Behind the Scenes

LetsIgnite is the largest investor conclave of the start-up ecosystem in India offering startups a remarkable opportunity to build and close their fundraise, interact with prolific investors and explore other growth opportunities for their venture.

As a startup, you can apply for Track 1 and/or Track 2 of LetsIgnite:

• Track 1 is targeted to early stage startups who are actively fundraising (USD 40K to 1Mn) for their seed and angel rounds.

Note that your application will be processed under LVFirstCheQ in case you satisfy all of the above

1. You are raising a rounder under 80L
2. Your startup stage is PoC, beta-launched or early revenue
3. This is the first fund-raise for your startup.

To know more about LVFirstCheQ refer to Q3.

• Track 2 focuses on funded startups who are looking to connect with VCs or customers, or exploring opportunities for mergers and acquisitions. We are inviting large SaaS players, corporates & CIOs of large organizations that you always wanted to get 5 minutes with!

1000+ startups applied to LI 2016, out of which 15 startups pitched to more than 250+ angels and 25+VCs. 50% of the startups who pitched at the event along with their lead investors closed their funding.

• LVFirstCheQ is a new program by LetsVenture to help early-stage startupsaccelerate their fundraise. For a startup application to be a part of LVFirstCheQ, it should be raising a round smaller than 80L, should have been founded within last one year from now, and should be in either of PoC, beta-launched or EarlyRevenue stage. As the name implies, the startup shouldn’t have raised any fundsbefore.

• You need to fill out an application form for the Day 1 and Day 2 of the event. The process of curation and selection varies, accordingly.
• Day 1 applications go through 4 rounds of screening by the LetsVenture team, angel investors and lead investors. Details are covered in Q5.
• Day 2 candidates an apply for either or all of the tracks: VC Connect, Customer Connect, M&A Connect. Selection process for each may vary. Details arecovered in Q6.

Startups need to apply once for Day 1 following which their application undergoes 4 rounds of curation. Details of the round are as follows:

• Round 1: Applications open for LetsIgnite. When: 15th December, 2016 to 15th January, 2017 How: First set of applications will be screened by the LetsVenture team.

• Round 2: Applications from Round 1 will be intimated to those who made it to the Round2 wherein the application will be reviewed by the Angels. When: 20th January, 2016 to 31st January How: The applications will be curated by Angel Investors for inviting them to regional pitches in Round-3

• Round 3: Selected startups will be invited to pitch in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata When: 1 st Feb to 10 th Feb. How: Startups will pitch in front of at least 5-10 angel investors present in those cities

• Round 4: Top 30-40 startups will be invited to pitch to leads in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to get them lead/anchor investors. When: 10 th Feb to 31 st March. How: Top-15 with lead investors will be selected to pitch at LetsIgnite

LetsIgnite Day 2 is focused on helping already funded or late stage startups by connecting them to right VCs (VC Connect), B2B customers (Customer Connect) and relevant corporate development teams if founders are looking at plausible mergers and acquisitions opportunities (M&A Connect). Round details are as follows: VC Connect Startups need to apply to one applications form. Startups should upload an introductory pitch deck just to give a glimpse of the company and fill other relevant details.

• Round 1: Applications open. When: 20th Jan to 20th Feb. How: First set of applications will be screened to be reviewed by VCs in Round 2.

• Round 2: Selected Startups will be invited to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad/Chennai and Bangalorefor VC Connect. When: 21st Feb to 18th March (LI*) How: Closed door session with VCs you want to connect* VC Connect in Bangalore will happen during LetsIgnite. Rest will take place in Mumbai,Hyderabad/Chennai and Delhi.

Customer & M&A Connect Startups need to apply to one applications form. Startups should upload an introductory pitch deck just to give a glimpse of the company and fill other relevant details.

• Round 1: Applications open. When: 20th Jan to 20th Feb. How: First set of applications will be screened to be reviewed for a fit as per therequirements of Corp Dev/B2B Customers coming to LetsIgnite.

• Round 2: Selected startups will be intimated and will be given list of corporates/large SaaSplayers coming to LetsIgnite whom they have been matched with. When: 21st Feb to 18th March (LI*) How: Closed door session with corporates/large SaaS players

• If you feel your startup is suited to the purpose of the track, you may apply to any of them. The selection for each varies and can be referred to in Q5 (Day 1) and Q2 (Day 2).

• LetsIgnite is designed to help you meet and engage with investors across various spaces to accelerate closing your current fund-raise. In terms of the startup-to-investor ratio (20:250) at the event, LetsIgnite allows you build an excellent presence in the investor community, leading to more commits or helping you meet your Lead/Anchor investor.

• Apart from the ones looking to close their angel/seed rounds, funded startups will have the chance to build their Series A/ Series B rounds through the VC-Connect track on Day 2.

• Yes. There are 3 months to go for LetsIgnite by the time of the event you may be preparing for you next fund-raise round, giving you all the reasons to apply now! We know fundraise is a time-taking process. The interactions at LetsIgnite might prove to be just the boost your upcoming fund-raise needs.

• VCs, angels, corporates, prospective customers and the guys you need to discuss your M & A plans with.

• No. But you are required to apply by filling out the application form which creates a profile on the platform. Vice versa, you may use your existing profile to import your startup details for the form.

• All startups are eligible. The top startups as curated by angels and LetsVenture team are invited to come and pitch at LetsIgnite. Nothing stops you from giving ashot, not to forget the valuable feed-back you may get for your startup from some of the experienced angels and known VCs.

• Out of the startups that attended the event, 35% in 2015 and 50% in 2016 wereable to close their fund raise; so there’s a high probability that you will too!