Our primary focus is and will always be building successful pitch decks, but we also lend ourselves as a Full-Service Startup Team

Pitch Genius

The Dangers of not Knowing Your Analogue Originally Published at the American Genius An elevator pitch is a quick description of what your does. It is so named as it should be short enough to be spat out at a moment’s notice and take no longer than it would take to ride between floors on an elevator. The goal of this micro-pitch isn’t to tell your listener everything about your company but instead to company share just enough to get them to want to know more. There are several ways of doing this — — but the most effective method has to be the analog. Using a well-known analog to create an association between your napkin idea and an existing, well-known company is a convenient shorthand to say a lot without having to explain a lot: “ ” which I discuss in this post Litr.ly (a made up company) is like Dribbble and Google docs for writers; allowing social feedback, editing, and collaborative creation. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE As a potential investor, team member or elevator passenger, I now know that like the design-focused portfolio site, Dribbble, Litr.ly combines sharing of creative work with a peer community. I also know that like Google Docs, Litr.ly allows real-time contribution and editing. As you can see, (My Mom would have no idea what either Dribbble nor Google Docs do). But it can be overused and is often done very lazily. drawing an analog to your fledgling idea can be very helpful, particularly when talking to a sophisticated or relevant audience DON’T OVERREACH The most overused and misunderstood example of this these days has to be, “ ” If you’re not empowering the sharing economy nor on-demand services through technology, this analog is probably wrong. Instead of truly understanding the company they are piggybacking on, many entrepreneurs simply pick something popular and force a tortured comparison to make their potential seem as great as the greats. We are the Uber of mattresses/musicians/photographers/music discovery/wedding planners/lawn mowers etc. Unless it’s true, it’s indolent and does more harm than good. Not everyone can nor should be the Tom’s Shoes, AirBnB nor Spotify of [fill in the blank]. DON’T HIDE YOUR DIFFERENTIATION Another problem with just picking the biggest name in tech or in your market is that everyone else is doing it too. If three-out-of-five music tech startups were “ ,” which one of them is truly innovating? The natural response after hearing the third, “ ,” is to tune out. Even without hearing your idea, your analog can draw an “ ” response right out of the gate. Facebook for music discovery If you are lazy with your analog and others are too, you essentially hide your differentiation. We are the WordPress of potato farming Here we go again… BE SPECIFIC Another common mistake is neglecting to specify which part of a product of a large company you aspire to be like. Saying that you are the “ ” anything leaves more questions than it answers because Google (or Alphabet) is a LOT of things: IoT (internet of things like Nest), search engine (Google.com), email (Gmail), social network (Wave or Plus), self-driving cars (Waymo), augmented reality (Glass), maps (Maps or Waze) or any number of other pies the $600 Billion giant has their fingers in.Be specific and be relevant — if you’re referencing Wave, Glass or Plus, you might not be up-to-speed with those products’ current state of being (although Glass will be back albeit with a probable rebrand and redesign). Google of KNOW MULTIPLE FACETS OF YOUR COMPARISON On the topic of being up-to-speed, . While you are trying to implant success in the mind of your audience, you could also be invoking unintended risk. You may be referencing a flattering characteristic, “ ” but the wrong person could focus on the fact that Amazon uses a loss-leader strategy (losing money on an initial purchase) on many of its hardware products with the expectation that it can make it up by getting you hooked on e-books and toilet paper subscriptions. beware of hitching your wagon to a known company without understanding their business model, current news and/or revenue numbers It’s a universal marketplace, like Amazon on steroids, So be ready to draw a new analog if and when you need to. KEEP THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR ANALOG CURRENT Equally, if you pick a parallel, you need to follow that company on anything and everything that you can to make sure that a good analog doesn’t go bad. Companies get sued, tweet unsavory things, support unpopular causes (or presidential candidates), unjustly fire employees, lose value on their stocks or get acquired by the wrong company overnight. You DON’T want to be “ ” or the “ ” without notice. Despite their ubiquity, now is probably the worst time to call yourself the “ ” or “ ” after their respective CEOs recently stepped down following scandals and misdeeds. Some of these things can eventually blow over or be bounced back from but the Zenefits for… the week after they were taken to court for malpractice , Zirtual for… after they laid off 400 employees SoFi Uber for … you’ll be caught with your pants down if the pantheon of success you are pointing to just became a punchline. LOOK BEYOND THE BIGGEST NAMES FOR A BETTER FIT The Lyft model works amazingly well for cars in ways that it might not in other verticals. While “ ” startups, and , are both promising companies with great growth, inviting strangers into your house to put their hands on your half-clothed body is a greater risk than getting into a stranger’s GPS-tracked car. While it may be a good comparison, the person you are pitching may agree with Inc. Magazine’s who said on , “ ” If you are reaching outside of your market for an analog, be sure that the glove fits. Lyft for massage Zeel Soothe Will Jacovitz the Inc. Podcast The Uber-ization of anything but cars could get creepy. All of that negativity aside, picking a company role model for that quick elevator pitch is not all potential pitfalls. Drawing an analog remains a great way to anchor your company’s potential in the mind of your audience and succinctly explains how you will dominate your market You just have to be sure to: – Know your audience– Not overreach– Don’t be a “ ” company– Specify which product/feature of a large company’s portfolio you are like– Be ready to draw a new analog if and when appropriate– Know the current news and past struggles of your analog company.– Look beyond the biggest startups and companies for ones that are a better fit me too So go and build the next great Warby Parker for dishware or AirBnB for , just don’t let your description be the Titanic of analogs bronies #YOUDOYOU 👏 If you liked this, please consider recommending it so that others can find it by clicking the clap icon. You can follow: Daniel on Medium , Twitter , Instagram or AngelList .Compl.ai on Medium , Twitter or AngelList .

