Investor Advice with Daniel Uusitalo

Daniel Uusitalo is an investor at Dutch-based, European focused, venture capital fund 4impact capital. 4impact capital focuses on investing tickets of €0.5-2.5M in ambitious and impact driven founders building in Benelux, DACH and the Nordics.

Prior to joining 4impact capital, Daniel worked as an investor at European-focused corporate venture capital fund Helen Ventures, an early backed of Enspired, Gradyent, Virta, LiveEO and others. Born in Finland, Daniel has lived and worked across Vienna, London, New York City and The Hague. He is experienced in investment evaluation, risk management, business development, and commercial partnerships. 

• What do you usually want to see in a startup before you decide to look into it further?

Daniel: I rarely come across interesting propositions led by unambitious founders. If I had to choose between an interesting proposition and an ambitious founder, I would choose the latter. While an early-stage company has the potential to pivot any number of times, and industries can shift in a heartbeat, the constant will always be the intrinsic motivation and drive of the founder.

• Which sections of the pitch deck do you pay more attention to?

Daniel: I believe honesty is one of the strongest differentiators in pitch decks. While I do see the value in portraying aggressive future growth rates and plans for global expansion, I also seek clarity. I wish to see the honest, current state of the venture as much as I want to see the vision surrounding it. Do not shy away from indicating that you are pre-revenue, as any interested investor will uncover that information sooner rather than later. I also have a deep appreciation for value chain intelligence, especially in complex segments. By giving your investors an honest look into your competitive landscape and how your solution truly fits into its respective functional area, you are saving yourself a significant amount of time in due diligence.

• What is the most interesting aspect of your job?

Daniel: The generic but true answer to this question is, and will continue to be, the fact that I get to speak with brilliant and driven founders almost every day. Founders are some of the most inspirational people around, and their courage is contagious.

Thank you Daniel for the interview! Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: Daniel Uusitalo