Latest / Deep Tech Germany – AI, Robotics & Frontier Innovation by Startuprad.io™ / Winning Deep-Tech Funding: Strategic Pitch Storytelling
Transcript
- WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:15.920 The German startup scene with news, interviews 2 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:17.760 and live events. 3 00:00:20.240 --> 00:00:23.720 Hello and welcome everybody. This is Joe from Celebrated 4 00:00:23.720 --> 00:00:27.480 I.O. your go to startup podcast for startup founders, 5 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:30.480 scale up executives and venture capital 6 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:34.260 insiders. In today's episode, we dive into 7 00:00:34.260 --> 00:00:37.780 the power of strategic storytelling for startup 8 00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:41.020 growth with our guest Ehud Dror, 9 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:45.020 founder of Tailoring your story. Ehud is 10 00:00:45.020 --> 00:00:48.780 renowned startup pitch expert and narrative strategist 11 00:00:48.860 --> 00:00:52.340 who helps tech founders to turn complex 12 00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:55.780 ideas into founding ready investor 13 00:00:55.780 --> 00:00:59.340 decks, go to market messages and memorable 14 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:03.300 keynote stories. With a track record of guiding some of 15 00:01:03.300 --> 00:01:06.440 Israel's most innovative startups, Ehud 16 00:01:06.440 --> 00:01:09.720 unpacks how clarity, belief and emotional 17 00:01:09.800 --> 00:01:13.520 resonance can differentiate your brand, attract 18 00:01:13.520 --> 00:01:17.360 VC funding and align your team. If you're a B2B 19 00:01:17.360 --> 00:01:21.200 SaaS founder, deep tech entrepreneur or a growth stage 20 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:24.640 executive preparing to pitch. This episode is 21 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:28.080 packed with insights on using startup storytelling, pitch check 22 00:01:28.080 --> 00:01:31.910 optimization and strategic communication to 23 00:01:31.910 --> 00:01:35.310 win in competitive markets. Ah, we met at the EU 24 00:01:35.310 --> 00:01:38.230 Startup Summit in Malta. And now welcome. Draw. 25 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:42.390 Welcome Ehud. Sorry. Welcome Ehud. Welcome to 26 00:01:42.390 --> 00:01:45.670 Startup Radio. Hi. Hi. 27 00:01:46.310 --> 00:01:49.710 Very excited to be here. It is my 28 00:01:49.710 --> 00:01:53.030 pleasure. Let us dive in straight with 29 00:01:53.110 --> 00:01:55.430 narrative and strategic communications. 30 00:01:56.990 --> 00:02:00.510 It's all about storytelling with you, but why storytelling the most 31 00:02:00.830 --> 00:02:03.710 underutilized tool in startup growth? 32 00:02:05.390 --> 00:02:09.190 So I like how you dove into 33 00:02:09.190 --> 00:02:11.470 the pain point at the very first question, 34 00:02:13.070 --> 00:02:16.590 but I wouldn't be a storyteller if I didn't start with the sentence 35 00:02:16.670 --> 00:02:20.110 let me tell you a story, right? So let me tell your story. 36 00:02:21.230 --> 00:02:24.910 Most founders think storytelling is something you do at the end, 37 00:02:26.140 --> 00:02:29.860 when in fact it should shape everything from the start. Founders 38 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:33.660 often invest in product, in tech, go to market, 39 00:02:33.820 --> 00:02:37.420 but forget what makes people believe. Storytelling 40 00:02:37.420 --> 00:02:41.180 isn't fluff, it's a strategy dressed as a narrative. 41 00:02:41.580 --> 00:02:44.860 It aligns your team, it earns investors trust 42 00:02:45.980 --> 00:02:49.740 and help customers understand what you do and 43 00:02:49.740 --> 00:02:52.540 most importantly, why it matters. I mean, 44 00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:57.010 most pictures I see are loaded with features 45 00:02:57.160 --> 00:03:00.520 and jargon. Most entrepreneurs use them to sound 46 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:04.680 bright and trendy and they think the big tech 47 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.960 worlds make the difference. But who really 48 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:11.600 understands what the algorithm or how the algorithm 49 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:15.400 works, right? Investors and partners actually 50 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:19.480 have to tell you. Ehud, what is really interesting 51 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:23.130 is the longer I do this, the 52 00:03:23.130 --> 00:03:26.970 more I can really feel you. For the very simple reason. You go on 53 00:03:26.970 --> 00:03:30.770 the website or you listen to a presentation of one of founders and he 54 00:03:30.770 --> 00:03:34.570 drones on for like 20 minutes and at the end you think what the 55 00:03:34.570 --> 00:03:38.370 hell are you guys actually doing? Right? That is a 56 00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:42.130 point you're trying to make and I've seen so so often. Yeah. 57 00:03:42.290 --> 00:03:46.090 So basically the algorithm, no one understands 58 00:03:46.090 --> 00:03:49.770 how it works, including investors, so you can 59 00:03:49.770 --> 00:03:52.850 feel free to let that part go. So 60 00:03:54.350 --> 00:03:57.310 investors and partners, at the end of the day, seeking 61 00:03:57.710 --> 00:04:01.150 clarity, vision, conviction. Okay, 62 00:04:01.550 --> 00:04:05.350 a great story delivers. All three. Startups that know how to 63 00:04:05.350 --> 00:04:08.950 tell their story don't just raise money faster, they 64 00:04:08.950 --> 00:04:12.390 move faster. Because once people believe in you, you're 65 00:04:12.390 --> 00:04:16.150 halfway there. When people believe 66 00:04:16.150 --> 00:04:19.630 in you, you're halfway there. That's a pretty good quote. 67 00:04:20.770 --> 00:04:24.050 So we already talked about startup narratives. 68 00:04:24.850 --> 00:04:28.530 What makes a startup narrative resonate with both 69 00:04:29.090 --> 00:04:32.130 the investor and the customer community? 70 00:04:33.730 --> 00:04:37.530 So, that is a great question, but the simple answer would be that it 71 00:04:37.530 --> 00:04:37.970 doesn't. 72 00:04:43.090 --> 00:04:46.930 Okay, now you got us. Now we got some explaining to do. Yeah, 73 00:04:49.150 --> 00:04:52.870 and the more complex answer would be that the best 74 00:04:52.870 --> 00:04:56.590 startup stories live at the intersection of vision and 75 00:04:56.590 --> 00:04:59.870 relevance. For investors, it's about 76 00:05:00.110 --> 00:05:03.710 scalability and belief. They want to know you're solving 77 00:05:03.950 --> 00:05:07.750 a real problem in a way that can grow customers. On the 78 00:05:07.750 --> 00:05:11.470 other hand, it's about empathy and clarity. They 79 00:05:11.470 --> 00:05:15.190 don't want to know you understand them, or they do 80 00:05:15.190 --> 00:05:18.590 want to know you understand them and can improve their lives. A 81 00:05:18.590 --> 00:05:22.130 resonant narrative bridges both by. By answering three 82 00:05:22.130 --> 00:05:25.690 questions. Why now? What urgency drives this? 83 00:05:26.090 --> 00:05:29.690 Why you? I mean, what makes this team and solution credible? 