Don’t be a “Me Too” Company (Unless You Really Are)

For Entrepreneurs, Endurance is more Important than Intellect 

You have a pod of experts from your dedicated team, occasionally complemented by the C-suite members - to do one task. Get conversions! Sounds like one task, but it is a whole cycle. And only if the buyer journey for B2B SaaS has been this cakewalk. B2B companies across the globe invest a fortune to market their offerings right! In this path, Free trials, product demos and freemium spikes the chances of turning users into raving fans. Don’t take my word for this but from a recent report, B2B businesses offering free trials saw average conversion rates of 66%. Quite the potential, but in reality, turning free trial, demo prospects hooked and converting them into 'Loyal Customers' requires some unconventional tactics we will discuss in this blog. Consider it your handy guide to funneling in those 'hard to please prospect' with sure shot measures below: What is a Free Trial in SaaS? A free trial in SaaS (Software as a Service) is when a company offers potential customers the chance to use their software for a limited time at no cost. Its goal is to let users experience the product before subscribing to a paid plan. 5 Strategies to Turn Free Trial Prospects Into Your Product Advocates 1. Choosing between a Product demo or a free trial When introducing your SaaS product to potential B2B customers, choosing between a free trial and a product demo is more than one-size-fits-all. It depends on various factors, and understanding when to use each can significantly impact your conversion rates. Considerations for Using Free Product Demos: Demos excel when you need a tailored, one-on-one approach. They allow you to focus on your potential customer's specific needs and pain points. Personalization: If your software is intricate and requires some handholding to showcase its full potential, a demo can be the ideal starting point. Complexity: : When your target audience consists of busy professionals who may need more time for a complete free trial setup, a demo offers a quicker and more convenient introduction. Busy Buyers When to Opt for Free Trials? A free trial can be a great choice if your software boasts an intuitive interface and is easy for users to grasp independently. Simplicity and Intuition: Free trials work well when you can provide regular guidance and check-ins to help prospects navigate key features and ensure they get the most out of the trial period. Frequent Check-Ins: : Consider free trials to conserve higher-cost sales resources. They allow potential customers to explore your product independently, reducing the need for extensive hands-on support. Resource Efficiency There is also a the basic version of the software or service is made available to users at no cost, while more advanced features or additional functionality are offered as part of a paid subscription or upgrade. Note: freemium model; 2. Relearn your Engagement with the most Qualified Leads The red flag in is chasing unqualified leads. It's vital to recognize that a lead registered for a demo or free trial may not be an ideal prospect at that stage. Because the intentions vary, some prospects inquire about the offerings. Some are on a learning curve or seeking more product and pricing information. B2B SaaS marketing To weed out this red flag, it makes sense to ask a few questions and look for the possible signs in the CRM to understand the behavioral cycle and place them as your Ideal Candidate profile (ICP). Recognizing Strong Buying Signals in B2B Software Purchases Recognize that software purchases often involve teams, not solo buyers. If there are multiple interactions by a group, it signifies potential consensus-building, and the prospect has an interest. Look for prospects diving into advanced content, like hour-long demos and technical webinars. It reflects an active pursuit of understanding and their readiness to invest. Always take note when leads initiate direct conversations, such as requesting calls. These inquiries reveal a genuine interest in engaging further. Recognize prospects facing similar challenges to your existing customers. This alignment suggests the lead fits your ideal candidate profile (ICP). 3. Keep Laser Focused on Your Messaging It is good news if you have concrete data-driven email marketing designed to repeatedly and reliably turn leads into buyers across your marketing ecosystem! But still, is the model getting you the conversions you have anticipated? It goes to all the product marketers who have overlooked the ‘extra work’ on email sequences to strengthen messaging through emails. Let's find this example of perfectly intact messaging. Prospects can't stop but take action! How to Align the Messaging? It is paramount to move beyond self-centered content and tailor your messaging to engage buyers effectively after a trial or demo to their unique needs. Start by conducting discovery sessions to gain insights into their opinions, goals, and expectations. Then, craft targeted calls-to-action (CTAs) that resonate with their journey: After a free trial or freemium, entice prospects with- Success stories Value assessment tools Customer testimonials Exclusive savings. Encourage them to request a personalized demo for deeper exploration. For those who've experienced a demo– Provide access to technical documentation Planning checklists ROI calculators Customer success stories Expert consultations. These CTAs align your messaging with their interests and drive them toward informed decisions and conversions. 4.Implement Multi-Channel Outbound Prospecting In  B2B outbound sales, a well-crafted multi-channel approach has emerged as the new norm. Recent statistics also underline the imperative of embracing multi-channel strategies. Over the past five years, the number of channels preferred by B2B clients during their decision-making process has doubled, surging from five channels in 2016 to an astonishing ten in 2021. You will be amazed that email and chatbots emerge as budget-friendly allies for ongoing engagement, offering convenient touchpoints to provide information and assistance. For a more tailored experience, human touchpoints in the form of calls and chats just before and after a demo or free trial can work wonders. Also, if you are thinking about live phone support and instructor-led tutorials, you must know the complex journey of B2B users makes it a costly route. The Promising Path To strike a balance, consider substituting these high-cost options with accessible online resources. Short, user-friendly how-to videos and FAQs can empower users to navigate your product effectively. As you craft your outreach strategy, envision a touch pattern that acts as your roadmap. This visual representation maps out which channels you'll utilize, how often, and the intervals between messages to prospects. It can be structured around key themes or CTAs aligned with the buyer's journey. This dynamic approach ensures you're reaching out and engaging with purpose and precision. 5. Pitch ‘Paid Plan’ with A Plan Amidst better brand positioning and the right messaging, how to nudge the user for the real action? Because the funnel to closing conversations is constantly aligned with piquing their interest. Less selling of your product, and more offerings for them. Sounds tricky? But there is a clear, simplified roadmap to claim success. Reach out to prospects with conversion marketing messages before the demo or trial concludes. Keep them informed about the transition to paid plans and the value they can expect. Proactive Messaging: : Communicate what happens after the trial ends, detailing the process for upgrading to a paid version. Clear Path Create irresistible discounts for new paid subscribers. Compelling Offers: 6. Conversions Claimed now Focus on Customer Retention Picture the marketing funnel not as a linear path but as an ever-evolving journey beyond mere conversion. And the course that starts from free trial does not end with conversions. Customer retention is significant in maintaining loyal product advocates. How to Win Lifetime Loyal Product Advocates? Understand your customers' unique needs and adapt your SaaS product accordingly, maintaining a feedback-driven, two-way relationship. Personalization is key. . Treat your product offering as a living entity, regularly updating and enhancing it to maximize customer value. Keep evolving . Provide resources, tutorials, and webinars to equip customers with needed skills. Educate and empower Foster a feedback loop that ensures customers feel heard, building trust and loyalty as you address their concerns and aspirations. Listen and act. Final Thoughts: Free Trial to Paid Conversion By 2025, approximately are anticipated to incorporate free trials or freemium offerings into their business models. 80% of enterprise software providers Understand, that the path from offering free trials or freemium products to successfully converting users into paid customers is a strategic roadmap with immense potential for SaaS companies. It is complex, but by adopting the right tactics and mindset, businesses can turn this transitional phase into a seamless and profitable one. To work together on your product conversions, reach out to me here!

