Crafting Visionary Startup Pitches

I've heard 1000s of pitches in my career. Most fade from memory within hours. But last week, a founder walked into my office and delivered a 3-minute pitch that made me cancel my next meeting to continue our conversation. What made it different? → She didn't open with market size or projections. → She didn't lead with her impressive background. → She didn't dive into technical specifications. Instead, she told a story about her grandmother's struggle with medication management that led to a hospitalization. This personal pain point drove her to create a solution that's now helping thousands of seniors maintain independence. The pitch worked because it followed a simple framework: 1. The Problem (60 seconds) • She identified a specific pain point with real consequences • She quantified the scope with precise statistics • She made it personal and relatable 2. The Solution (60 seconds) • She demonstrated her unique approach • She showed early traction with actual user stories • She explained why alternatives were failing 3. The Ask (60 seconds) • She clearly articulated how our capital would be deployed • She outlined specific milestones for the next 18 months • She tied everything back to the human impact What struck me most was her clarity. No jargon. No hyperbole. Just authentic passion paired with business acumen. The most successful founders understand that VCs fund solutions to problems we can feel and visualize, not just markets with attractive TAMs. What's your approach to crafting a compelling pitch? Have you found storytelling more effective than data dumps? #VentureCapital #PitchAdvice #Startups #Entrepreneurship #InvestorPerspective

VC Fundraising 99% of founders pitch VCs wrong. After reviewing 1,000+ startup pitches, I've noticed a pattern that kills most fundraising attempts before they even start. Most founders walk into that room talking about their product. Features, functionality, technical specs. They're solving for the wrong equation. Here's what actually gets checks written: VCs don't invest in products. They invest in markets. The winning founders I've backed all understood this. They didn't lead with "Here's what we built." They led with "Here's the inevitable future we're capturing." Think about it: Every VC has seen brilliant products fail because the market wasn't ready. And they've seen mediocre products win because they caught a wave at exactly the right moment. The shift is subtle but powerful: ❌ "Our AI platform has 47 features that optimize workflow efficiency" ✅ "Remote work created a $40B productivity crisis. We're capturing that tailwind." ❌ "We've built the most advanced blockchain solution" ✅ "Traditional finance is breaking. We're building what comes next." The best pitches I've seen make me feel stupid for not seeing the opportunity sooner. They don't sell me on their startup—they sell me on inevitability. Your pitch should answer one question: "How big can this get?" Not: "Look what we built." Not: "Here's our roadmap." But: "Here's the massive shift happening, and here's how we win." If you can't explain your startup's market opportunity to a 12-year-old in one sentence, you're not ready to pitch VCs yet. Complexity kills checks. Clarity creates them. I'm always looking for founders who understand this distinction. If you're raising capital and think you've cracked the code on market positioning, I'd love to hear your one-liner. What's the inevitable future you're building toward? Drop it in the comments or reach out: https://bit.ly/pitchIV

How I helped a startup get unstuck and raise millions. The 4 simple steps that made it happen ↓ “Hi, we are an AI company that does X for Y”. Does it sound familiar? It's the generic pitch that makes startups get lost in the noise. If that’s you, maybe it’s time to rethink your story. That was the case for one of my clients. That kind of pitch no longer grabbed VCs' attention. Why? Because they were being bombarded by ‘AI companies’. What did we change? We shifted the focus from the technology to the transformation. Here’s what we did, in 4 simple steps: - - 1) Accept that you are at a dead-end Embrace change to make change happen. This is by far the hardest part. Once we acknowledged the need for a new approach… ↓ 2) Find an angle to your differentiation Carve out a new niche to bring novelty to the category. Show how you solve the problem in a fresh, unexpected way. Make it impossible for others to pitch the same story. How? ↓ 3) Reframe the narrative Shift the focus from the tech to your unique approach. Make it clear why this perspective changes the game. Frame it in a way that clicks instantly with your audience. Even great ideas get ignored if they don’t resonate with investors. ↓ 4) Anchor the story in impact Show why this problem is urgent and worth solving now. Make it clear how your approach unlocks real business value. Glorify the outcome: the more tangible, the better. Investors back results, not technology. - - It ended up sounding something like this: “Hi, we are a [new micro-category] company, we help X do Y in less than 50% of what it takes now, saving millions of $ and years of Z... and by the way, we do it with a bit of AI”. It was a story that cut through the clutter and generated curiosity. Investors began to take them seriously. And eventually, they raised multi-millions. Now... did you notice that I said simple, but I didn’t say easy? It was weeks of deep research, debate, and iteration, to finally land on the right approach. Oh! My favorite part? We killed the "We are revolutionizing”. 😂 - - - If you found this post helpful: ❤️ → Give it a like  💬 → Share your thoughts in the comments ♻️ → Repost it to help others 🔔 → Follow me for more insights on brands and strategy 📩 → DM me and let’s turn you into a branding champion

