Imagine you are about to perform a three-minute startup pitch. You stand on stage, the countdown timer ticking. Precious seconds go by, and as you start talking about your business, you explain who you are. You mention the team — beep, beep — the time is up. What. Already. Well, that has happened to a lot of founders.

I can guarantee you, nailing a three-minute stage pitch is not easy, and it’s not something that most of us can just wing. Some of the best practices for preparing a long presentation actually do not apply to a three-minute stage pitch and can even be harmful.

Why? Because the margin of error is so thin.

In this episode, you’ll find out how many words and sentences you can actually fit into a three-minute pitch, what the four elements are that you absolutely have to include, and how you can end your pitch on a powerful note. The interesting thing is, it’s easier to turn a three-minute pitch into a five-minute or eight-minute pitch than the other way around.

It’s better to start with a short version and then add to it, whereas cutting content is really, really tough. So whatever you take away from today, this is the essence of your pitch.

Our lovely guest today is David Beckett. David is an international pitch coach who has trained over 2,900 startups and scaleups to win over 490 million in investment. David is also the creator of the Pitch Canvas and author of the books Pitch to Win and Blue Moon Pitch. It was really a blast to talk to him, and I hope you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

Scaling Nerds helps science and tech founders master the essential communication skills of startup growth so you can fundraise easier, attract customers, and scale faster. I’m your host, Marina Schmidt, a communications advisor for founders specialized in AgriFood, biotech, and materials — or put differently, I scale nerds.

Links

Connect with David Beckett

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeckettpresentationcoach/

Best3Minutes

https://best3minutes.com/

The Pitch Canvas

https://best3minutes.com/the-pitch-canvas/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/

#StartupPitchTraining
#ThreeMinutePitch
#FounderFundraising
#InvestorPitchTips
#PitchCoachInsights
#StartupCommunication
#DeepTechFounders
#ScienceTechStartups
#PitchToWin
#PitchCanvasFramework
#ScalingNerdsPodcast
#StartupGrowthStrategies
#StartupSEO
#PodcastSEO
#PodcastShowNotes
#FounderSkills
#PitchStructure
#StagePitchPreparation
#EntrepreneurAdvice

Okay, this was a really, really great episode. Today I'm helping another founder with a life pitch fix, and you are really in for a treat because on the one hand, Strong by Form, the company of today, is absolutely fascinating. And on the other hand, we are also going to be covering so many helpful concepts that will help you improve your pitch and your communication, all while working on a really interesting case study.

So to start off, I will just pitch you Strong by Form how I pitch it to friends or random people, right? If you think of a healthy tree, imagine a healthy tree with long branches. It is really fascinating how resilient trees can be, right? Surviving wind and storm. How is that possible? It is actually partially due to the way the fibers of the wood align. Now Strong by Form saw an opportunity here and decided to analyze this and learn from the natural fiber structure of trees to create wood that is as strong as steel or concrete.

Now their super wood can be used as the cover, the external layer of cars. Imagine a Mercedes or a BMW just covered with a layer of wood on the outside.

Super resilient, but it could also cover skyscrapers or replace the concrete slabs used within skyscrapers. Andreas Mitnick, the founder and CEO of Strong by Form, is, in my humble opinion, sitting on a gold mine of storytelling that can sometimes be pretty hard to grasp as the founder, right? Because there is a German saying: you don’t see the forest due to too many trees.

Well, that is exactly what is going on in this episode. You get to witness the process of rediscovering the forest, the big picture, as we, layer by layer, reshape the pitch of Strong by Form from the ground up. You will find that Andre’s excitement and energy truly build throughout the episode.

So I would say it really is worth listening until the end.

Links

Connect with Andres Mitnik

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-mitnik/

Check out Strong By Form

https://www.strongbyform.com/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/⁠

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth

Episode keywords

startup pitch example, Series A pitch example, pitch deck feedback, live pitch coaching, how to pitch investors, startup storytelling example, deep tech pitch, climate tech startup pitch, materials startup, sustainable materials innovation, biomimicry startup, wood stronger than steel, founder pitch training, investor presentation tips, pitch deck strategy, startup communication skills, VC pitch preparation, real startup case study, Andres Mitnik interview, Strong by Form pitch.

 Early-stage founders spend years learning how to fundraise from venture capitalists.