84 00:05:30.090 --> 00:05:33.450 And why should anyone care? So that's where the 85 00:05:33.450 --> 00:05:37.209 emotional hook lives. A good narrative knows how 86 00:05:37.209 --> 00:05:40.410 to speak to both, and speak 87 00:05:41.050 --> 00:05:44.090 the language of opportunity to investors and 88 00:05:45.450 --> 00:05:48.650 value to customers. And it does it both without 89 00:05:48.970 --> 00:05:52.590 switching personalities. When you hit that sweet 90 00:05:52.590 --> 00:05:55.990 spot, your story doesn't just resonate, it compels action. 91 00:05:58.230 --> 00:06:01.910 You mentioned clarity and momentum. How 92 00:06:01.910 --> 00:06:05.750 do you build that in a pitch, especially a short one? 93 00:06:06.550 --> 00:06:10.230 Okay, so clarity and momentum are two rails. Every great story 94 00:06:10.230 --> 00:06:12.470 runs on. Clarity means 95 00:06:13.590 --> 00:06:16.950 stripping your message down to the one thing you want people to remember. 96 00:06:17.880 --> 00:06:21.560 It's not about dumping things down. It's about making 97 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.440 complexity unavoidable. 98 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:29.320 When I start working on a story, I always ask, if your audience remembers 99 00:06:29.320 --> 00:06:31.880 only one sentence, what should it be? 100 00:06:32.999 --> 00:06:36.280 That's your signal. Everything else supports it. 101 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:40.440 Then comes the momentum part, and that's where most 102 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:44.360 pictures fall flat. Momentum is the feeling that 103 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:48.680 things are already moving, and the only smart thing to do 104 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:52.340 is is to join the ride. A good example would be 105 00:06:52.900 --> 00:06:56.420 showing traction early or use a quote or win 106 00:06:56.660 --> 00:07:00.340 a number that proves motion. Structuring your pitch. 107 00:07:00.340 --> 00:07:04.100 Like a story arch. Don't just inform people. Escalate. 108 00:07:04.580 --> 00:07:08.380 End with the vision so people lean forward, not back. When 109 00:07:08.380 --> 00:07:11.860 you combine clarity with momentum, you don't just 110 00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:15.660 explain your idea. You draw people into it. People 111 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:19.060 are looking for that hook. So give them something to 112 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:19.900 aspire to. 113 00:07:24.140 --> 00:07:27.820 Can you walk us through? I've seen 114 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:31.660 some examples when preparing for this interview. Can you walk us through 115 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:35.260 how you turned quantum computing into 116 00:07:35.340 --> 00:07:39.060 story about speed? Because many things, many people talk 117 00:07:39.060 --> 00:07:42.580 about quantum computing. Yeah, they're, they're small things and they do 118 00:07:42.580 --> 00:07:46.060 something that is not really a story. Isn't it? Yeah, 119 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:49.780 absolutely. So that's an excellent example of taking 120 00:07:49.780 --> 00:07:53.300 a complex message and simplifying it. 121 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:58.420 One of my clients, a partner at a VC firm, asked how to 122 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:01.700 explain quantum computing to non technical audience. 123 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:06.780 So instead of starting with definitions, I 124 00:08:06.780 --> 00:08:10.100 reframed the whole concept with one word, speed. 125 00:08:11.460 --> 00:08:15.140 I open with Usain Bolt's 9.58 second world record. 126 00:08:15.580 --> 00:08:19.020 This is something everyone instantly relates to and understand and get. 127 00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:23.820 And then I positioned quantum computing as the next leap 128 00:08:23.980 --> 00:08:27.580 in computer processing power. Not just faster, 129 00:08:27.580 --> 00:08:31.340 but a new kind of speed. And to get the 130 00:08:31.340 --> 00:08:34.780 full picture or to bring it to life, I used metaphors like 131 00:08:34.940 --> 00:08:38.660 the flesh. Again, not to explain physics, but 132 00:08:38.660 --> 00:08:42.320 to paint a picture of limitless potential. We showed 133 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:46.160 how this new kind of acceleration could transform 134 00:08:46.160 --> 00:08:49.840 fields like medicine, cybersecurity, 135 00:08:50.400 --> 00:08:53.840 and finance. So basically what we did is 136 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:57.760 we swapped equations for metaphors, confusion for 137 00:08:57.760 --> 00:09:01.520 clarity, and abstraction for emotional resonance. 138 00:09:01.920 --> 00:09:05.600 So once we planned the right association, the rest 139 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.490 was given. Mm. 140 00:09:11.930 --> 00:09:15.210 I was wondering, what's your take on why 141 00:09:15.770 --> 00:09:19.130 so many pitch deck fails to convert? Is it just 142 00:09:19.690 --> 00:09:23.530 you're pitching the wrong vc, you're pitching the wrong 143 00:09:23.530 --> 00:09:27.130 vertical, the wrong stage? Or is it simply the story fails? 144 00:09:27.850 --> 00:09:31.690 Okay, so as long as it's just both of us on 145 00:09:31.690 --> 00:09:34.730 this conversation, let me tell you a secret. 146 00:09:35.780 --> 00:09:39.060 Most pjeks, just you and me and 50,000 147 00:09:39.140 --> 00:09:42.100 listeners. Yeah. Okay, go ahead. 148 00:09:43.700 --> 00:09:46.980 So let me tell you a secret. Most pigex fail 149 00:09:47.300 --> 00:09:50.740 not because the idea is bad. I mean, some ideas are not 150 00:09:51.140 --> 00:09:54.860 worth mentioning. But the majority fails because the 151 00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:58.580 story is broken. A good deck transforms the way 152 00:09:59.380 --> 00:10:02.970 people feel about your opportunity. The problem is that 153 00:10:02.970 --> 00:10:05.450 founders are often too close to the product. 154 00:10:06.730 --> 00:10:09.850 They try to explain everything. Features, deck 155 00:10:10.330 --> 00:10:14.050 milestones. And in the process, they bore the one 156 00:10:14.050 --> 00:10:17.690 thing investors need. The belief. A pitch 157 00:10:17.690 --> 00:10:21.450 tank isn't a data dump. There is a considerable difference between 158 00:10:22.330 --> 00:10:26.170 dumping data, even if it's good one, and telling a story. 159 00:10:26.730 --> 00:10:30.450 Telling a story is a belief building tool. After all, you're 160 00:10:30.450 --> 00:10:34.090 not just pitching your solution. Most of the time, what 161 00:10:34.090 --> 00:10:37.610 fails is decks are too long or too technical 162 00:10:37.930 --> 00:10:40.970 or too flat, lacking momentum or 163 00:10:41.610 --> 00:10:43.930 flow that resonates with the audience. 