Why startups need UX design to win investor trust

When you’ve got a great idea, it’s hard to keep quiet about it. Your friends and family rally behind you, cheering you on. But when it’s time to enter the room and pitch to potential investors, you’re squarely on your own. Being an innovator can be lonely and it’s a rigorous mountain to climb to secure the next round of funding.

So what if you weren’t alone? What if the Robin to your Batman was right alongside you, armed with data and a cape? That’s what it’s like to partner with design experts and accelerate your pitch from a simple slide to a compelling proof of concept that investors will drool at the opportunity to invest in.

How to choose the right design partner

Your first hires in an early-stage startup are key to getting the right balance. You want employees and collaborators who believe in the vision, buy into the rollercoaster, and bring their own wisdom to share. It’s a risky point for a business and a wrong choice can spell disaster.

The main decision here is whether to hire internally or select an agency to work with. Partnering with a trusted vendor can be a shortcut: you get access to top talent without the arduous hiring process. It can speed up the process, add clarity, and get the momentum going early on. Here’s why we think it’s a game changer:

Why your funding strategy needs to change from Seed to Series A

The benefits of hiring a trusted design partner are especially impactful during Seed and Series A rounds. At this stage, startups should invest wisely, not just to build but to grow. That’s where design experts (like us!) come in. We help you prove the concept, build the product roadmap, and craft a compelling case for funding at the beginning, without the overhead of a full internal team. Once you raise some capital, you can then scale up your team internally or continue partnering with us through your build phase.

Key benefits of a design thinking consultation

When you walk into the pitch room, it’s important to have a beautiful deck that communicates your product and your vision. However, it’s not enough for it to just be eye-catching. Here are some key differentiators to the deliverables from a Paper Leaf consultation:

1. Get data-driven insights—a neat idea loses steam if it doesn’t have the data to back it up. User testing, AB testing, product audits, and workshops provide us with qualitative and quantitative data that we’ll share and interpret with you.
2. Keep the end user in mind—your product might be 12-24 months from a stranger picking it up, but we start the consultation with the end user in mind. This ensures the integrity of the product, makes efficient use of budgets, and helps our product team stay aligned the entire time.
3. Get deliverables with real value—we’re not interested in locking you into an endless contract that has you wondering what you’re actually paying for. We prioritize deliverables that directly contribute to your business success. We’re clear about timelines and what to expect, so you’ll never be left wondering.

Trust us with your next step

You’re the expert in your business, we’re experts in design. Get a consultation with our Paper Leaf team to help take your startup to the next level!