'Free Trial Genius': 6 Strategies to Turn Free Trial/Demo Users into Happy Customers

'ফ্রি ট্রায়াল জিনিয়াস': ফ্রি ট্রায়াল/ডেমো ব্যবহারকারীদের খুশি গ্রাহকে পরিণত করার 6টি কৌশল

„Free Trial Genius“: 6 Strategien, um aus kostenlosen Test-/Demo-Benutzern zufriedene Kunden zu machen

'Free Trial Genius': 6 estrategias para convertir a los usuarios de prueba/demo gratuitos en clientes satisfechos

« Génie de l'essai gratuit » : 6 stratégies pour transformer les utilisateurs d'essai gratuit/démo en clients satisfaits

'फ्री ट्रायल जीनियस': फ्री ट्रायल/डेमो उपयोगकर्ताओं को खुश ग्राहकों में बदलने के लिए 6 रणनीतियाँ

「無料トライアルの天才」: 無料トライアル/デモ ユーザーを幸せな顧客に変える 6 つの戦略

'무료 평가판 천재': 무료 평가판/데모 사용자를 행복한 고객으로 전환하는 6가지 전략

'Free Trial Genius': 6 estratégias para transformar usuários de avaliação/demonstração gratuita em clientes satisfeitos

«Гений бесплатной пробной версии»: 6 стратегий, позволяющих превратить пользователей бесплатной пробной/демонстрационной версии в счастливых клиентов

