Analysts are like scouts for VC firms - they're assigned or decide on a vertical, then talk to as many companies as they can in that vertical. If the analyst l

Analysts are like scouts for VC firms - they're assigned or decide on a vertical, then talk to as many companies as they can in that vertical. If the analyst likes what he hears you may get a shot at the partners who actually make decisions. He'll ask as many probing questions as he can to try to really understand your business. Keep in mind that he likely will be talking to everybody in your space and may well be funding a competitor. Don't let the excitement of talking to a VC lead to sharing information you'd prefer to keep confidential. My advice is: - Ask plenty of questions up front: what exactly is his interest, are they actively looking to invest in this space, what is their typical investment profile, who else are they talking to, how did they find you, what made them interested in you, and so forth. - Keep it brief. Give enough to show you are serious and have real traction, but don't get overexcited and go overboard. - Spend as much time showing why your team is worth investing in as you do showing off your business. Early stage investing is mostly about team, so do your best to show you're dependable, committed, and get things done. - Your goal is to get a meeting with a partner. The person you're talking to is not a decision maker, so all you want from this conversation is to get another conversation with one of the decision makers. Good luck, and if want to chat further leave an address of some sort and I'll get in touch.