164 00:10:44.810 --> 00:10:48.570 Storylines that feel scattered like a list, not a journey. And 165 00:10:48.570 --> 00:10:51.930 no Emotional anchor, just logic and most 166 00:10:51.930 --> 00:10:55.530 importantly, no. Why? One of the most quoted 167 00:10:55.530 --> 00:10:59.310 TED talks, why by Simon Sinek, discusses where 168 00:10:59.310 --> 00:11:02.790 great leadership and innovation begin. Sinek 169 00:11:02.790 --> 00:11:06.550 explains that people don't buy what you do, they buy 170 00:11:06.550 --> 00:11:10.070 why you do it. The most successful leaders inspired by 171 00:11:10.070 --> 00:11:13.710 communication from the inside out. I mean starting with the 172 00:11:13.710 --> 00:11:17.550 purpose, then how, then what? Show a clear 173 00:11:17.550 --> 00:11:21.190 Signal from slide 1. What are we solving and 174 00:11:21.190 --> 00:11:24.930 why now? A founder who gets the market, not just 175 00:11:24.930 --> 00:11:28.570 the tech and the structure that builds 176 00:11:28.570 --> 00:11:31.610 confidence. Slide by slide. This is the way to do it. 177 00:11:33.930 --> 00:11:37.530 I totally know what you what you mean. Let 178 00:11:37.530 --> 00:11:41.330 us get a little bit into fundraising and 179 00:11:41.330 --> 00:11:45.170 pitch coaching because a lot of people out there, usually we 180 00:11:45.170 --> 00:11:48.730 start with our audience around 181 00:11:49.610 --> 00:11:53.050 without coverage around series A. But I do get 182 00:11:53.450 --> 00:11:57.190 the message that a lot of our audience is series A 183 00:11:57.190 --> 00:12:00.150 B, but mostly series C founders. 184 00:12:01.190 --> 00:12:04.950 So therefore that's actually a 185 00:12:04.950 --> 00:12:08.750 different level because you have somebody who's working for you, you have coaches that 186 00:12:08.750 --> 00:12:12.150 work with you on that. But 187 00:12:13.030 --> 00:12:16.630 what do top performing investor 188 00:12:16.630 --> 00:12:18.950 presentations have in common? 189 00:12:20.630 --> 00:12:24.150 So I would like to address this matter 190 00:12:24.150 --> 00:12:27.270 from a broader range of stories because 191 00:12:27.950 --> 00:12:30.990 we all have all kind of stories supporting our day to day, 192 00:12:31.550 --> 00:12:34.990 whether it's marketing, sales, product finance, 193 00:12:35.150 --> 00:12:38.430 ipo, internal stories and so on. So 194 00:12:38.750 --> 00:12:42.350 I did some research and looked at the top 20 195 00:12:42.350 --> 00:12:45.870 rated TED talks and found some similarities between them. 196 00:12:47.390 --> 00:12:50.830 First of all, they all use the platform to its 197 00:12:50.830 --> 00:12:54.440 maximum. You have a limited time you to convey your 198 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:57.520 message. First of all, clear ideas, 199 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:01.720 narrative structure, visual simplicity, of 200 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:04.560 course, authentic delivery 201 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:09.120 data supporting storytelling and compelling conclusion. 202 00:13:09.760 --> 00:13:13.040 In his TED talk How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint, 203 00:13:13.280 --> 00:13:16.240 David JP Phillips emphasized the importance of 204 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:20.200 designing presentation that aligns with our brain cognitive 205 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:23.590 capabilities. He advocates simplicity by 206 00:13:23.590 --> 00:13:26.630 focusing on one message per slide, 207 00:13:26.950 --> 00:13:30.190 minimizing text and utilizing visual to enhance 208 00:13:30.190 --> 00:13:33.910 understanding, creating more engaging and effective presentation. 209 00:13:35.510 --> 00:13:39.030 A great example would be Al Gore that 210 00:13:39.030 --> 00:13:42.550 effectively conveyed complex climate data through impactful 211 00:13:42.550 --> 00:13:45.350 visual in his and inconvenient true representation. 212 00:13:47.350 --> 00:13:51.190 I think everybody remembers him for this lift he was 213 00:13:51.190 --> 00:13:55.010 on, right? Yeah, absolutely. 214 00:13:57.250 --> 00:14:00.770 Another great example would be Steve Jobs in his iPhone launch 215 00:14:01.250 --> 00:14:04.530 concluded with the iconic phrase one more thing, 216 00:14:05.090 --> 00:14:08.929 introducing a surprise element that left a lasting impression. 217 00:14:09.570 --> 00:14:12.930 And there are many more examples of great stories that can 218 00:14:13.570 --> 00:14:16.610 maximize the audience attention by following all these 219 00:14:16.850 --> 00:14:20.650 fundamentals. Can you describe a moment when 220 00:14:20.650 --> 00:14:23.970 a storytelling shift led to funding success? 221 00:14:24.690 --> 00:14:28.290 Well, I'll answer that with a story, but not from a 222 00:14:28.290 --> 00:14:31.970 startup point of view, but from recent events that can teach 223 00:14:31.970 --> 00:14:34.530 us how a great story is formed. 224 00:14:36.850 --> 00:14:40.490 Yuval Rafael, Israeli representative for 225 00:14:40.490 --> 00:14:43.570 Eurovision 2025 which was held a few weeks ago 226 00:14:44.540 --> 00:14:48.220 didn't win the audience favor with the 13 douce bois 227 00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:52.060 and second place overall just because of the music. I 228 00:14:52.060 --> 00:14:55.780 mean she's a great singer no doubt. But if we 229 00:14:55.780 --> 00:14:59.100 go deep, we will find an unbelievable story. 230 00:15:00.140 --> 00:15:02.780 To those of you who don't know her story, 231 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:07.500 she's a survivor from the nova festival on October 7 232 00:15:08.140 --> 00:15:11.100 after plane take four hours until she was rescued. 233 00:15:11.760 --> 00:15:15.520 And she captured hearts and global attention because her 234 00:15:15.520 --> 00:15:19.280 performance carried something deeper. A story of identity, 235 00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:23.040 intensity. If you'd like an unapologetic 236 00:15:23.280 --> 00:15:27.040 authenticity, this is something you can't fake. I mean, 237 00:15:27.199 --> 00:15:30.320 she wasn't just singing a song, she was telling a story of 238 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:34.320 resilience, of self expression, of belonging. And 239 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:38.290 that emotional clarity. Exactly what changes 240 00:15:38.290 --> 00:15:42.010 the game in startup storytelling too. If you can build that in your 241 00:15:42.010 --> 00:15:43.690 pitch, the rest will follow. 242 00:15:45.850 --> 00:15:49.290 I was just checking on ebay while you were talking 243 00:15:49.530 --> 00:15:53.290 with this Nova Festival, we got into very tough content. 244 00:15:53.290 --> 00:15:56.890 I was just checking. Such a scissor lift as Al Gore 245 00:15:56.890 --> 00:16:00.730 used, it should be worth for you a few thousand euros. So 246 00:16:01.690 --> 00:16:05.130 I would not recommend it to use it for your next 247 00:16:05.130 --> 00:16:07.530 presentation, especially if you do air travel. 