'Ücretsiz Deneme Dehası': Ücretsiz Deneme/Demo Kullanıcılarını Mutlu Müşterilere Dönüştürmek için 6 Strateji

'Thiên tài dùng thử miễn phí': 6 chiến lược để biến người dùng thử/demo miễn phí thành khách hàng hài lòng

“免费试用天才”：将免费试用/演示用户转变为满意客户的 6 种策略

А useful guide for founders on how to prepare a pitch deck and how we look on it as a VC investor. In times of Zoom calls and minimized face-to-face meetings it has become quite difficult to convey word-of-mouth information to investors quickly and efficiently. It seems that the elevator pitch has also gone down in history of the venture capital industry following the anecdotes of entrepreneurs of the 2000s and 2010s, giving way to even faster communications in instant messengers and chats. Such a traditional tool as has now taken on the most important function in communicating with investors - - which means that it requires as much attention as any other format for presenting your project. pitch deck to convey and sell a business idea for you What startups need a pitch deck Spoiler: a pitch deck is needed for all startups of early and late stages, which in one way or another attract investments or enter negotiations with investors. At the first stages of the company's development (Pre-seed or even Angel-stage), a pitch deck should succinctly express the essence of the project and “sell” the idea that the project is the future, and it is you who will be able to bring the future into reality, it is only a matter of time. As company grows and develops, it becomes more complex, and VC needs to consider more factors in order to make a decision about investments at a later round of high valuation. All the factors that influence the investment decision, namely the experience of the team, traction, unit economics, investment attractiveness factors, competitor analysis, can hardly be included in an oral pitch presentation. Each VC runs through a large number of projects every day, and without information to refer to, you will get lost in the flow and communication will not be effective. In reality, when a startup is looking for investors on its own, it needs to contact and communicate with everyone, for example, to tell 20-25 funds about the project so that communication continues with a subsequent call or meeting. When an entrepreneur has a pitch deck, he can make a text summary of comprehensive information about his company and send it to all the funds in his pipeline. . This simply reduces the time that founders spend on fundraising, and that investors need to decide on further communication. In fact, all the information about your project is like a heap of ripe oranges, and your pitch deck is like freshly squeezed orange juice How a pitch deck comes into investor's hands There are different ways depending on the interested parties: either it is an investor who is looking for where to invest, or it is a project that is looking for an investor. Professional investors, funds, and business angels, for whom venture investment is the core activity, are, as a rule, proactively looking for startups for their pipeline. Sourcing of projects is carried out, for example, through Telegram channels, mailing lists, major media, accelerators, and networking at events. Startups get through networking with other investors and founders fast-track to the top of the pipeline. In case founders themselves are proactively looking for an investor, they try to find the right contacts and send information about their project directly. The most enterprising founders share an information-limited pitch deck publicly on various platforms, social networks and channels. At A.Partners, most often we start negotiations with projects that our investment team has found independently. We are looking for projects in our pipeline in accordance with our investment theses both through open sources (channels, mailing lists), and through our co-investors and networking. if, for example, the project does not fit the investment thesis of the fund in terms of industry, stage, or technology, as another investor may be interested in such a startup. The rule of good form for investors is to share the pitch deck of a promising project with colleagues Who handles your pitch deck Professional investors work proactively on their pipeline, and often have a whole team. The question arises: “then who will actually deal with my pitch deck?” Your pitch deck can fall directly into the hands of an investor, a managing partner of a fund, a business angel, if it has come from networking with other investors and recommendations from portfolio project founders. But more often, a professional investor team, such as an angel investment office or fund, looks for projects on its own before bringing up an investment. What are the advantages of having an investment team working with your pitch deck first, and why is it worth developing your network, including employees of funds and investment companies? First, when projects are reviewed only by fund partners, some of the investment opportunities can get lost, stuck in a pile of messages and emails. Sorting out incoming applications by the team is an effective way to get a sense of each project and assess its potential for investment. In any case, the project for investment is brought to the general investment committee, where the team convinces VC that the startup is promising. Second, if an investor can be well-versed only in specific industries, a team of several people allows to expand competencies and specialize in a wider range of technologies and business models, so the chances of attracting investment for projects from a new niche for VC increase. Third, all startups receive feedback - thereby increasing the conversion from the pitch deck to negotiations. In addition, even if a particular analyst hasn't recognized the potential of a project, in the course of collective discussions, colleagues will tell from their experience whether it is still worth taking a closer look at the startup. Investment team provides VC with more expertise and visibility, increasing the funnel, the quality of evaluation and feedback on each project. The team has the right to take the next step without the permission of the fund's partner: request materials from the startup, calculate metrics and prepare information for the investment committee. Among the disadvantages of working with an investor team is the fact that communication takes more time. After a pitch deck gets to one of the members of the investment team, interaction begins, in the course of which you will be asked for additional information for analysis, and more time may pass before the final decision. In some cases, analysts may lack experience, while an investor may see the potential and prospects due to long-standing expertise, intuition, knowledge of inner workings of the market and insider information. How do we regard your pitch deck? As a rule, a pitch deck contains 10-15 slides, including the title and final slide with contact details. These slides contain information about the product, the business model, the problem the startup solves, the market, competitive analysis, traction and metrics, and development strategy. Also, the presentation should