Five tech investments you should make before raising startup funding
Technology is at the heart of nearly every startup. Investing in the right tools can foster innovation, improve competitiveness and drive your business forward.
Starting a business can be challenging, but creating a strong technological infrastructure that can handle growth is an even greater task.
If you’re seeking funding soon, potential investors will want to see that you’ve taken steps to streamline your processes, improve your efficiency and create a secure digital environment. A great product or service can only flourish if you’ve got a robust framework that encourages innovation and helps you stay ahead of the curve.
So, what tech should you be investing in before seeking out funding? Here are some of the most useful and widely adopted solutions to improve your operations and ensure your startup is ready to scale.
Use cloud-based storage and solutions
Cloud technology has quickly become a mainstay for startups and small businesses. Storing your work via cloud technology is a good way to securely backup information and ensure that you don’t lose anything important.
Considerar multi-cloud services if you’ve got different workloads and more complex requirements. Multi-cloud allows you to create a mix of public and private cloud environments, which can provide greater flexibility and boost your data security.
Creating a secure foundation with cloud technology also makes it easy for employees or freelancers to navigate information and share files, wherever they’re working. This will help your team to work more efficiently and ensure that innovation can thrive without unnecessary stress.
Improve collaboration with communication tools
With hybrid working now the norm, startups must provide the right tech to allow for flexible working across multiple offices and time zones.
Modern workflows require accessible, simple platforms that offer services like file sharing and group video calls. Putting the right collaboration tools in place will empower your team and give them greater autonomy to communicate, innovate and ideate from anywhere.
According to Dell’s Innovation Accelerated report, 88% of remote and hybrid workers feel that they have just as much opportunity to innovate as onsite workers. Keep this in mind when scaling up your team.
It’s important to have these processes in place before securing funding. You’ll need to demonstrate that your startup is capable of taking on more employees and a greater workload with relative ease.
Automate and streamline your processes
Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool to automate repetitive everyday tasks that, while necessary to keep your business running smoothly, are often creatively distracting.
Using AI-led systems that can instantly reply to customer queries, handle onboarding or calculate service costs allows you and your team to stay focused on more ambitious, wide-reaching projects that will give you a competitive edge.
This technology will show investors that you’re actively taking steps to streamline your startup, but it will also be critical to overcome some of the challenges of scaling up. It can be hard to manage growth while you’ve got a small team, but AI-powered technology can provide an extra pair of hands.
Ensure that your data is secure and usable
Another common challenge for businesses is data security. You’re obligated to ensure that all personal data is stored and maintained securely for both staff and customers. This is a corporate commitment that even the biggest brands sometimes slip up on, so it’s best to be as cautious and stringent as possible.
There are many services that can provide the necessary tools to do so. As your business and team grows, it’s wise to consider additional safeguards such as VPNs, password managers and malware protection software.
When you’re adopting data processes, you need to make sure data is secure but also usable within your business. Investors will expect to see that you’re tracking real-time information and making data-driven decisions. This goes for your whole team too – avoid creating data silos and ensure any employees can access accurate data when they need it.
Capture attention with your website
It might sound obvious, but developing a professional, clean, easy-to-use website is essential if you’re looking to attract investors and take your startup to the next level.
Make sure to opt for robust website development software. You’ll need an intuitive platform that can withstand multiple changes to layout, copy and branding without imploding. As your business scales, customers and stakeholders will likely have different needs and expectations. Your website will need to reflect this and be able to grow with you.
Remember, landing pages are often the first point of contact for those who’ve never heard of your business. They could be the difference between an investor emailing back or deciding to look elsewhere, so get them right. Invest in professional web developers and tools that have your future ambitions in mind.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Join DWEN and connect with women founders
Technology is evolving rapidly and there are more opportunities than ever to use cutting-edge capabilities in your startup – but you don’t have to figure it all out alone.
O Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) is a global community of women entrepreneurs, investors and advisors. As a DWEN member, you can share stories, learn from others, and access tailored resources to help your startup reach its maximum potential.
How to use your technology to create a compelling proposition for investors
The perpetual question for startup founders is: what are investors looking for? Technology can help you to tick all those boxes, and create a compelling investment pitch that will secure the investment – here’s how.
Getting your technology in shape for funding
Choosing the correct technology for your startup is essential if you’re looking to grow. To keep ahead of the curve, you’ll need to adopt solutions that can handle growth and keep your startup running smoothly. Flexibility and ease of access are vital, so it’s important to get things right.
Respostas