248 00:16:09.570 --> 00:16:13.330 Okay, keeping a little bit to our fundraising and pitch 249 00:16:13.330 --> 00:16:17.050 coaching, how can a founder translate his 250 00:16:17.050 --> 00:16:20.850 or her belief into deck or keynote? 251 00:16:21.730 --> 00:16:24.130 So referring back to Simon Sinek 252 00:16:25.330 --> 00:16:29.010 TED Talk, the essential or the most essential belief tool is 253 00:16:29.010 --> 00:16:32.690 start with why. And the answer can't be because I want to change 254 00:16:32.690 --> 00:16:36.210 the world or to make money or like every 255 00:16:36.210 --> 00:16:39.690 beauty queen wants to stop world hunger, you know. This, 256 00:16:40.170 --> 00:16:42.570 that's definitely possible. Or world peace. 257 00:16:44.810 --> 00:16:48.570 Or world peace. Right? So 258 00:16:48.730 --> 00:16:52.450 because all these things are too vague, too universal 259 00:16:52.450 --> 00:16:56.170 and too emotionally hollow, at the end of the day, it doesn't 260 00:16:56.170 --> 00:16:59.130 create the resonance because anyone can say it and 261 00:16:59.770 --> 00:17:03.370 many do. So it's like saying I want to be happy. 262 00:17:03.370 --> 00:17:07.000 Okay, it's true, but it's not specific, earned or 263 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.160 anchored in personal insight. So 264 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:14.480 I often use the Pixar story spine. It's used to craft 265 00:17:15.360 --> 00:17:19.040 emotionally compelling, clear and memorable narratives. And it 266 00:17:19.040 --> 00:17:22.560 works just as well for startups as it does for animated 267 00:17:22.560 --> 00:17:26.320 films. So basically what it means, you're 268 00:17:26.320 --> 00:17:29.920 not selling the idea, you're inviting belief through a 269 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:33.410 narrative arch. You, you go from the personal 270 00:17:33.490 --> 00:17:37.090 spark or your personal spark to problem to 271 00:17:37.330 --> 00:17:40.570 solution, to vision. The audience isn't just 272 00:17:40.570 --> 00:17:44.210 informed, they emotionally involved. It has six steps 273 00:17:44.210 --> 00:17:47.650 for creating a story. So once upon a time, 274 00:17:48.130 --> 00:17:51.090 everyday problem, until one day 275 00:17:52.050 --> 00:17:55.570 because of that, until finally and ever since then. 276 00:17:55.650 --> 00:17:59.390 So now let check this out how it really works. 277 00:17:59.390 --> 00:18:01.230 So every story starts with 278 00:18:03.710 --> 00:18:05.230 once upon a time, right? Yes. 279 00:18:08.990 --> 00:18:12.590 So Describe what was broken in the world before you 280 00:18:12.590 --> 00:18:16.110 started. For example, once upon a time, 281 00:18:16.510 --> 00:18:20.270 small businesses were invisible online. Continue 282 00:18:20.350 --> 00:18:24.110 with everyday problem. Describe the fast trading status quo 283 00:18:24.110 --> 00:18:27.240 or the reality your audience relates to. 284 00:18:27.800 --> 00:18:31.400 Every day they spent hours creating content that 285 00:18:32.840 --> 00:18:35.880 no one saw. Okay, until one day, 286 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:39.960 what was your spark, the insight, the frustration 287 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:44.000 or problem that's made you act. Until one 288 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:47.720 day we realized the problem wasn't effort, 289 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:51.520 it was a strategy. And because of that, introduce your 290 00:18:51.520 --> 00:18:55.080 product or solution. But not as a pitch, but as a 291 00:18:55.080 --> 00:18:58.600 natural response. Because of that, we build a platform 292 00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:02.280 that uses AI to optimize every piece of content 293 00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:05.960 in real time. Because of that, you can show 294 00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:09.440 traction here or momentum proof, emotional 295 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:12.120 payoff. Because of that, our users 296 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:16.360 double their reach in under a month. Until finally, 297 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:20.240 describe the transformation, what success looked like with you in 298 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:23.950 the picture. Until finally, small businesses had the 299 00:19:23.950 --> 00:19:27.590 voice that could compete with big brands. 300 00:19:27.750 --> 00:19:31.350 And ever since then, paint the future, your vision 301 00:19:31.830 --> 00:19:35.350 that you're building. Invite the belief in. And ever since then, 302 00:19:36.790 --> 00:19:40.470 we've been on a mission to level the playing field for small 303 00:19:40.470 --> 00:19:44.310 creators anywhere. So that would be an example of using a 304 00:19:44.950 --> 00:19:48.790 well known model and translated it into our needs. 305 00:19:49.520 --> 00:19:53.280 The mechanism stays the same, but the story changes according 306 00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:57.120 to our goal. Exactly. So 307 00:19:57.120 --> 00:20:00.800 I was wondering, we are already getting into the next question because you 308 00:20:00.800 --> 00:20:04.560 have the same startup story for different goals. Once 309 00:20:04.560 --> 00:20:07.920 for the VCs, once for the customers and once for the media. 310 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:11.960 How do you do that? So one of the 311 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.680 first questions we ask at the beginning of a project 312 00:20:17.450 --> 00:20:20.170 is who my target audience is. 313 00:20:21.930 --> 00:20:25.770 Think your story is like a diamond. It has the same 314 00:20:25.770 --> 00:20:29.210 shape but different light or different angles. 315 00:20:29.210 --> 00:20:33.050 Catch different light. The core story or essence 316 00:20:33.290 --> 00:20:36.810 stay the same, but the emphasis shifts depending 317 00:20:37.050 --> 00:20:39.930 on who's listening. VCs 318 00:20:41.050 --> 00:20:44.770 are interested in considerable market insight. The size of the 319 00:20:44.770 --> 00:20:47.950 opportunity. The team unfairs 320 00:20:47.950 --> 00:20:51.270 advantage. They're looking for momentum and scalability, 321 00:20:51.990 --> 00:20:55.830 betting on growth, not just the idea. For example, 322 00:20:56.470 --> 00:20:59.750 we've identified a massive shift in the industry 323 00:21:00.310 --> 00:21:03.110 and are building the infrastructure to power it. 324 00:21:04.630 --> 00:21:07.990 Customers on the other hand, are looking to see if you got them 325 00:21:08.870 --> 00:21:12.590 lead with the problem they face. Use their language, their 326 00:21:12.590 --> 00:21:16.250 pain points. Show empathy before features 327 00:21:16.250 --> 00:21:20.050 and benefits before specs. A good example would 328 00:21:20.050 --> 00:21:23.610 be, you know that fast trading moment 329 00:21:23.850 --> 00:21:27.370 when XYZ happens, we fix it. 330 00:21:27.370 --> 00:21:31.090 Okay, Media looking for a 331 00:21:31.090 --> 00:21:34.810 story worth telling or a breaking news. You can lead 332 00:21:34.810 --> 00:21:38.610 with a hook. Surprising stat, a bold claim. If 333 00:21:38.610 --> 00:21:41.960 you would like a human moment, position the 334 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:45.480 startup in the culture or industry trend. 