If you’re explaining, you’re losing. Investors have short attention spans, so you want to hook them in the first 30 seconds. Here’s how you do it: 1. Start with the “why.”  What’s the big problem your startup solves? Skip the jargon and paint a vivid picture. For example: “Did you know X industry loses $50B annually because [pain point]? We’re here to change that.” 2. Signal a big market.  Investors want to know the opportunity is worth chasing. Frame it clearly: “We’re tackling a $50B market with no dominant players.” 3. Show demand.  Highlight the real problem you’re solving and evidence that people care. “70% of [target audience] report they’d switch to a better solution today.” 4. Prove you’re the one. Why you? Share your edge: your experience, insights, or unfair advantage. For me: Four years ago, I quit my IB job to help founders raise Series A & B and that is now a multi-million business. In 2024, I wanted to make that type service more accessible for more founders and that's why we built Capwave AI. 5. Get straight to traction. Even if it’s early, showcase momentum: “Since launching, we’ve onboarded 1,000 users, growing 20% month-over-month.” Every second counts, and simplicity wins. Say what you mean, signal the essentials, and let your story + DATA shine. What’s your top tip for creating a killer pitch? What have you tried that works? And what do you recommend your fellow founders to stay away from?

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 I’ve been through 100 teaser early stage pitch decks that led to investment. And tried to codify a template. The best decks I see just flow, implicit and explicit is balanced, and as an investor you ‘get it’ instantly. e.g. 1 message per slide, narrative based, no cognitive overload, and in places I’m educated, humoured, surprised etc. 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵. 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. In early stage startup land it’s mostly story, because there often aren’t that many meaningful numbers. Yet. Story telling is invoking feelings and emotion. Obvs. 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿. Here’s a kicker - 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦-𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦. (Or at the very least set a powerful scene - origin and vision with passion wins.) A key challenge I see for many founders is that they know too much about their business. I see it in decks all the time. So breath in grandpa / grandma mode before you walk in the room or open Zoom i.e. would it make sense to them? 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 This is more positioning than pure pitch. i.e. Value version of ‘It’ plus differentiation. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 Origin story plus your vision works well here wrapped into why you exist. 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 No need for CVs, just short credible soundbites. Why you. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 Get creative and describe your purpose from the client’s perspective. It’s about them not you. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 Stepped addressable market approach as missions. 1 - 2 - 3 boom. Global domination. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Any and all credible financial milestones. Package whatever you have. 𝗚𝗼-𝗧𝗼-𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 Strategy and tactics to get to market. KISSed with proof points. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 An honest view of how you’ll beat the gorillas in the mist. 2x2s or grids are fine. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘄 Timing and luck are key to success which is trends and insight packaged as FOMO. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗸 What you need, from who and why. It’s a 2-way street taking investment. Define your ideal partner. Does this cover all the food groups, no. Is it exhaustive, no. But I see so many that miss basics, I'm hoping it's a useful sanity check, poke in the eye. Let me know your thoughts. #founders #startup #pitchdeck #investment #venturecapital #VC  

When raising our $780k pre-seed, I spent much time thinking about how to pitch and not enough time on what to pitch for different situations. Here are the three pitches founders need to have in their back pocket. 1️⃣ 1-Minute Elevator Pitch Perfect for networking sessions where you have little time to make an impression. Keep it concise and impactful by focusing on these key points - 1. Company - your company and mission statement. 2. Vision - what the world looks like if you’re successful. 3. Traction - revenue, # of users, etc. 4. The Ask - details of your raise Here’s my elevator pitch for Chezie: “Chezie is poised to help 57,000+ companies around the world create better products, build more inclusive workplaces, and ultimately drive business results by reimagining what’s possible with their most underutilized asset: employee resource groups.” 2️⃣ 5-Minute Vision Pitch Ideal for pitch competitions and accelerator interviews where you have a bit more time to elaborate but still need to be concise. Include these elements - 1. Company 2. Traction 3. Problem - explain the problem you solve and for whom you solve it. 4. Solution - explain your product/service. 5. Vision 6. Team - Highlight your team's strengths and expertise. 7. The Ask 3️⃣ 10-Minute Full Pitch To be used for traditional, one-on-one investor meetings where you can provide a detailed overview of your startup. Cover all bases with these points: 1. Company 2. Traction 3. Problem 4. Solution 5. Vision 6. Market Opportunity - detail the size of your market and how you calculated it. 7. Business Model - describe how your company makes money. 8. Competition - review your competitors and what makes you different. 9. Go to Market - explain how you get in front of customers. 10. Team 11. The Ask Knowing what to pitch for is as important as knowing how to pitch! Change these based on what works for you, but this should be a good starting point for underrepresented founders. #blackfounders #fundraising #pitches

