A data room, sometimes referred to as a “due diligence box,” is a cloud solution made for the sharing and securing of sensitive business information.
A data room should not be confused with a simple cloud storing service. When handling confidential information, you’ll need features such as rights management and Q&A.
The goal here is to maximize your fundraising potential by being organized and demonstrating that you respect the investor’s time by being prepared. Having a well-organized folder is also an opportunity to show investors that you have a real business and are ready to raise capital.
This data room contains vital documents about your business and is incredibly useful to your potential investors, so it’s essential to keep it both functional and secure. The materials in your data room should include:
- Entity filings
- Patent filings
- Articles of incorporation
- Income statements
- Balance sheet
- Other documents detailing your business
Investors who want to invest will look for these documents so they can run their due diligence on you and your business. The more simplified you can make this process for them, the better.
Spend some time putting your data room together and make sure you have all the necessary documents for your investors. Most importantly, be prepared and have these documents ready before you begin your raise.
Continue reading in our most recent eGuide: How to Prepare for Your Fundraise
Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network.TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years.
You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group