335 00:21:46.040 --> 00:21:49.720 Something like in a world flooded with AI hype, 336 00:21:50.520 --> 00:21:54.200 this team quietly built a Tool that helps human think better. 337 00:21:54.760 --> 00:21:58.600 So remember the diamond. It has the same shape, but different 338 00:21:58.600 --> 00:22:00.200 angles catch different light. 339 00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:05.720 Understood. We get 340 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:09.390 a little bit deeper now into psychology 341 00:22:09.950 --> 00:22:13.550 and emotion leverage. Because 342 00:22:13.870 --> 00:22:16.910 storytelling actually appears 343 00:22:17.790 --> 00:22:20.270 to emotions, to psychology, 344 00:22:22.110 --> 00:22:25.870 that's the way it works. What role does 345 00:22:25.870 --> 00:22:29.110 this emotional resonance play in high stakes 346 00:22:29.110 --> 00:22:29.870 communication? 347 00:22:33.470 --> 00:22:37.190 So emotional resonance resonance is the. Is the 348 00:22:37.190 --> 00:22:40.430 difference between being heard and being remembered. 349 00:22:41.310 --> 00:22:44.990 A perfect example of this is Martin Luther 350 00:22:44.990 --> 00:22:48.710 King's I have a dream speech. He had stood on 351 00:22:48.710 --> 00:22:52.510 the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and presented statistics. 352 00:22:53.070 --> 00:22:56.110 We might have heard him, but we wouldn't have remembered him. 353 00:22:57.150 --> 00:23:00.510 So instead, he painted a vivid emotional picture. 354 00:23:01.230 --> 00:23:04.830 I have a dream that my four little children will one day. 355 00:23:05.520 --> 00:23:09.200 And so on and so on. So emotion is what moves people to 356 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:12.880 act. It feels personal, it bypass 357 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:15.680 the doubt. And it's about being human after all. 358 00:23:16.560 --> 00:23:20.200 Take our day to day, for example. We are all surrounded by 359 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:23.800 messages all day at work, on our way to home 360 00:23:23.800 --> 00:23:27.520 and with our loved ones. But ask yourself 361 00:23:28.080 --> 00:23:31.600 what you remember at the end of the day? I mean, what you honestly 362 00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:34.640 remember. And the answer would be close to nothing. 363 00:23:35.840 --> 00:23:39.520 But if you keep in mind that you're not just transferring 364 00:23:39.520 --> 00:23:43.200 information, whether it is for a pitch deck, 365 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:47.280 company story, or any other story you need to pass, you're 366 00:23:47.280 --> 00:23:51.040 transferring emotion, urgency, and trust after 367 00:23:51.040 --> 00:23:54.800 all, then you would be on the right path of conveying 368 00:23:54.800 --> 00:23:58.600 a good message. I'll give you an example of 369 00:23:58.600 --> 00:24:02.100 a story I built for a construction company that wanted to sell 370 00:24:02.260 --> 00:24:05.900 its building project. Took the basic term of 371 00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:09.700 home. We took the basic term of home and then transformed it into 372 00:24:09.780 --> 00:24:12.580 something emotional by giving home a meaning. 373 00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:17.219 We did it by taking the phrase home sweet home and 374 00:24:17.219 --> 00:24:20.820 said that the home is more than just four walls and 375 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:24.620 a rooftop. Home is our memories. It's our 376 00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:28.370 dreams and hopes. It's our whole life. So once we created 377 00:24:28.370 --> 00:24:32.090 that emotion, a home went from four walls and a rooftop to 378 00:24:32.090 --> 00:24:34.490 something bigger that people can relate to. 379 00:24:36.090 --> 00:24:39.850 That makes sense. What is the best 380 00:24:39.850 --> 00:24:43.530 way for founders to tell vulnerable 381 00:24:44.090 --> 00:24:47.770 but also authentic stories without losing any 382 00:24:47.770 --> 00:24:50.810 trust? So we'll start with the bottom line here. 383 00:24:51.210 --> 00:24:54.890 Vulnerability builds trust as long as it serves the 384 00:24:54.890 --> 00:24:58.610 story and not the founder's ego. People don't lose trust 385 00:24:58.610 --> 00:25:02.050 when you're vulnerable. They lose trust when you pretend everything is 386 00:25:02.050 --> 00:25:05.770 perfect. Share the challenge, but not the chaos. I 387 00:25:05.770 --> 00:25:09.450 mean, tell us what was hard, but 388 00:25:09.450 --> 00:25:13.170 show us how you overcome it. A good example would 389 00:25:13.170 --> 00:25:16.690 be something like, we almost gave up after the product 390 00:25:16.690 --> 00:25:20.050 failed, but what we learned reshaped everything. 391 00:25:20.490 --> 00:25:24.330 I mean, frame failure as fuel. When 392 00:25:24.330 --> 00:25:28.010 asked about his success Michael Jordan said, I succeeded because I 393 00:25:28.010 --> 00:25:31.610 fail. Vulnerability becomes strength when it 394 00:25:31.770 --> 00:25:33.770 leads to insight, action, or growth. 395 00:25:35.610 --> 00:25:39.210 You're not saying we messed up. You're saying we got 396 00:25:39.210 --> 00:25:42.810 smarter, faster. Balance the emotion with 397 00:25:42.810 --> 00:25:45.930 clarity. Show heart, but stay grounded. After all, 398 00:25:46.820 --> 00:25:50.220 investors and teams need to feel both your 399 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:53.900 humanity and your leadership. Make it relevant. Of 400 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:57.420 course, if you're telling a vulnerable story, it should support your 401 00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:59.620 core message and not the other way around. 402 00:26:01.860 --> 00:26:04.900 In strategic messaging, 403 00:26:05.300 --> 00:26:08.980 there's always talked about signal and noise. 404 00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:13.780 How do you approach that? And can you tell us a little bit about what 405 00:26:13.780 --> 00:26:17.100 is signal? What is noise? Because I personally, 406 00:26:18.060 --> 00:26:21.900 I run startup rate IO mostly by myself with 407 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:25.100 some assistance and I get up to 100 408 00:26:25.340 --> 00:26:28.860 emails a day. No kidding, you guys. And the question 409 00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:32.420 is, how would you, for example, stick out from all 410 00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:35.580 this noise that surrounds me that I get your message? 