Show Notes
There is no such thing as the perfect pitch. But you can get close by implementing a few research-backed methods to your delivery, deck, and message.
In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Dr. Eike Gerhardt, who has aPhD in pitching and spent nearly a decade studying the science of startup pitching before starting Autopoiesis Sciences. And he’s joined by Demetri Maxim, co-founder and CEO of Nephrogen, who came in second at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025.
Together, they break down Demetri’s actual Startup Battlefield pitch to unpack what worked, what could be improved, and what research tells us about how investors respond to founders. Eike explains why credibility signals matter, how technical founders can simplify without oversimplifying, and why Q&A should be treated as a second pitch. Demetri shares how he learned to explain complex biotech to generalist investors, how redesigning his deck changed his confidence onstage, and what he would do differently today.
They also explore how body language and authenticity affect a pitch, how investor questions can reveal bias, and how founders can use AI to prepare for difficult Q&A.
They get into:
What Demetri got right and in his Startup Battlefield pitch
How to explain complicated technology without oversimplifying it
The credibility signals investors look for in a pitch
Why some technical language can actually make founders more credible
How to decide what belongs in your pitch versus the Q&A
Why technical details can sometimes make your startup sound riskier
How body language and authenticity influence investors
Why Q&A should be treated as a second pitch
What research reveals about bias in investor questions
How to use AI to rehearse difficult investor Q&A
Why there is no single “perfect” startup pitch
The biggest pitching mistakes technical founders make
Here are the studies mentioned in the episode:
Kanze, D., Huang, L., Conley, M. A., & Higgins, E. T. (2018). “We Ask Men to Win and Women Not to Lose: Closing the Gender Gap in Startup Funding.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2016.1215
Figge, P., Graf-Vlachy, L., König, A., Demann, F., & Diessner, M. (2025). “Shades of Grey or Black and White? How Entrepreneurs’ Use of Cognitively Complex Language Affects Investor Funding.” Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587251347042
Clarke, J. S., Cornelissen, J. P., & Healey, M. P. (2019). “Actions Speak Louder than Words: How Figurative Language and Gesturing in Entrepreneurial Pitches Influences Investment Judgments.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2016.1008
Jiang, L., Yin, D., & Liu, D. (2019). “Can Joy Buy You Money? The Impact of the Strength, Duration, and Phases of an Entrepreneur’s Peak Displayed Joy on Funding Performance.” Academy of Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2017.1423
Chen, X.-P., Yao, X., & Kotha, S. (2009). “Entrepreneur Passion and Preparedness in Business Plan Presentations: A Persuasion Analysis of Venture Capitalists’ Funding Decisions.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2009.36462018
Zhu, L. Y., Young, M. J., & Bauman, C. W. (2024). “Linking Anxiety to Passion: Emotion Regulation and Entrepreneurs’ Pitch Performance.” Journal of Business Venturing https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2024.106421Allison, T. H., Davis, B. C., Webb, J. W., & Short, J. C. (2017). “Persuasion in Crowdfunding: An Elaboration Likelihood Model of Crowdfunding Performance.” Journal of Business Venturing https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2017.09.002Clark, C. (2008). “The Impact of Entrepreneurs’ Oral ‘Pitch’ Presentation Skills on Business Angels’ Initial Screening Investment Decisions.” Venture Capital https://doi.org/10.1080/13691060802151945
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