talk about the team and indicate how much you want to raise, and what milestones to achieve with the help of investments and in what timeframe. When running through a pitch deck, investors look closely at almost every detail. Here are the top points that make it clear whether to continue communicating with a project: A clear and understandable description of the product - it is important for an entrepreneur to be able to explain simply and succinctly what kind of product he creates. Product. Traction may not be presented on your slides depending on the stage of the project. You should not take it as a must-have if you just have a product and have yet to test hypotheses. However, if you already have some revenue, customers, the unit economics has begun to converge, do not forget to highlight it. Traction. If you are a late-stage startup, you need to show revenue, profit, your achievements in absolute and relative terms, to show unit economics. Metrics. Illustrate market phenomena that can trigger the growth of your business - something that will work for your benefit. An important factor is the size of the market - this information is checked and analyzed on the investor's side. For VC, it is important that founders understand and are able to assess and define the market they operate in, which indicates a deep understanding of their product, customers, the overall market landscape identifying its key players, and uptrends in the local and global market. Your wrong definition of the market may become a “red flag” for an investor. Market. A startup that believes that it has no competitors seems either overly optimistic, or deceives itself and has poorly studied the market, or considers only direct competitors, and not indirect ones (how this problem is solved now in general, and not just within the same solutions that the startup operates). It is unlikely that a startup creates a new need for customers that did not exist before, so comparison with direct and indirect competitors is important for entrepreneurs to understand how their potential customers are now covering their need. The investor still wants to see a detailed comparison with close competitors in the market - specific companies, not phantom groups of competitors; and not just a comparison of products, but, where possible, a comparison of key indicators that determine the success of a company in your niche. Competitors. Show how you differ from other projects, and what factor will help your startup soar and overtake competitors. USP and secret sauce. Investors like founders experienced both in the industry of the product they make and in launching startups, and even better if you have already sold the previous business to a well-known player and exited with good returns. As the Venture Barometer 2021 report showed, the team is one of the most important factors for making an investment decision - these are the people whom investors entrust with their money, and success largely depends on the founders, no matter how promising the idea is. If you do not have exits and 30 years of experience in the industry behind you, there is no need to despair. You just need to convince VC that you and your team are the right people to let the startup soar. Team. To attract investment, it is important for every project to have a slide on which you predict traction from important indicators, such as revenue or user growth. Show milestones (in addition to tangible indicators, milestones can be important product changes, new market entries, etc.) that you plan to achieve and that will lead you to the next funding round. On your roadmap, show the indicators that you plan to achieve by attracting subsequent rounds: what place in the market do you plan to take, what increase in revenue to expect, how many users to attract. VC invest, in fact, in a kind of step-by-step picture of success, and it's important for them to know how you measure that success. It is a rare case to attract investments simply to “patch up holes”. If a startup is in trouble, it is important to show how investors' money can help turn the situation around. Development strategy. Red flags for investors What immediately repels an investor when they get acquainted with your pitch deck? that does not reflect your corporate identity, unfortunately, does not look like you are a genius with a mess on the table, but illustrates your approach to business and attitude towards the recipients of your documents. A sloppy and untidy presentation Often you can find information about the investor's interests or the fund's investment focus on their websites, social networks, telegram channels. Do not waste your time and the time of investors - do not send a project that is not at all in the core interests of VC. Misdirected presentation. A presentation consisting of 10 slides, 5 of which are product descriptions, shows that or have a poor understanding of your product and what problem it solves. When a clear structure is maintained, this is an obvious factor that sympathizes with further communication with companies. However, if your startup has a complex technology or CapEx-heavy product (let's say you're pitching hyper-converged (HCI) solutions for IT infrastructure or something from the field of biotechnology), the product can be difficult to describe in less than 5 slides - in this case, specialized funds that invest in such fields are ready for long and intricate descriptions. you cannot clearly describe what you do . No competitors, or only indirect competitors. And, of course, the “red flag” will be that you are “selling” to the wrong market. Inability to assess the market , or there is no offer in the message to the investor. How much are you raising and for what purpose? It is alarming when the project team does not know how much money they need and for what. Absence of a slide with a request And finally, a few tips: There are projects with a simple and understandable business model, and there are high-tech startups whose product features are difficult to explain. Both are important and attract investments. The question is, which investor will be your profile one. Present an ultra-tech project to a fund that invests in such technologies and has the expertise to understand your product, or to a generalist fund that makes 200-400 investments per year in different projects - in this case, you need to understand that VC will not understand the technology, and when negotiating, you need to adhere to the principle of “keep it simple”, which allows the brain to grasp the idea in a basic way and then impose complex structures. Make your pitch deck exactly the size needed (10-15 slides). A presentation should not be too long or too short, do not overload the slides. Most likely, VCs have seen similar projects, and you need to stand out, show the unique character of your project and the factors of its investment attractiveness. Of course, there are trending markets, and investors want to be the first riding a new wave of hype, but in all industries, there is a place for innovation. The combination of all the factors that we mentioned above will help your pitch deck fulfill its main function and lead to negotiations with investors.