411 00:26:36.060 --> 00:26:39.900 So, as you said, first, let's remember what signal is and 412 00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:43.460 what noises. Signal is what truly matters. 413 00:26:44.020 --> 00:26:47.740 Noise is all the rest, as simple as that. But 414 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:51.540 the hardest part of strategic messaging is deciding what not to 415 00:26:51.540 --> 00:26:55.300 say. I mean, in every founder story, there's 416 00:26:55.300 --> 00:26:59.140 a ton of noise, feature metrics, buzzword, even 417 00:26:59.140 --> 00:27:02.940 good intentions. Remember the quantum computing story? It had 418 00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:05.620 the potential of being a flop using buzzwords. 419 00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:10.240 Founders tend to use the everything is important method. 420 00:27:11.350 --> 00:27:14.870 But come to think about it, if everything is important, 421 00:27:15.270 --> 00:27:18.870 nothing stands out. That's where the signal comes in. 422 00:27:19.190 --> 00:27:22.950 Signal is the one thing that must land the sharp 423 00:27:22.950 --> 00:27:26.230 truth you want people to remember when the meeting ends. 424 00:27:26.790 --> 00:27:30.510 What sets you apart? From my experience working 425 00:27:30.510 --> 00:27:33.950 with hundreds of companies, this is the most 426 00:27:33.950 --> 00:27:37.790 challenging part and the heart of every process of creating a winning 427 00:27:37.790 --> 00:27:41.310 story. It requires some skill, a broad 428 00:27:41.310 --> 00:27:44.950 understanding and the ability to listen. My approach 429 00:27:45.030 --> 00:27:48.830 is to zoom out before you zoom 430 00:27:48.830 --> 00:27:52.470 in. Always look at the big picture using 431 00:27:52.470 --> 00:27:56.310 the one slide test. So once you find it, the rest will 432 00:27:56.310 --> 00:27:58.070 eliminate what's nice to say. 433 00:28:00.150 --> 00:28:03.990 Test each slide to see how it fits the overall flow and 434 00:28:03.990 --> 00:28:07.770 whether he creates the momentum you are seeking. All of these 435 00:28:08.170 --> 00:28:11.730 create the differentiation between a 436 00:28:11.730 --> 00:28:15.450 signal and noise. I see. So 437 00:28:15.690 --> 00:28:19.450 noise is what does not matter and signal is what matters. 438 00:28:19.530 --> 00:28:22.010 I think I'll keep that in mind for future 439 00:28:22.730 --> 00:28:25.850 communications. Guys, we will be back after short ad break. 440 00:28:31.130 --> 00:28:34.850 Hey guys, welcome back with Ehud as my 441 00:28:34.850 --> 00:28:38.240 guest here we are talking about storytelling and 442 00:28:38.390 --> 00:28:42.230 communications and we already talked about 443 00:28:42.870 --> 00:28:46.070 there is a lot of complexity in startups 444 00:28:46.310 --> 00:28:49.910 talked about simplifying a complex 445 00:28:49.990 --> 00:28:53.430 story. Can you walk us through your framework 446 00:28:53.750 --> 00:28:57.030 for explaining e.g. deep tech to non 447 00:28:57.030 --> 00:29:00.790 technical stakeholders? Okay, so explaining 448 00:29:00.790 --> 00:29:04.510 deep tech to non technical stakeholder, whether it's Investors, 449 00:29:04.510 --> 00:29:07.910 partner or end user is tricky because the 450 00:29:08.580 --> 00:29:12.060 the tech is the easy way to go and most of the time the founder 451 00:29:12.060 --> 00:29:15.660 safe place. So in order to avoid 452 00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:18.980 that, we need to keep it simple. As you said, use 453 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:22.900 analogs that support your message by creating imagery. 454 00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:26.660 Usain Bold the Flash Quantum computing. 455 00:29:28.020 --> 00:29:31.860 Avoid the jargon. Remember, no one understands the algorithm, 456 00:29:32.020 --> 00:29:35.040 so remember that. And 457 00:29:35.760 --> 00:29:39.000 it's not that important at that stage of the 458 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:42.560 presentation the 459 00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:46.200 jargon because people tend 460 00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:48.480 to use it in order to sound 461 00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:53.440 smart. Okay, so avoid it. Just 462 00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:57.480 put it aside. Show the journey, not 463 00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:00.800 the code you need to map the user 464 00:30:01.120 --> 00:30:04.530 or business flow, not the algorithm. Use 465 00:30:04.530 --> 00:30:06.810 images to demonstrate what you mean. 466 00:30:08.330 --> 00:30:12.050 We call it visual storytelling. So today we use 467 00:30:12.050 --> 00:30:15.810 AI tools to create any image we want to want to 468 00:30:15.810 --> 00:30:19.450 convey a precise message. Understand 469 00:30:19.610 --> 00:30:23.130 what your target audience is looking for and try to give it to them. 470 00:30:23.690 --> 00:30:27.290 Learn from the competition, obviously, I mean, see what they say. 471 00:30:27.690 --> 00:30:31.420 You might know how to say it better or differently. Please 472 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:35.100 keep it simple. I mean keep in mind that your message needs to 473 00:30:35.100 --> 00:30:38.780 be understood by an 8 year old. If 474 00:30:38.780 --> 00:30:42.340 an 8 year old can understand your message, you're in the right way. 475 00:30:43.300 --> 00:30:46.579 That reminds me of one of my first bosses who 476 00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:51.020 is actually listening to this podcast and he told 477 00:30:51.020 --> 00:30:54.420 me if you write a presentation on capital markets in 478 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:57.700 consulting, make sure your grandmother would understand it. And 479 00:30:58.500 --> 00:31:02.180 I do believe that that's something that could really stick to. 480 00:31:03.120 --> 00:31:06.480 We just talked about jargon. How can 481 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:09.840 founders avoid falling into steadily token in 482 00:31:09.840 --> 00:31:13.200 jargon but still preserve credibility within the 483 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:16.600 respective sub scene? For example, in deep tech, 484 00:31:16.600 --> 00:31:20.080 fintech and so on and so forth. So I think we already 485 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:23.680 covered that. But jargon pushes people 486 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:26.800 away versus clarity that invites them in. 487 00:31:28.970 --> 00:31:32.490 We keep the credibility, but wrapped it in a story everyone can 488 00:31:32.490 --> 00:31:36.250 relate to and understand at the end of the day. In your case 489 00:31:36.250 --> 00:31:39.890 it was your grandmother, in my case it was my eight year old 490 00:31:39.890 --> 00:31:43.610 son. Yes, that works. Are 491 00:31:43.610 --> 00:31:47.450 there certain elements