Authenticity, enthusiasm, conviction and connection, that’s what distinguishes a pitch

By Bart Brouwers

It was the second get-together for the AI Pitch Competition finalists. In the backstage of the Tilburg Willem II Stadium, the nine remaining teams were prepped for a pitching workshop by Erasmus Enterprise’s investment manager Bas van der Noll and Head of Business Development Liesje Goldschmidt, both experts in building a business. After Go-Tan CEO Han Go gave the contestants a bag of insights into the decisive moments behind his entrepreneurial success, they could start working on improving their own pitches.

Supported by eighteen experienced mentors, the hands-on session was designed to help the startups craft a pitch that grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression. “Whether it’s mastering storytelling, nailing your elevator pitch, or perfecting delivery, this workshop has everything you need to level up”, Liesje Goldschmidt promised at the event’s start. And that’s exactly what they got out of the workshop, with the main message for all of them always to keep the audience in mind. “Pitching is selling your story”, Van der Noll said. “Every pitch is a compelling story about a topic to spark interest from your audience. It allows for further questions, conversations, and opportunities to interact.”

A second version

Some of the advice was more practical, like “always have a second version of your story ready, for example, if your PowerPoint doesn’t work, or you have less time than expected”. That’s also where some theoretical framework from the Minto Pyramid Principle was added. “Start with the main conclusions, then work your way through the key arguments, and if there’s more time, go into more detail. This allows you to build different pitch versions, varying from 30 seconds to 10 minutes or more.”

Van der Noll and Goldschmidt clarified that the best pitches are about authenticity, enthusiasm, conviction, and connection. Still, it’s not only about the attitude on stage; the content of the message is just as crucial. Han Go, who leads the family-founded sauce imperium Go-Tan with his brother, added a bit of basic financial wisdom to all the suggestions already given. “Make your numbers correct and easy to understand for your audience. Make sure they can believe what you are saying. Every piece of financial information must be supported by evidence.” Money, Go added, is the blood of every business. “It must keep running through your veins and keep your heart healthy. Every day, there are just three things a company should take care of: sell more, improve the margins, and control your costs.”

This is the AI Pitch Competition

Click here to read all the previously published articles about the AI Pitch Competition.

Thank you

But before the blood starts running, there’s still a lot of work to do, Van der Noll clarified. “Every success starts with a convincing pitch. Make deliberate choices on what to tell and what to leave out of your story. What does this specific audience need from you?” A strong opening of a talk is necessary, but so is a powerful closing, Goldschmidt added. “Too many startups forget to close their pitch in the right way. They just say ‘thank you’ and leave the stage. Don’t do that! Use the opportunity for a call to action. Your last words must remain in the heads of the audience. What’s the most important thing you want from them? Well, that must be your final message.”

What this all resulted in was different for every participant. Here are some of their learnings:

We are mainly going to talk in bigger numbers in our pitches. Until now we mostly talked about numbers for one farm. We now are going to talk more on a European level.

Sander Baijens, BaiTech

We would focus the pitch more towards consumers if we do not know the audience beforehand; making it relatable for everyone within our target audience!

Damian Ashworth, BrainBite

People can share a pitch if they complement each other well.

Dennis van Ravesteyn, Maps Untold

Next time, I’ll pitch to connect, not just to convince.

Naila Loudini, Aevai Health

It’s both about nuances and major differences in the storytelling: audience is k.e.y.

Marco van der Aa, MoreMovement

In our next pitch, I’ll focus on delivering a more compelling, fact-based narrative that highlights the impact of our solution and addresses the needs of the audience.

Jose Luis Trigueros Soto, Exergy

The best stories aren’t just well-told; they’re perfectly tailored to those who receive them. There are many ways to tell a good story, but your story is only as good as the match with your audience.

Evelien Nieuwenhuis, Dembrane