Mathieu Translates Investor jargon — “I like your project, but it does not fit with my investment strategy.”

“I like your project, but it does not fit with my investment strategy” means… I don’t like your project, and I don’t want to invest in it.

- The only issue is that if I say that straight to your face, you will ask me “Why?” and you’ll try to prove me wrong. And I will try to answer you, even if I have absolutely no idea, and we will spend time, thirty minutes, one hour on that. It is useless, because I lose my time, and you’re losing your time as I’ve already taken the decision not to invest –

- In other words,

o I told you what you want to hear: “Hey, I like your project.”

o I found a side excuse not to invest in it, doesn’t fit in my strategy, then it’s done.

o I can go on with my life, and you can go on with yours, plus, you have this investor that likes your project.

- The truth is, it’s a straight lie, because if I really like your project, I’m happy to twist my investment strategy. As of today, of 15startups in my portfolio, 12 are under my investment thesis of SaaS and marketplaces… B2B and B2B2C business models.

- But You know what, two are not, and they are pure B2C.

- And you know why? Because I truly like those projects.

Summary of the translation…

• This is an ‘Elegant’ way to say that I don’t believe or I don’t know if your project is going to be successful.
• It ensures that the entrepreneurs will not fight back to prove me wrong.

A special Thank you to @guy kawazaki for inspiration and @Alper Rozanes for support.

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