that are essential when pitching 492 00:31:47.690 --> 00:31:50.730 highly complex, highly technical products for 493 00:31:51.050 --> 00:31:54.800 highly, highly complex content? Yeah. 494 00:31:54.800 --> 00:31:58.640 So most of the time the more highly tech, the more complex 495 00:31:58.640 --> 00:32:02.480 the message is. When you pitch something highly technical, such 496 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:06.320 as quantum computing or AI, the elements of the 497 00:32:06.320 --> 00:32:10.040 story are the same in every story. But remember that 498 00:32:10.040 --> 00:32:13.800 the tech at the end of the day doesn't close the deal, the story 499 00:32:13.800 --> 00:32:17.480 does. It goes back to clarity, simplicity and using 500 00:32:17.480 --> 00:32:21.240 plain language. You don't have to hide the tech obviously, 501 00:32:21.240 --> 00:32:25.040 but you must translate it. Focus on the problem, not the 502 00:32:25.040 --> 00:32:28.760 product. For example, we are solving 503 00:32:28.760 --> 00:32:32.520 a one billion dollar problem in supply chain trust, not 504 00:32:32.520 --> 00:32:35.960 just building a better blockchain. Because blockchain is 505 00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:39.640 abstract. But supply chain everyone understands 506 00:32:40.280 --> 00:32:44.000 technical doesn't mean boring and technical doesn't always mean it's 507 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:47.640 the signal if it serves you right, so absolutely 508 00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:50.600 use it. But if not, let's try to find out 509 00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:54.950 what your advantage is. The one thing that you do that 510 00:32:54.950 --> 00:32:58.750 nobody else does. Let's go a little bit into go 511 00:32:58.750 --> 00:33:02.590 to market and growth. As I said, we do have 512 00:33:03.150 --> 00:33:06.830 different audiences here, different stages 513 00:33:06.990 --> 00:33:10.030 of entrepreneurs. Do you have any 514 00:33:10.510 --> 00:33:14.350 narrative strategies that work best during different 515 00:33:14.350 --> 00:33:17.630 stages? Like early stage series, a scale up? 516 00:33:18.110 --> 00:33:21.920 Is there a difference? Yeah, 517 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:25.520 absolutely there is a difference. So our name 518 00:33:25.680 --> 00:33:29.400 is tailoring your story because we don't have a one size 519 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:33.240 fits all policy. As you said, different 520 00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:36.320 fundraising stages demand different narratives 521 00:33:36.560 --> 00:33:40.160 strategies because the audience mindset 522 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:43.600 and what they are betting on evolves all the time. 523 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:47.840 For example, pre seed or seed, we usually sell the 524 00:33:47.840 --> 00:33:51.670 founder or the insight and the belief 525 00:33:52.550 --> 00:33:55.830 because this is the leg we can stand on. Serious a 526 00:33:55.910 --> 00:33:59.630 shifts from belief to traction show that 527 00:33:59.630 --> 00:34:03.310 the story is starting to come true. Scale 528 00:34:03.310 --> 00:34:06.830 up we will position ourselves as category 529 00:34:06.830 --> 00:34:10.590 leaders owning the narrative. We approach every 530 00:34:10.590 --> 00:34:14.150 story according to its goal, target audience and 531 00:34:14.310 --> 00:34:16.070 main message we want to convey. 532 00:34:19.970 --> 00:34:23.010 That makes sense. So in different growth stages 533 00:34:24.370 --> 00:34:28.050 you do have different stories to tell. And how can a clear 534 00:34:28.050 --> 00:34:31.650 story accelerate your go to market strategy or product 535 00:34:31.650 --> 00:34:35.450 market fit? Clear story can massively become a 536 00:34:35.450 --> 00:34:39.170 fundamental way into the go to market and strengthen 537 00:34:39.170 --> 00:34:43.010 it, but not to replace. Might help 538 00:34:43.010 --> 00:34:46.819 execute and support it better. Because when your story is 539 00:34:46.819 --> 00:34:49.939 sharp, everyone from product to sales to 540 00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:53.779 investors, understand what you're building, who is it 541 00:34:53.779 --> 00:34:57.059 for and why it matters now. It sharpens your 542 00:34:57.299 --> 00:35:00.819 customer lens. It arms your sales and marketing teams. 543 00:35:01.539 --> 00:35:05.299 It reduces friction in the funnel. People will convert faster. 544 00:35:05.939 --> 00:35:09.699 Clistoy doesn't just tell the world what 545 00:35:09.699 --> 00:35:13.219 you're doing. It tells your company and employees 546 00:35:13.890 --> 00:35:17.730 where to aim and how to move faster and achieve your goal. 547 00:35:19.890 --> 00:35:22.530 We've talked about positive 548 00:35:23.890 --> 00:35:27.730 parts of the story, but is there a common mistake, 549 00:35:27.730 --> 00:35:31.490 a common storytelling mistake that kills startup 550 00:35:31.490 --> 00:35:35.330 momentum? Absolutely. So the first 551 00:35:35.330 --> 00:35:38.450 mistake would be not doing all the things we talked about so far. 552 00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:44.060 But a company story is like a living creature. 553 00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:48.300 It needs to be updated and examined all the time. 554 00:35:49.180 --> 00:35:52.460 Momentum in storytelling isn't about speed. 555 00:35:52.780 --> 00:35:56.460 It's clarity. It's tension. And the reason to keep going. 556 00:35:56.780 --> 00:36:00.500 A powerful example is that is the 557 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:04.060 opening of the first Harry potter book when 558 00:36:04.060 --> 00:36:07.820 J.K. rowling doesn't rush through action or overwhelm 559 00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:11.520 with the magical details. I mean, she builds the momentum 560 00:36:11.520 --> 00:36:15.360 and tension momentum by creating clarity. A seamlessly 561 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:19.000 ordinary boy Living under the stairs. And then comes the 562 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:22.520 tension. Strange things are happening. Letters keep 563 00:36:22.520 --> 00:36:26.040 arriving and no one will explain why. 564 00:36:26.360 --> 00:36:30.160 And the most important thing 565 00:36:30.160 --> 00:36:33.640 is a reason to keep going. Who is Harry? 