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: 7 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅   Over the years, I’ve discovered that pitching isn’t just about presenting an idea—it’s about inspiring belief. I remember pitching my first big idea, nervous but determined. That experience taught me some lifelong lessons, and I’m sharing them here to help you nail your next pitch.   𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐲 People connect with purpose, not just ideas. Start with why your idea exists and why it matters. This sets the emotional foundation for your pitch.   𝟐. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 Every pitch involves strategy. Pay attention to body language, tone, and reactions. Adapt in real-time to create connection and trust.   𝟑. 𝐁𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 Confidence is born from preparation. Anticipate every question, master your numbers, and rehearse until you’re pitch-perfect. When you’re prepared, you can focus on delivering your vision.   𝟒. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 Keep it simple. Investors don’t want jargon—they want clarity and impact. Get to the point and make your pitch easy to follow.   𝟓. 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 Stories persuade more than facts. Frame your pitch as a journey: start with the problem, introduce your solution, and end with an inspiring vision of success.   𝟔. 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮 Investors bet on people, not just ideas. Show your energy, passion, and expertise. Confidence and authenticity can win over even the toughest critics.   𝟕. 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 End by painting a vivid picture of the future and expressing gratitude for their time. Inspire them and make them feel valued.   I’ve been on both sides of the table—as the one pitching and as the one being pitched to. These lessons shaped my journey, and I hope they help you on yours.   Now, I’m looking for recruitment entrepreneurs in the US with innovative ideas, and I’m ready to invest in your startup. If you’ve got a vision, let’s bring it to life! Drop a comment below or send me a private message to start the conversation.   So, what’s your big idea? Let’s make it happen.    #Funding #Startup #Recruitment

After 20+ years in venture, I’ve heard thousands of pitches. Few founders move on to the second meeting. Here’s why: Often, it’s not just what they’re building, it’s how they frame it. The most compelling founders connect the dots between where the world is today and where it should be tomorrow. They’re not transactional in how they talk about their company. They tell the story through the eyes and experiences of the customer today. Sanjay Beri from Netskope did this early on. People thought he was building a CASB. He wasn’t. He was building a cloud network security company—one no one saw coming. That kind of narrative cuts through. It signals clarity, ambition, and conviction. The founders who get the second meeting? They’re the ones who make you want to keep listening. #VC #StartupPitch #Founder

Founders, here are my three core components of a good pitch: 1. Show why the problem is deeply and uniquely important to you 2. Show just how huge the problem is (and bigger than anyone realizes) 3. Show the unique advantage you bring to the table in solving the problem I've been on the founding teams of three businesses and have heard countless pitches as an investor. I've found that focusing on these three aspects helps a pitch stand out from the rest. Be crystal-clear about why you'll dedicate your life to solving the problem, why massive amounts of value will be created by solving it, and why you and your team have the upper hand. #entrepreneurship #lessonslearned

Have you ever wondered why some pitches captivate an investor’s attention while others barely scratch the surface?🤔 I’ve been in a room with a #founder and two #investors, one after another. The first was data-driven📊 and we tailored the pitch to deep dive into financials and unit economics. The second investor, emotionally-driven, was captivated by the founder’s passion for the product, the market, and the team behind the venture.💡 We nailed both pitches. The secret isn’t just about what you say but how you say it. Sure, there’s a lot of advice on what you need to include in a pitch. But remember, these are just guidelines. The essence of a pitch isn’t rigid; it’s fluid, it’s adaptive.🌊 No two investors are alike; hence, your pitch must be versatile enough to cater to the unique interests of each. This is where your instinct and intuition come into play.🔮 The ability to read the room and steer the conversation in a way that resonates with the listener can be the difference between a ‘maybe’ and a ‘yes’.🚀 Your pitch should typically cover the following key points: 🔍 The Problem: Identify a compelling issue your business is addressing. 💡 Your Solution: Present a unique solution. 🌍 Market Size: Highlight the scale of your target market. 💰Business Model: Discuss how your venture will generate revenue and profits. 🥇Competitive Advantage: Show what sets you apart from the competition. 👥Team: The individuals who will execute the vision. 📈Financial Projections: Provide an outlook of your financial future. 🌱Use of Funds: Detail how you plan to use the investment to grow. 🚪Exit Strategy: Outline the return strategy for investors. But remember, while these points lay the groundwork, they aren’t the pitch itself. The essence of a successful pitch is the connection you establish with your audience. Trust your instincts, play to your strengths, and tailor your conversation to resonate with each investor.💫 No two investors are alike, so why should your pitch be?🕴️♀️🕴️♂️ ------------------ ⚡ I’m Ivan ⚡ I help startups raise pre-seed and seed funding ⚡ I’m a Financial Model and Excel fanatic ⚡ Founder of Investors Outreach Service with access to 20,000 HNWIs and 450 Seed VCs I write on LinkedIn daily, sharing my experience and tips on fundraising, financial model and startup stories. Follow me or ask me questions.