But very few ever look beyond the VC sitting across the table.

Just like founders need to fundraise from VCs, VCs need to fundraise from limited partners.

Who are the guys who give VCs the molah-molah?

What are the hidden incentives?

And how those dynamics quietly shape fundraising, timing, and pressure.

“Everyone thinks they’re pitching one person. They’re not.”

Ariel Barack is a Senior Partner and the Chief Executive of Ordway Selections, a private investment office investing primarily in food and agriculture, health, blockchains, and digital assets.

As Einstein said, “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

Well, today we will look at the rules of the game, so you can play better than anyone else.

This was a very interesting conversation, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Links

Connect with Ariel Barack

https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielbarack/

Mentioned: Anterra Capital

https://anterracapital.com/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out ⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/

Find out how to solve the top 3 issues you may face in corporate sales: .1 not understanding the process, 2. the sale taking way too long, 3. getting ghosted or declined and not knowing why.

An absolute must-watch episode for any founder currently hustling for big client deals.

Links

Connect with Ben Kimura-Gross:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-k-g/

Check out Catalyne

https://www.thecatalyne.com/https://www.thecatalyne.com/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out ⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/

Episode Keywords

corporate sales strategy, B2B startup sales, enterprise sales for startups, how to close corporate deals, selling to large companies, startup pilots vs paid contracts, why pilots fail, avoiding getting ghosted in sales, long sales cycle solutions, procurement process explained, selling into corporates, founder led sales, startup business development, enterprise deal negotiation, corporate innovation programs, startup partnership strategy, revenue strategy for startups, Ben Kimura Gross interview, Catalyne startup sales, closing big clients fast.

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

 Thought leadership. It's a big topic. You may know of Infarm, the vertical farming company that raised $600 Million before going bust after the Ukraine war drove up energy prices and made their business collapse.

Regarding their operations can say all you want, the CEO of Infarm was an exceptional fundraiser. But how did he do it?

One of my close friends worked for infarm and thats how I found out that they actually hired a full-time employee in charge of supporting the founders with thought leadership.

Raising funds requires investors trusting the team, especially the founders. To me, thought leadership is about scaling yourself. Instead of only relying on one-on-one introductions you create ways for people to get to know you and what you are up to.

But well... how?

Lets explore this in the second half of this conversation with Sarah Rall, Director of Communications at Cherry Ventures.

Links

Connect with Sarah Rall:

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahrall/⁠

Check out Cherry Ventures

⁠https://cherry.vc/⁠

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out ⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/

Episode Keywords

founder thought leadership, startup personal branding, VC backed founders, how to build credibility as a founder, investor trust building, startup media strategy, LinkedIn strategy for founders, founder visibility strategy, raising venture capital, startup reputation management, executive positioning, venture capital communications, Cherry Ventures, Sarah Rall interview, scaling founder influence, startup storytelling strategy, PR for startups, founder brand building, startup communications podcast

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

At pre-seed and seed stage, many scientific and technical startups don’t have a comms specialist on board. So pitch decks are puzzled together in endless iterations, website copy is written off the cuff, and the founders just riff in interviews.
That may work out fine until the company starts truly scaling and you may face a growing amount of media interest and scrutiny.

In this episode you will hear from Sarah Rall, Vice President of Communications and Brand at Cherry Ventures. Based in London, Sarah has faced journalists digging for dirt and media crises, been through the communications journey of a startup all the way to IPO, and supports startups across their portfolio. Cherry’s 2022 fund is 320M large, with 50% of their fund reserved for supporting their founders on their growth journey.

In this episode, you will find out what comms pitfalls to avoid on your startup growth journey, including an essential tool for aligning your growing

Links

Connect with Sarah Rall:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahrall/

Check out Cherry Ventures

https://cherry.vc/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Could use some help with your comms?

Check out https://www.wearekinetik.com/

Episode Keywords

startup media crisis, post Series A strategy, startup PR mistakes, crisis communications for startups, media training for founders, scaling startup communications, reputation risk management, handling journalist scrutiny, startup brand alignment, investor relations strategy, communications after fundraising, startup IPO communications, venture capital portfolio support, Cherry Ventures portfolio, Sarah Rall insights, startup narrative alignment, proactive PR strategy, technical founder media skills, high growth startup branding, startup communications leadership

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

How can you adapt your pitch on the fly to a potential customer, to an investor, or to a generalist audience? Today you can listen in on a live consulting session where I help a founder crack this question.

