Make your case to transform the status quo
Revolutionary ideas are a tough sell; people are naturally apprehensive when you tell them you’re going to do what’s never been done before. But even if experts doubt you and the industry “doesn’t get it,” you still shouldn’t settle for lukewarm support.
“Most people, when they heard our idea to create the world’s first solid-state chip for active device cooling, would say it’s impossible. The attitude of some seemed, ‘We won’t believe it even after we see it.’”
SESHU MADHAVAPEDDY
Co-founder & CEO, Frore Systems
When dealing with ideas that are ahead of their time, it can be difficult to parse truly game-changing innovations from techno-optimistic fantasies. All that is to say, don’t take skepticism personally.
The best investors, however, will approach moonshots with curiosity rather than doubt. You’ll still need to make a strong case for yourself, and think critically about how you’ll bring your idea to life. But if you can prove your ambitions are grand, yet rooted in reality, then you can attract partners who have the vision to back you.
“When you pitch a moonshot, you’re being held to a higher narrative standard,” says Navin Chaddha, who led Mayfield’s inception investment in Frore. “Iterative products can lean on talking points like efficiency gains and market sizes. But a moonshot needs to address all those tangible things, and paint a bigger picture of how your idea will shake up the status quo for the better. You need to balance optimism and realism, but if you do that successfully, then you position your product as a proxy for creating lasting change. That can be a really powerful incentive for investors.”
NAVIN CHADDHA
Managing Partner
AI, Enterprise, Semiconductors