For Founders: How the Venture Capital Investors Deal With Your Pitch Deck

Slide by Slide Analysis of My $1.4 Million SaaS Seed Funding Pitch Deck 

In 1943, the American aircraft engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson received a call from the Pentagon: the US Air Force needed a fighter jet. Johnson ran Advanced Development Projects (ADP), a closed division of the Lockheed Corporation aircraft manufacturing company. It was located in a separate room, and only employees directly involved in the development of ADP could go in there. The task was extremely complicated: the military gave only 150 days to create a fighter. The was to be designed according to the drawings of the British Halford H-1, and the engineers did not have access to them. Of 130 people, only five knew exactly what they were working on. Employees worked in a specially rented circus tent near a plastic factory, where, according to the idea, a terrible smell would scare away onlookers. The team finished the work over 143 days. On November 16, 1943, the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star was delivered to the Muroc airbase. The aircraft became the first American serial jet fighter and was used not only in World War II but also in air battles over Korea in the 1950s. Later on, the corporation continued collaboration with the Pentagon. Lockheed ADP is also famous for Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft, Nighthawk stealth, Starfighter (the first aircraft to set altitude and speed records at the same time), Sea Shadow, an invisible vessel, and other projects, including secret ones. In the 1960s, Lockheed ADP received an official alias — The Skunk Works. It is a reference to the tent story in Li'l Abner comic book. Today the term ‘skunkworks’ refers to an approach in business, engineering, and technology where an autonomous, bureaucracy-free group works on a complex or secret project. Skunkworks phenomenon has become so popular that it earned in the Silicon Valley series. a mention Deep tech or not: startup checklist The deep tech (Deep technology) industry is about playing sides. On the one hand, there are scientific developments, and on the other — competition according to the business laws. You need to create a popular science-based product and sell it, outperforming all competitors. Ideally, this is a small mobile group that effectively collaborates and quickly solves scientific and engineering problems. The distinguishing features of a deep tech startup are unique technology, the scientific novelty and the ability to commercialize the technology. These products address the challenges that were previously deemed impossible to tackle technologically or a faster, more convenient and cheaper solution did not exist. Deep tech projects must build upon unique technology. Uber or Airbnb are not deep tech startups. They did not create revolutionary tech but did found a profitable business model. The deep tech startup monetization model can be unpredictable at the idea stage. Therefore, team flexibility here matters a lot. Not every scientific discovery lead to the creation of a product. Some of them will never be applied. Others will give a new development round to the technological process in general and deep tech startups in particular. The deep tech industry is interested in the achievements of applied science, which can be sold in the foreseeable future. There are plenty of them. The overall level of technology, labor, and material efficiency is growing very rapidly, so much so that private companies can already launch rockets and satellites into space. An office of such a company exists in Ukraine. American Firefly Aerospace, owned by Maxim Polyakov, has R&D in Dnipro. Business born at universities Now is the right time to do high-tech and scientific projects in Ukraine. The country is a goldmine of gifted scientists, and the development process is cheaper as compared with the United States or Western Europe. The academics must be surrounded by robust business teams, engaged in the construction and validation of hypotheses, communication with potential buyers. This task can be performed by energetic, talented students with good English. In Ukrainian deep tech projects, adult scientists whose careers date back to the Soviet era are often responsible for R&D, while their students are responsible for marketing. The creation of deep tech projects in the academic community is a global practice. Mark Rybert, Technology Professor at Massachusetts University who devoted a lot of time to developing robotic limbs, assembled a group of researchers in 1992 and founded the Leg Lab. In 2005, a company commissioned by the US Army and participated in the development of the BigDog robot, and now its name became almost a synonym for robotics. Since 2013, Boston Dynamics was owned by Google, and in 2017 they were bought by the SoftBank Group holding. DARPA Industry pitfalls When an inventor first presents the idea of ​​a deep tech project, it is difficult to understand who he is: a genius, a deceiver or a naive dreamer. Perhaps he uses the “fake it 'til you make it” approach. In the Western startup community, this principle is rather common, which encourages the classical model of venture financing. Ukrainian companies adopt this tradition without adjusting for local realities. When an AI startup is being created, a beautiful branding hides 20 low-paid coders from India or another country who imitate the operation of a neural network. Programmers and architects can develop a real neural network, but while they are doing this, marketers and sales are already bringing a product to market and are testing business hypotheses. This scheme is dangerous. By pretending that a solution already exists, the startup runs the risk of becoming the second - killer of its own reputation and the idea that underpinned the project. Theranos A deep tech startup team should do two things. First, create a proof of technology — tangible evidence that the model is correct and the technology will work. Second, validate the idea by talking to a potential stakeholder, for example, the corporation that will implement the tech. To do this, you need to provide proof of technology and a presentation about the business perspective: how much you can earn or save. Investors’ responsibility deserves particular attention. They are not always able to assess the project’s perspective from the first pitch, but they can develop the network to consult with experts when evaluating a startup. Fantastic technologies: the most promising ideas Deep tech is ahead of time. Those are solutions to problems related to healthcare and life quality, sustainable development of cities and the community, infrastructures, responsible consumption and production, the fight against climate change, renewable energy, decent working conditions, and economic growth. Areas of application for deep tech are advanced materials, AI, photonics and electronics, robotics and drones. Y Combinator partner Jared Friedman that attracting investment in a biotech or life science project is like attracting money to a technology project ten years ago: investors are enthusiastic. wrote Deep tech innovation is often created at the junction of several industries and knowledge areas. An ideal product is the one that provides longevity, transfers one’s consciousness into the cloud and increases the level of happiness. Those ideas might sound surreal. Many technologies existing today once sounded surreal as well. Such dreams are the foothold for those who want to change the world. We are looking forward to collaborating with corporate partners and follow-on funds to unleash the huge deep tech industry potential and make a difference starting today. Yuri Filipchuk, partner at CYFRD investment company, sheds light on the deep tech industry, its origin and mechanics as well as great potential.

