There are many elements to consider when a startup biotech company seeks investment. Not only are venture capitalists reviewing the company’s people, science, facilities, product, and growth strategy, they are also looking at how the business is perceived by prescribers, patients, or customers. In this blog, we will look at why visual identity helps biotech companies secure corporate funding.
Visual identity encompasses the ‘outer’ elements of a brand, those that are seen by the target audience and elicit a particular feeling or response. These include logo, colour palette, imagery, typography, and graphic device. Visual identity sits alongside and is informed by the ‘inner’ elements of a brand like vision, mission, tone of voice, messaging, and personality. What are the reasons why visual identity is important when seeking investment?
1. Visual identity inspires trust
Visuals can say a lot. A great looking, professionally designed brand suggests a company and team know how to delegate tasks, budget for marketing, keep their target audience in mind, understand the market, and position the business for success. Ultimately, venture capitalists want to feel confident in their investment and it goes without saying that clear, consistent, and quality branding encourages that.
A key way to build trust in a brand is through consistency. An investor would expect a biotech company to be able to show goals that are reliably met as well as visual unity across brand platforms. This indicates that a company is well established and resolute.
Certain brandstyles can communicate corporate stability and professionalism. For example in the investment arena there are certain brand colours that are associated with trust – blue is by far the global favourite.
2. Visual identity communicates clarity
Being able to clearly articulate the startup’s mission, teams, and technology is a vital step in capturing the attention of a biotech venture capitalist and securing funding. In conjunction with this, images and graphics are powerful tools in communicating the value and strength of technology and science.
A visual identity includes a brand guidelines document that instructs a design agency or internal team on how the brand should be represented. The guide is essential when creating a polished pitch presentation for example and it’s one of the reasons STEM clients rebrand – so that all of their assets match up.
The pitch deck is tremendously important to the outcome of an investment meeting. It’s like a real-time, interactive microcosm of the whole brand, and must prove the value of the startup. An initial application for funding may rest on a cold-call and 10-slide presentation. What’s in the deck and how it is presented is crucial.
From a venture capitalist’s perspective, how a brand looks and feels can clarify a vast amount of information succinctly and is an important reason why visual identity helps biotech companies. The sooner an investor can understand the brand, the more likely a second meeting.
3. Visual identity is a means to stand out amongst competitors
There is a lot of competition out there, and branding that is clean, beautiful, and well-designed will set a startup apart from others in the STEM industry. What it will also do is demonstrate the founders belief in the brand and in turn, excite investors.
Visual identity can go a long way in showing rather than telling venture capitalists how it is different from competitors, how it solves consumer problems, and why it is a viable business to invest in. In addition, visual identity communicates what a brand stands for that perhaps other companies don’t.
Why visual identity helps biotech companies secure funding
A strong visual identity helps biotech companies secure funding because it exhibits a cohesive and high-performing brand. Consistency is key, and a visual identity will enable it across brand assets, especially in an investor pitch deck.
If you work for a brand in Bioscience, Tech or Engineering and would like to have a no-obligation chat about your design project, please get in touch.
Posted in Brand identity, Investment, STEM brand