The P.I.T.C.H. system
Find the best investor for your raise
P.I.T.C.H. scores and ranks venture capital, family offices, high net worth individuals, angels, strategics and non-dilutive funders against your company and your live raise, with a cited fact behind every score. Higgins built it to answer one question: who should I approach first?
A 100-point investor fit score
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Every score must cite a specific fact about both the investor and your company. Missing data is flagged and scored conservatively, never guessed, which is how Higgins keeps AI from inventing investors.
Positioning
Does the investor's thesis and portfolio show real conviction in your sector? (0-20)
Investment capacity
Can their check size fill a slot in your live raise? (0-20)
Traction / stage fit
Does their stage mandate match your company's stage? (0-20)
Contactability
Email +10, phone +4, LinkedIn +4, website +2. (0-20)
Heft
Decision authority of the named contact: GP / founder 20, partner 17, principal 13, associate 10, analyst 8, unknown 6. (0-20)
Tiers
Who to call first
| Tier | Score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 · Priority | 80-100 | Approach first. Strong thesis, capacity and stage fit with a reachable decision-maker. |
| Tier 2 · Strong | 66-79 | Strong fit with one soft spot. First outreach wave. |
| Tier 3 · Developing | 52-65 | Plausible but unproven fit. Include for volume outreach. |
| Tier 4 · Emerging | Below 52 | Long shot. Use only if the list needs volume. |
Tiers sequence outreach; they never exclude a contact.
Illustrative investor fit score (hypothetical Investor A)
One scoring discipline
How P.I.T.C.H. finds VCs, family offices, HNW investors and non-dilutive funding
Venture capital & corporate VC
Match your stage, sector and round size to funds with the thesis, capacity and a reachable partner.
Family offices
Large and small single- and multi-family offices that invest directly. See how to find family offices with AI.
High net worth & angels
Individuals with capacity and conviction for your sector, ranked by fit and contactability.
Non-dilutive funding
Grants, loans, foundations and venture philanthropy in a dedicated dashboard. See non-dilutive funding with AI.
Strategic partners
Corporates and acquirers who benefit from what you build, with a fit reason for each.
Accelerators & warm paths
Who can open doors, which accelerators fit, and the warmest path to each target.
What you receive
Three dashboards, one raise
A PITCH Investor & Partner Report (tiered investors, strategic partners, family offices and action plan), an Investor Intelligence Dashboard (your investor story, capital roadmap, warm paths, red flags) and a Grants, Loans & Philanthropy Dashboard (federal, state, foundations, watch list, case for funding and application guide).
Tier mix by category
- Tier 1 12 (11%)
- Tier 2 31 (28%)
- Tier 3 44 (40%)
- Tier 4 23 (21%)
Score distribution
Funding by funder type
Diligence readiness
Illustrative sample dashboards with hypothetical numbers, modeled on the three client deliverables Higgins produces for a raise. Real dashboards are personalized and sortable, and generate outreach e-mails from each row.
Workflow
Dean's List: from assessment to close
From startup profile to signed term sheet
- 1Personalized assessment of your startup
- 2Sourcing: investors & funders found
- 3P.I.T.C.H. scoring and tiers
- 4Dashboard + outreach copy per investor
- 5Follow-up, diligence room, close
Powered by Higgins and the best AI models in the industry and programmed by experts specialized in each area of your investment path. After setup you enjoy unlimited Dean's List use of the template built for your startup.
P.I.T.C.H. FAQ
What is P.I.T.C.H.?
P.I.T.C.H. is the Higgins 100-point investor fit score: Positioning, Investment capacity, Traction / stage fit, Contactability and Heft, each worth 20 points.
What is the difference between P.I.T.C.H. and P.U.R.E.S.?
P.U.R.E.S. scores prospects (customers) and P.I.T.C.H. scores investors. Both use tiers and require a cited fact for every score.
Does Higgins guess when data is missing?
No. Missing data is flagged and scored conservatively, never guessed, and every score cites a specific fact about the investor and your company.
Which investor types are covered?
Venture capital, large and small family offices, high net worth individuals, angels, strategics, grants, loans, foundations and venture philanthropy.
How do I try Dean's List?
Try it risk free with no credit card. Use Contact Higgins or the contact page; you will sign in at higgins.ai.