A Genius, a Deceiver, or a Naive Dreamer? Deep Tech Explained 

Sylvia: 100 Days

Let's learn about via these 62 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Tech Startups /Learn Repo 1. Unicorn Startup Companies Founded During a Recession The global recession is a turbulence time for all businesses. We have used to be afraid of scenarios that may play out during and after the financial downturn. Different sources define this period as "a significant decline in economic activity, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in the real gross domestic product (GDP), real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales." 2. Clubhouse: The Bomani Effect Clubhouse is an invitation-only, audio chat app, valued in Dec 2020 at $100 million. It is now valued at 1 billion USD since Jan 2021. 3. What Makes A Venture Studio So Successful at Building Startups? As an increasing number of venture studios break into the entrepreneurial scene, it’s time to analyze what makes this model so competitive. 4. A Genius, a Deceiver, or a Naive Dreamer? Deep Tech Explained In 1943, the American aircraft engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson received a call from the Pentagon: the US Air Force needed a fighter jet. Johnson ran Advanced Development Projects (ADP), a closed division of the Lockheed Corporation aircraft manufacturing company. It was located in a separate room, and only employees directly involved in the development of ADP could go in there. 5. D2C 101: Why the Future of Retail is Vertical Commerce and D2C Brands For as long as humanity has existed, so has commerce in the form of sharing, bartering and selling resources. Even before currency in its most rudimentary form has come into existence in Mesopotamia in 3000BC, economies were created through bartering where people would exchange goods/services based on perceived value (Person A would want to sell Item A to Person B who finds Item A valuable in return for Item B which holds more value to Person A than it does to Person B). 6. How to Launch a Successful Startup and Keep it Blooming: 25 Great Tips Learn to think critically about your ideas 7. Low-code for Hackers In recent years Low-code/No-code has become a hot topic. According to that approach an IT-system is developed visually. Conventional wisdom says that building an MVP on low-code is OK, but if something sophisticated and scalable is needed, you have to code it traditionally. These visual tools seem to be very limited. Let me reveal the other side of low-code world, which has no such limits. 8. An insight into Asia's Tech Startup Scene With the boom in technology, tech startups are booming all over the world, especially in the Asian region. In recent years, it has been noticed that startups are growing the track record of success stories in the business world. 9. Why Working in a Startup Is More Rewarding Than a Career in Big-Tech Five reasons of why working in a startup might be more rewarding than position in a big-name company for specialists, who are focused on career achievements. 10. Start with a Prototype, Follow with an MVP and Then Get to the Final Product Your Guide to the Main Stages of Tech Startup Development 11. The Pitch Deck That Makes Investors Say Yes In these uncertain times of Covid-19 and lockdown, it’ll come as no surprise to say that investments, as with everything else, have taken a bit of a hit. In France alone, investment was down 30% in April compared to April 2019. But, not to despair! Despite the current climate, investors are indeed still active. 12. #FoundersConnect: Njoku Emmanuel, the 19-year-old CEO & Co-founder of Lazerpay Interview with Lazerpay co-founder & CEO, Njoku Emmanuel. 13. So You're Planning To Pitch Your Startup W/O a Growth Strategy This Year? A month ago, I had the privilege to chat with a third-time founder with two successful exits under his belt. 14. Valuing Cryptocurrencies: When to Go by Exchange Listing Count and When Not To At the moment, there are more than 1500 cryptocurrencies existing today, with a combined market capitalization of over $18 billion. As the crypto industry progresses at a high pace, investors are constantly willing to trade in this never-sleeping market. In order to be able to participate in cryptocurrency trading, users turn to the so-called exchanges. 15. Why Startups Are Better To Work For Last fall as I started my last year at UCLA, I aggressively applied and interviewed for programming jobs. The decision agonized me for weeks and I devoured career guides and advice. And in the end, I chose a small 50 person startup over exciting companies like Facebook, Stripe, and Cruise. I basically chose less money for more work mostly because it was a startup. 