During 2025, investor capital has not disappeared, but it has shifted. According to research from the Angel Investment Network, 40% of angel investors worldwide plan to increase their investment volume this year, while another 39% will maintain current levels. This suggests that the funding pool remains strong, but competition for those pounds is steeper than ever.
British entrepreneur and investor Matt Haycox, who has spent more than two decades backing and mentoring growing businesses, believes most founders still misunderstand what investors truly want. His insights outline five unfiltered lessons every founder needs to hear before asking for money.
- Investors Back People First
Haycox often says, ‘I don’t invest in ideas. I invest in people who can execute them.’ His approach mirrors a broader market reality: most early-stage investors now rank founder quality above product innovation. A 2025 survey from Coinlaw found that 85% of angel investors prioritise leadership competence and resilience over the product itself.
For Haycox, that means character counts just as much as spreadsheets. He looks for founders who can absorb hits, make tough calls and recover fast, qualities he believes are the true differentiator when capital gets tight.
- Storytelling Beats Slide Decks
While financials matter, Haycox insists that the most investable founders are also the best storytellers. ‘Investors are human,’ he explains. ‘They want to believe in something bigger than spreadsheets.’ He teaches that compelling founders anchor their pitch in emotion and evidence: why the business exists, who it serves and how it wins.
According to the UK Business Angels Association’s 2025 Investor Confidence Report, over one in five investors cite poor storytelling and lack of clarity as the main reasons they reject a pitch. Haycox’s takeaway is simple: a clear narrative converts faster than an overdesigned slide deck.
- Show Skin In The Game
For Haycox, commitment speaks louder than enthusiasm. ‘If you won’t risk your own capital, don’t expect me to risk mine,’ he says. Founders who show personal financial or reputational investment immediately stand out. This principle aligns with findings from the British Business Bank, which reports that founder contribution remains one of the top three confidence indicators among UK private investors in 2025. In Haycox’s world, conviction sells and nothing signals conviction like betting on yourself first.
- Translate Real Numbers Simply
Too many entrepreneurs, Haycox says, drown investors in unnecessary data. His advice is to master three figures: cash flow, customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. ‘If you can’t explain those in 30 seconds, you don’t understand your business,’ he warns.
The British Business Bank’s Small Business Equity Tracker 2025, states early-stage investors are increasingly wary of overcomplicated financial models and now focus more on unit economics and revenue resilience. Haycox’s team at his business finance platform, Funding Guru often helps founders refine these numbers into simple, credible narratives that build investor trust fast.
- Build Relationships Before The Pitch
Haycox believes most fundraising mistakes happen long before the pitch begins. ‘You don’t meet investors at the table,’ he says. ‘You meet them by being visible, useful and credible months earlier.’ Research from Beauhurst found that more than 60% of UK venture deals in 2025 involved founders who already had a relationship with their lead investor. This, Haycox argues, proves that social capital is often more valuable than financial capital when it comes to attracting funding.
The New Reality Of Raising Capital
With his decades of experience and no-nonsense style, Matt Haycox presents a modern blueprint for founders who know the terrain has shifted. He emphasises that today’s investor values authenticity, clarity and founder alignment more than ever. ‘Investors buy conviction,’ he says, ‘and hands-on commitment beats splashy projections.’
Entrepreneurs who apply his five principles are better placed to turn interest into investment, not just at the table but long after the deal is signed.