A Virtual Data Room allows confidential data to be exchanged and stored in a secure way via a corporate cloud or within an organization’s perimeter. The central function of online data room software is to provide access to securely stored documents for authorized users through a specialized website or secure agent applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as IOS and Android mobile devices. Unlike the FTP protocol, through which information is transmitted in an exposed form, VDR data exchange occurs according to the principle of E2E encryption using protected SSL or TLS transport protocols, which guarantees full safeness when exchanging data between the agent and the server, shielding them from MITM attacks. When the DRM protection component is merged into the virtual data room, being a proficient analog of AD RMS, you can be assured that the data will be hidden from prying eyes throughout the document’s entire lifespan, even after it is exported from the virtual data room.
What is the Importance of a Virtual Data Room in the Framework of Fundraising?
Investors are dissimilar, but they all have a universal characteristic: the desire to learn all the details about your offer before they choose to invest. One of the essential criteria is the ability to get all the necessary information from you in an organized and comprehensible manner. Fast. In this case, you will become their connoisseur, a specialist they can be confident in and rely on. In this regard, trust and efficiency in exchanging information are fundamental in order to establish thriving business cooperation. Attracting investments is a non-stop job.
Consequently, the better you prepare ahead of time, the less nerve-racking and challenging this process will be. The use of data room software is one of the key stages of such preparation. We encourage you to consider the data room overviews from this website, in which we have thoroughly discussed the different data room vendors.
How to Set Up a Data Room to Succeed in Your Fundraising Efforts?
Depending on the stage (pre-seed, seed, series A, etc.), the layout and components of the virtual data rooms will differ. When you have two people on the team, an MVP and a couple of beta testers, a financial model, a pitch deck, a cap table, and a pre-shareholders agreement will be enough. But it’s an entirely different matter when you have a working business (even a small one) with employees, technical documentation, financial statements, and, of course, clients. To determine the software provider for your company, be sure to compare virtual data rooms, namely their pros and cons. For this purpose, reviewing the data room comparison we have previously compiled is a good idea.
Listed below are the must-haves of an electronic data room that are integral when communicating with investors. Ensure that you have everything you need before negotiations begin:
- One-pager/Executive summary – Some investors prefer this short document over a pitch deck to briskly examine your project.
- Pitch Deck – a thorough and straightforward presentation of your idea, market, crew, etc.
- Table of capitalization – allocation of shares.
- Explanation of the technology used and “how” your solution works – the architecture, what happens on the backside, and the critical processes.
- Analysis of competitors – extensive and up-to-date data with all the important details for your Go-2-Market, pricing, strategy, etc.
- Sales strategy / Go-2-Market – how you will distribute your service/product and the available exclusive channels.
- Roadmap (business and product development) – how you will develop your business and improve your product/service in the long run.
- The cash flow, financial model, and profit and loss statements: forecast, history, and how the funds from the previous round(s) were spent.
- Dashboard with metrics – your traction.
- A detailed description of the use of funds – how the investments will be spent.
Don’t forget that when fundraising, you must focus on distribution and show results to demonstrate that you can bring in profit and grow. As entrepreneurs, you should start collecting the essential paperwork in the early stages and structure it well prior to sharing it with investors. We advise you to keep a close eye on the virtual data room providers present on the market and, consequently, the data room services they offer.
Do Virtual Data Rooms Work as Claimed?
No matter what software you use to transfer files between company employees or external counterparties – a public cloud or FTP – today, these mechanisms can be considered outdated. The tools mentioned provide a level of security comparable to putting a document in a desk drawer, in which case there is absolutely no protection of the company’s data. On the contrary, a virtual data room can be regarded as your personal safety for storing corporate information – each action is recorded and controlled. When choosing the solution fit for your business, remember that the best data rooms offer top security features, so make this the main point of your checklist.