In this episode, I'm consulting Oliver Siegel, the co-founder and CEO of the deep tech startup Magmatic Bio. Magmatic designs synthetic proteins that separate critical metals from each other.

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠

[email protected]

Need help communicating your tech?

https://www.wearekinetik.com/

Check out Magmatic

https://magmatic.bio/

Connect with Oliver

https://www.linkedin.com/in/siegel-oliver/https://www.linkedin.com/in/siegel-oliver/

Episode Keywords

live pitch feedback, startup pitch coaching session, adapting your pitch to investors, customer vs investor pitch, critical minerals startup, deep tech fundraising pitch, cleantech startup narrative, mining innovation startup, synthetic biology startup, separating rare earth metals, protein engineering startup, Magmatic Bio, Oliver Siegel interview, technical startup storytelling, investor ready pitch, pitch deck refinement, science startup communication, B2B deep tech sales pitch, startup narrative strategy, real founder consulting session

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

If your startup needs to speak to very different audiences — investors, corporates, consumers — this episode lays out why that skill matters more than most founders think.

How you explain your work changes depending on who’s in front of you, and that can decide whether people actually understand what you do. If you’re selling cookies, fine. If you’re building a complex solution to a complex problem, communication becomes core to the product.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Nina Mannheim, previously the co-founder and CPO of Klim. Klim started back in 2019 in Berlin, when “regenerative agriculture” was still a barely known term. The team had to figure out how to make a complicated topic land with groups who had completely different levels of context and completely different interests. Not easy — but they still managed to raise a 22M Series A in 2024.

What Klim learned applies far beyond agriculture.

00:00 Why stakeholder communication matters
00:42 Klim’s origin and early challenges
02:23 Business model and stakeholder map
03:41 Why consumers still mattered
06:26 Building credibility as a tiny startup
09:07 Which stakeholder group was hardest
12:20 Early communication mistakes with farmers
23:45 Tailoring communication for investors

Links

Connect with Steve Molino:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninamannheimer/

Check out Klim

https://www.klim.eco/

Connect with the host:

⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠

[email protected]

Episode Keywords

selling complex products, explaining deep tech to investors, how to communicate innovation, startup stakeholder communication, tailoring your pitch to different audiences, B2B and B2C messaging strategy, climate tech startup communication, regenerative agriculture startup, how to raise Series A, investor communication tips, simplifying complex technology, founder messaging strategy, startup storytelling for technical products, credibility building for early stage startups, Nina Mannheimer interview, Klim startup Berlin, climate agtech funding, communicating with farmers and corporates, startup brand positioning, science driven startup marketing

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

When you are working on a technical or scientific innovation, pitching a specialized VC firm may seem like the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, someone who will get it. Or… will they?

Today’s guest, Steve Molino, is Principal at Synthesis Capital based in New Jersey. And today’s episode asks: How can founders with complex tech craft pitch decks that help them get there, past the initial interest? Ironically, having cutting-edge technology may make it harder, not easier.

Steve Molino works across food tech and biotech. Previously, he led investment activity at Clear Current Capital as Partner and Head of Investments. He focused on early-stage investments and now covers Series A, B, or later.

You are listening to Scaling Nerds, the podcast covering all things communications for science and tech founders.

Links

Connect with Steve Molino:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenmolino/

Check out Synthesis

https://synthesis.capital/

Connect with me:

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠

[email protected]

Resources Mentioned:

Granola AI

Slidebean

Slidesgo

Canva

Episode Keywords

pitching specialised VCs, deep tech investor pitch, biotech startup fundraising, food tech venture capital, Series A pitch strategy, Series B fundraising tips, how to pitch technical innovation, startup pitch deck for complex tech, science startup storytelling, specialised venture capital firms, Synthesis Capital, Steve Molino interview, early stage biotech funding, food tech investors, cutting edge technology pitch, venture capital due diligence, investor mindset deep tech, startup deck mistakes, pitching niche investors, scaling science startups

Podcast Keywords

Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

A crisp crash course on announcing your fundraise correctly, including:

• a good timeline for drafting, reviewing, and sending out the press release

• how to correctly manage stakeholder feedback

• and how to maximize the benefits of the announcement

The guest you’ll hear from today, Elisheva Marcus, and I met at the Deep Tech Momentum conference in Berlin and connected over nerding out about comms.

