After working with 300+ startups over the past 9 years, we’ve learned one thing for sure: startups are never perfect. And that’s okay! Growth takes time, and we love seeing imperfect tech companies evolve.

If you’re an immigrant entrepreneur in tech, pitching to investors can feel even trickier. Culture, habits, and communication styles all play a role—even for folks who’ve been in Canada for 20 years.

The good news? A pitch doesn’t need to be flawless, but there are a few things you can seriously sharpen to get investors on your side.

Here are 5 simple tips to improve your investor pitch:

1. Say What Investors Need to Hear

You don’t need perfect English to pitch—but you do need a clear message. Investors are busy. They’re not interested in hearing everything you do. They want to know:

What’s the problem?

Why are you the one to solve it?

How are you making money?

It’s not about what you want to say—it’s about what they need to hear to start a conversation.

2. Remember: They Want Their Money Back

It’s easy to think of investment as “free money,” but it’s not. One way or another, investors expect a return. That means your business needs to be scalable and strategic. Many startups get frustrated when it’s hard to raise the next round, but the truth is: it’s always going to be hard.

Focus on building a business that grows, makes money, and has a path to an exit (think acquisition or IPO). That’s how you keep the funding journey alive.

3. Get Your Docs in Order

Your deck can look amazing, your pitch can sound smooth—but if your documents are a mess during due diligence, the deal is off.

Even if you don’t have time to explain everything in your pitch, show signals that your company is in good shape:

• Registered properly?
• Financial records in order?
• Cap table clean?

Don’t wait until an investor is “interested” to get your act together. Get it done now.

4. Show Off a Solid Team

We’ve seen it all—solo founders, teams where everyone has the same background, or the same skillset. But guess what? Investors bet on people, and they want to see that:

• You’re not doing it all alone.
• Your team brings complementary skills—finance, marketing, sales, product.
• You’re the CEO, and you know how to lead, not just build.

You don’t have to tick every DEI box (though diversity is a strength), but you do need a team that covers all angles of business.

5. Bring the Energy

We’ve seen amazing ideas fall flat because the presentation had zero energy. If you pitch like you’re giving a dull lecture, investors will check out—fast.

You are the CEO. Whether you’re shy or not a natural speaker, you’ve got to learn how to present your company with excitement. Pair that with a clean, clear deck, and now you’re talking.

Investors want to believe you’re all-in. Show them.

Want to build a better pitch, raise funding, or grow your sales? Our Investment & Sales Growth Program was made for immigrant founders in tech. Let’s get your startup in shape.