I explore this question in my short, partly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a pitch designer in deep-tech. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, design, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
How to compress complex ideas
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You’ve been immersed in your venture for years, fine-tuning every detail until it’s a vivid HD image in your mind. What’s your move? What’s the optimal compression mechanism to convey the essence of your venture in a one-hour meeting? The rational instinct might say: "Pick the most relevant facts, present them objectively, and the value will be obvious." The problem? Value does not reside in facts. Value is an effect—it emerges from the interaction between objective facts and the deeper human context they live in. Separate facts from context, and you lose the value as well. The image projected becomes a shallow, two-dimensional symbol of your venture. So what can you do? Think of image compression algorithms: Start with values—your values. What are the values that YOU see in your venture? Identify them clearly, and then focus on sharing them as directly as you can. Only include facts that support these values—not the other way around. The clearer you understand your values, the closer the investor will see them as you do—no matter the bandwidth. Yours, Sagi |
What makes people see value in a thing?
I explore this question in my short, partly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a pitch designer in deep-tech. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, design, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
A question arrived by LinkedIn, that you might find useful (edited for brevity): Hi Sagi, I’m still an undergrad, but I am already facing a challenge with fundraising for our solar race car initiative. Could you share your most important insight from designing tech investment pitches? Here's the response:Hi Harry, This is a big question but here's a thought to nudge you in the right direction: Think of pitching as answering one core question that investors have. You might assume that question...
Here's a thought experiment. You are a VC. About to start yet another meeting with a startup that reached out. It’s your third today - your seventh this week. After a couple of minutes of small talk, one of the founders connects their laptop and hits “Present.” You lean back in your chair, ready to listen. Now pause. What do you hope happens next? What could the founder say or do that will make you go: "Yes! This is the one. Not the team from the previous meeting. Not one of the other 22 I've...
If you’re scientifically minded, shouldn’t you question the entire premise of pitching? The idea that you are supposed to TALK people into investing in you. It’s not obvious to me that humans work that way. Don’t get me wrong, language is useful. It made us what we are as a species. But it’s also just noises you make with your mouth. It costs nothing and our subconscious knows it. Look at nature: A female wont "invest" in a mate unless he can present an impressive peacock tail or large set of...