566 00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:37.720 Why is he different? Readers are pulled forward not 567 00:36:37.720 --> 00:36:40.780 by speed, but by emotional investment and 568 00:36:41.180 --> 00:36:44.540 unanswered questions that 569 00:36:44.540 --> 00:36:48.340 storytelling momentum. I mean not how fast the plot moves, 570 00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:51.940 but how deeply it makes you need to know what happens 571 00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:55.660 next. I see, I see that. That's 572 00:36:55.660 --> 00:36:59.380 interesting. From Harry Potter, always have in mind like when they 573 00:36:59.380 --> 00:37:03.140 go out, when they avoid all the letters, when they go out and have like 574 00:37:03.140 --> 00:37:06.460 all the trees, the building 575 00:37:06.460 --> 00:37:10.220 surrounding covered in owls. That's 576 00:37:10.220 --> 00:37:13.960 what I half of mine. I'm going a little bit 577 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:17.520 into the last few questions because I I 578 00:37:17.520 --> 00:37:21.200 am bombarding you with questions for almost 40 minutes 579 00:37:21.200 --> 00:37:24.840 now. Talk a little bit about differentiation and 580 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:28.480 competition. Sometimes it feel like 581 00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:32.240 you're swimming in an ocean of startups. How does a 582 00:37:32.240 --> 00:37:34.680 narrative help to shape your positioning? 583 00:37:37.650 --> 00:37:41.450 Okay, so narrative is positioning with the 584 00:37:41.450 --> 00:37:45.210 heartbeat. Positioning tells me where you are, but 585 00:37:45.210 --> 00:37:47.570 the narrative tells me why I should care. 586 00:37:49.010 --> 00:37:52.690 It gives investors something to bet on. It give 587 00:37:52.690 --> 00:37:56.410 customers something to believe in. And it gives your team a 588 00:37:56.410 --> 00:38:00.210 reason to show up with fire every day. For 589 00:38:00.210 --> 00:38:03.900 example, you're not just a fintech tool, 590 00:38:04.140 --> 00:38:07.260 you're restoring financial dignity. Or 591 00:38:07.980 --> 00:38:11.660 you're not just a cyber security platform, you're defending 592 00:38:11.660 --> 00:38:14.380 the edge of digital trust. 593 00:38:15.260 --> 00:38:18.780 Or you're not just optimizing workflows, 594 00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:22.540 you're reclaiming hours of human focus. 595 00:38:23.740 --> 00:38:27.420 Once you set the narrative, it should guide you through the whole story. 596 00:38:28.640 --> 00:38:31.760 You're doing good. And we do have the last question ahead of us 597 00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:36.080 still differentiation and competition. How can 598 00:38:36.080 --> 00:38:39.680 storytelling help founders to defend either 599 00:38:40.080 --> 00:38:43.680 against copycats or even larger competitors? 600 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:47.760 So this question reminds me of the times we're 601 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.880 experiencing in this era of AI. 602 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:55.070 The one thing AI can't replace yet is 603 00:38:55.070 --> 00:38:58.710 our emotions and intuition. In a 604 00:38:58.710 --> 00:39:02.510 world where anyone can copy your product, your story and 605 00:39:02.510 --> 00:39:05.950 strategy becomes your strongest defense. 606 00:39:06.830 --> 00:39:10.230 Because feature can be cloned. But trust and emotional 607 00:39:10.230 --> 00:39:14.030 connection, those take time to build and are 608 00:39:14.030 --> 00:39:17.870 almost impossible to steal. Once you build them right, you can be 609 00:39:17.870 --> 00:39:21.710 a shoe company, but you can't just do it like Nike. Or 610 00:39:22.990 --> 00:39:26.630 you can manufacture computers and phones, but you can't think 611 00:39:26.630 --> 00:39:30.190 different like Apple. So a good story 612 00:39:30.190 --> 00:39:33.950 anchors your uniqueness and it shifts the conversation 613 00:39:34.030 --> 00:39:37.710 from features to value. For the close. I was 614 00:39:37.710 --> 00:39:41.470 wondering, we are just on 615 00:39:41.470 --> 00:39:45.190 the onset of the age of AI. What 616 00:39:45.190 --> 00:39:48.830 would be your boldest prediction about how storytelling will 617 00:39:48.830 --> 00:39:52.270 change startup fundraising by, let's say, 2030? 618 00:39:54.310 --> 00:39:55.110 Wow, that's 619 00:40:00.950 --> 00:40:03.430 well when it comes down to it, 620 00:40:04.310 --> 00:40:07.990 storytelling isn't a trend. I mean, it has been a co human 621 00:40:08.550 --> 00:40:12.230 communication technique since prehistoric times. If you'd like. 622 00:40:12.950 --> 00:40:16.390 It's one of those. The oldest tool we have 623 00:40:16.550 --> 00:40:20.240 used long before written language to pass down 624 00:40:20.240 --> 00:40:23.680 knowledge or culture or survival skills. 625 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:27.840 People tend to remember stories from childhood, like Hansel and 626 00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:30.480 Greta or Cinderella, for example. 627 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:35.600 Today, AI can make you a good pitch deck. 628 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:39.200 But good as it is, it's not good enough anymore 629 00:40:39.520 --> 00:40:42.480 because everyone is good and uses the same AI. 630 00:40:42.960 --> 00:40:46.300 Storytelling will take you from good to 631 00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:50.100 excellent from 9 to 10. It will always be the 632 00:40:50.100 --> 00:40:53.740 difference between. Actually, it will always be the 633 00:40:53.740 --> 00:40:57.380 difference and turning point between success 634 00:40:57.380 --> 00:41:00.700 and failure. In the future, I think 635 00:41:00.700 --> 00:41:04.420 storytelling won't just support the fundraising process, it 636 00:41:04.420 --> 00:41:08.020 will be the fundraising process. So while the tools have 637 00:41:08.020 --> 00:41:11.380 changed from caves to slides or from firelight to 638 00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:14.780 spotlight, the strategy remains the same. 639 00:41:15.180 --> 00:41:18.980 All you have to do is choose the right storyteller to walk you through 640 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:22.620 this process. So 641 00:41:22.620 --> 00:41:26.260 that means if you do have a story, a 642 00:41:26.260 --> 00:41:29.980 story that appeals to human, it's always possible to 643 00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:33.660 get an AI to help you with refining, with adapting 644 00:41:33.660 --> 00:41:37.380 it. But it's almost impossible for an AI right now 645 00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:40.690 to come up with such a story. Yeah, AI 646 00:41:40.850 --> 00:41:44.690 still can't put the emphasis 647 00:41:44.690 --> 00:41:47.810 on emotion and intuition. This is something 648 00:41:48.290 --> 00:41:51.090 that us human still have 649 00:41:52.450 --> 00:41:56.170 in opposed to AI. So as 650 00:41:56.170 --> 00:41:59.490 long as we keep that ability, we will be good. 651 00:42:01.410 --> 00:42:05.210 I see. Ehud was a pleasure having you as guest here 652 00:42:05.210 --> 00:42:07.720 on Startup Rate IO. Thank you very much. 653 00:42:09.640 --> 00:42:10.840 It was my pleasure. 654 00:42:15.720 --> 00:42:19.240 That's all folks. Find more news streams, 655 00:42:19.400 --> 00:42:20.520 events and 656 00:42:20.520 --> 00:42:24.920 interviews@www.startuprad.IO. 657 00:42:25.320 --> 00:42:27.560 remember, sharing is caring. 658 00:42:32.210 --> 00:42:40.530 Sam.