Elisheva Marcus has an MSc in Biomedical Communication and brings expertise from the San Jose Mercury News, Ada Health, Bayer, and more. Since 2020, she has been the VP of Communications at Earlybird Venture Capital, supporting portfolio founders as a sparring partner.

By the way, Earlybird Venture Capital was founded in 1997 and is among the most experienced venture investors in Europe, covering all development and growth stages from pre-seed to growth in industries like fintech, health tech, and deep tech.

---

Links

Connect with Elli:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisheva-marcus/

Check out Earlybird:

https://earlybird.com/

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/

Structure of a Strong Press Release or Announcement

1. Title

   • Use active, direct language.

   • Avoid buzzwords.

   • Commit to a single, powerful title (no subtitle).

2. Key Bullet Points

   • Three concise bullets summarizing the essential news.

   • Designed for quick journalistic scanning.

   • Represent the three to four main ideas the body will expand on.

3. Header Information

   • Include date and location.

4. Opening Paragraph

   • Start with a strong, engaging first sentence.

   • Avoid generic or slow openings.

5. Main Body

   • Expand on the bullet points in a clear, logical flow.

   • Ensure coherence and story progression.

   • Cover the who, what, where, when, and why.

   • Include:

     • Amount raised (with correct denomination)

     • Impact and significance

     • The team and why they’re the right people

     • A quote from leadership or a client

     • How the funds will be used and why it’s memorable

6. Closing Section

   • End with a short About section or call to action.

7. Provide contact or follow-up information.

   
   

   Episode Keywords

   how to announce a fundraise, startup press release guide, fundraising PR strategy, announcing Series A funding, venture capital announcement tips, managing press outreach, startup media relations, stakeholder feedback on press release, timing a funding announcement, maximizing PR after fundraising, Earlybird Venture Capital, Elisheva Marcus interview, deep tech startup PR, communications after funding round, investor announcement strategy, startup brand visibility, VC backed startup marketing, media coverage for startups, funding round communications checklist, Scaling Nerds podcast episode

   
   

   Podcast Keywords

   Scaling Nerds, startup communications, founder communication, science and tech founders, deep tech startups, VC-backed growth, startup fundraising, investor decks, startup storytelling, founder branding, startup marketing, venture capital, thought leadership, media strategy, technical founders, startup growth.

   
   

Climate activism failed to inspire hope, can founders fill the void? Discover why the next cultural revolution won’t be led by politicians, but by startup leaders.

Episode Summary

In this solo episode, Marina Schmidt dissects how startup founders have become some of the most powerful public communicators of our time—and why that power matters. She explores the rise of founder evangelism, the cultural shift from corporate branding to personal leadership, and the urgent need for integrity-driven voices in an era of polarization and information overload.

Drawing on her decade of experience across media, startups, and communications, Marina outlines six theses that map the transformation of founders from company builders to narrative shapers—people who influence culture, policy, and public trust. She argues that after the failure of fear-based climate activism, the responsibility to offer hope, direction, and credible optimism now falls to founders who are building tangible solutions for a better future.

• The rise of founder evangelism and the decentralization of influence

• How social media and podcasts transformed CEOs into cultural figures

• The power shift from institutions to individuals

• Founders as lighthouses: signaling hope, direction, and vision

• The dark side of influence—when founders mislead or polarize

• Why climate activism failed and what founders can learn from it

• The “Hope–Hook–Opportunity–Path–Excitement” framework for storytelling

• The role of founders in restoring public trust and building new role models

  
  

The role of founders is no longer limited to business leadership. In an age where voices travel faster than institutions, founders shape how society sees the future. They can deepen divides—or illuminate the path forward. The question is not whether to speak, but what kind of lighthouse you want to be.

Key Words

founder branding, founder influence, startup communication, leadership storytelling, public narrative, media influence, hope-based communication, climate activism, decentralization of media, founder evangelism, science communication, tech founders, responsible leadership, thought leadership, narrative framing, communication strategy, startup culture, future builders, social impact founders, trust and influence