing this assurance. First, show investors how organised your business is, and that the early stages of your business are going to plan. Consider your business’s assets, too- particularly your IP. Are your assets protected? Investors need to know there won’t be any unwelcome surprises somewhere down the line. 

What should you include in a data room?

Knowing what to include in your virtual data room can feel overwhelming at first, especially if you’re new to the technology. Different investors are going to be looking for different things, so while you may not want to include every piece of information, you do need to be covering all bases. Luckily, when it comes to the basics, most if not all of your investors will be wanting to see similar things. 

Before anything else, you’re going to want to include the basics in regards to your finances. This will primarily include your deck, your cash metrics, your projections for next year, as well as your cap table. 

Past investor updates should also be included, as this will allow them to more thoroughly assess your company’s growth. This will show investors that you take both communication and transparency seriously. 

You’re also going to want a brief section that showcases the marketing vision of your brand, as well as a section that displays how firm your company’s grasp on the current market is. Investors need to know that you understand any relevant market trends, and that you understand your closest competitors. Any market research or reports that you’ve undertaken should be included in this section, if you deem them relevant to investors. 

Next, include a section dedicated to the members of your company. No need to be too detailed, but investors will appreciate learning the job titles, job descriptions, and salaries of your team. 

Data room: What shouldn’t you include? 

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what to include in a virtual data room, what shouldn’t you include? It really depends on who needs access, and that’s why being able to control who has access to particular documents is so valuable. For example, if someone you are meeting with is involved with a competitor, you may want to withhold certain aspects of your IP. 

Looking for an easy-to-use virtual data room for informing investors? Book a demo today to find out why Engage by Perivan could be crucial for your business.