The Founder’s Web Summit Checklist: 10 Things You Need to Prepare

Hey, founders. If you’re heading to Web Summit — or any other major startup and investor conference — you probably need to prepare a little bit. That’s okay. That’s exactly why we put together this 10-item checklist.

A lot of founders zero in on the pitch deck, and yes, that matters. But as you’re about to see, there’s so much more you can do to show up ready. Here are the 10 things every founder needs before hitting the conference floor.

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This article is part two in our three part-series helping startup founders prepare for major startup- and investor conferences. Read also part II and part III.

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1. Your 30-Second Pitch

Know it cold. Short, concise, sharp — and ending with a very clear call to action. You’ll deliver this dozens of times in hallways, at the coffee bar, and in elevator banks. It needs to roll off your tongue effortlessly, sound natural, and leave the other person knowing exactly what you do and what you want from them

2. Be Curious

The best founders at conferences aren’t the ones pitching the hardest. They’re the ones asking the best questions. Go in genuinely curious about the people you meet — their thesis, their portfolio, their thinking. Curiosity builds rapport faster than any pitch. And investors remember the founders who made them think.

3. Your One-Pager — Easy to Share

A clean, single-page summary of your company — problem, solution, traction, team, and ask. Make it visually sharp and scannable in under 60 seconds. And make it frictionless to share: one link, mobile-friendly, always ready to send before the conversation ends.

4. Know Your Numbers Cold

Know your metrics by heart. Revenue, growth rate, burn, runway, unit economics — whatever drives your business. Nothing kills momentum in a great conversation like fumbling for your stats. If you have to check your phone for your MRR, you’re not ready.

5. Your Pitch Deck, Financial Model, and Key Financials

Have your full deck ready for sit-down meetings, a trimmed 5-slide version for quick follow-ups, and your financial model clean and accessible. Investors will ask. Be ready to share on the spot — a single link, not an email attachment chain.

6. Your Target Investor Profile

Know exactly who you’re looking for before you walk in the door. Stage, check size, sector focus, geography, value-add beyond capital. The founders who waste the least time are the ones with a clear ideal investor profile — and the self-discipline to stay focused on it.

7. Your Customer Pipeline — In Detail and Full Color

Your pipeline is proof. Have it ready: named accounts, stages, deal sizes, timeline to close. Investors love traction, and a detailed, credible customer pipeline tells a story your deck can’t. Know it well enough to walk someone through it in three minutes without notes.

8. Your Key Questions

Prepare the questions you want to ask — and make them good. Not “are you investing?” but thoughtful, specific questions that open real conversations. What does their ideal Series A look like? Who are their best portfolio companies and why? What do they wish founders asked them more? Good questions signal you’ve done the work.

9. Your Data Room

Have it built, organized, and ready to share with one link. Financials, cap table, legal docs, product overview, team bios. When an investor asks for it — and the good ones will ask fast — you want to send it within the hour. Delays signal unreadiness. Speed signals confidence.

10. Your Round, Timeline, Momentum, and a Clear Close

Know your round inside out: how much you’re raising, on what terms, what you’ve already closed, who’s in, and when you’re closing. Investors want to feel momentum — not desperation, but clear forward motion. Have a closing date and hold it. Urgency is a feature, not a pressure tactic.

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The bottom line: Your pitch deck is just one piece of the puzzle. The founders who get the most out of conferences are the ones who do the work before they arrive. Use this checklist, show up prepared, and make every conversation count.

Good luck out there.

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This article is the first in a three piece series to help founders prepare for key conferences. Part I: The Founder’s Web Summit Checklist: 10 Things You Need to Prepare. Read it here. Part II: Meeting the Investors? Here’s what they’ll ask. Read it here. Part III: Going to Web Summit? Here Are the 15 Questions You Need to Prepare For the Investors You Meet. Read it here.