What questions investor may ask game developer at initial meetings: guide from Narwhal Accelerator
Communicating with an investor is challenging and might be confusing for game developers who have never attempted to secure funding before. This brief guide from Narwhal Accelerator can help teams prepare for an important meeting.
Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio (Pexels)
Last week, Narwhal co-founder Dmitrii Filatov shared on LinkedIn a list of questions a game investor might request during a meeting.
There are over 30 questions on the list, and they are divided into eight topics:
- General — legal structure, cap table;
- Finance — burn rate, current funding, performance of already released games, etc.;
- Plans — founders’ plans, company goals, plans for investment funds;
- Partnership — what expertise and terms a company expects from a partner;
- Team — size, location, hiring plans, etc.;
- Processes/Technologies — development tools, IP and licenses, use of AI, etc.;
- About your Game — game’s roadmap, current stage of development, competitors, business model, main challenges, etc.;
- Marketing — marketing strategy and what will make the game stand out from competitors.
“I would add that communication with an investor (as well as with a publisher) is like a date, not a purchase in a store,” Filatov noted. “You can and should ask questions too, and you can also request feedback about the investor.”
The full list can be seen in this Google Doc.
What is Narwhal Accelerator?
Launched in January 2024, Narwhal is an accelerator aimed at connecting game developers with potential investors. It focuses on games for PC, console, and mobile (both premium and free-to-play) from developers across Europe, LATAM, and MENA regions.
Narwhal currently provides direct investments up to $300k, as well as legal support, hiring, and other services. In return, the accelerator asks for a small stake of company shares.
Its founding team includes two MGVC veterans, Dmitrii Filatov (also former director of products funding at Xsolla) and Grigory Bortnik (also former investment director at Owlcat Games).