16. Should You Build Your Startup in Public? You have had a great idea, spent some time validating your business idea and are now facing the next questions: How should I approach my building? One of the most used buzzwords in the indie hacker space is “building in public“. It comes in different styles and with different methods. Of course, success in building a side-project publicly also varies. I aim to provide a starting point in this article with a look at methods, platforms, and tools. This blog-post links into the series on introduction in the indie hacker space. 17. Using CI/CD Pipelines to Increase the Speed and Quality of Software Development Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery in the development process. How the CI/CD pipeline helps create products and implement new features better and fast 18. Startup Interview with Changsu Lee, Allganize's Founder and CEO This interview with Changsu Lee, founder and CEO of Allganize, Inc. goes into details the main reasons why he started his AI NLU company back in 2017. 19. Ayo Akindele, Founder and CEO of Kyshi Interview with Ayo Akindele, of Kyshi, a payment startup for transnational money transactions. 20. Startup Interview with Vivek Khatri, Director & Founder, at Emizen Tech Vivek Khatri, Director and Founder of a Startup of the year nominee Emizen Tech, shares their origin story, why they focus on retention and exciting technology. 21. #FoundersConnect: Koromone Koroye, Managing Editor of TechCabal Conversation with Koromone Koroye, Managing Editor of TechCabal on her interesting life experiences, thoughts of religion, work culture and more! 22. 3 Ways in Which Launching a Startup Is Easier in the Post-COVID Era The post-COVID world is full of global opportunities for early-stage companies to develop and grow. Learn how to build a startup with online tools. 23. #FoundersConnect: Eyitayo Ogunmola, Founder of Utiva, an African Ed-tech Startup I speak with Eyitayo Ogunmola, the CEO of Utiva, an education service for Africans and people of colour entering the tech industry. 24. 5 Productivity Hacks to Get More Done as the Founder of a Startup As a founder of a startup, chances are that you have one thing constantly going on in your mind: getting more work done. 25. How Do You Measure Success? Downloads, Traction, and Revenue MyValet updates car parking and car services to the 21st century. No more paper, no more stamps, no more cash. 26. How to Evaluate New Ideas For Value? It is easy to know the value of a product or service which is used often and is accepted as something worthy to pay for. Everyone agrees gold coins are valuable even if they don’t know the current gold rate in their currency. 27. As the Hype Ends, Brazil's Tech Startup Investment Landscape is Changing for the Better Brazil's become a startup paradise, but the current funding low is leaving its mark. What's in store for the Brazilian startup ecosystem at the end of 2022 28. 5 Challenges Your Cannabis Tech Startup Needs to Solve: 2020 Edition With recreational and medical marijuana legalisation efforts comes great business opportunity, and unsolved problems. As of today, recreational and medical marijuana legalisation efforts have succeeded in multiple jurisdictions across the world, and counting. On the list is Luxembourg to become the first European country to  join the ranks of Canada and U.S. in relaxing weed laws. 29. #FoundersConnect: Bunmi Akinyemiju, Partner at GreenHouse Capital, Former CEO Venture Garden Group I speak with Bunmi Akinyemiju, one of the biggest investors in the African startup space, and Founding Partner at GreenHouse Capital. 30. The 3-Step Process to Hiring a Software Engineer For Your Startup The standard coding interview gauges coding prowess the same way an IQ test gauges intelligence. Basically, barely at all. 31. The Series A Startup Guide to Outstaffing Software Developers This is a quick guide on how to select remote development teams for startups at the Series A stage that may need to add remote engineers to their teams. 32. #FoundersConnect: Ameyaw Debrah, the Founder of Ameyawdebrah.com | Ghanaian Celebrity Blogger Peace has a conversation with Ameyaw Debrah, Ghanaian celebrity blogger and founder of Ameyawdebrah.com, a lifestyle news blog about media, his life, and more. 33. Growing a Startup is all About Decision Making I love reading the insights of successful entrepreneurs contemplating on their decision-making evolution and try to draw insights from my own experience as a startup owner. The more I’m into it, the more I realize that growing a startup is all about decision making. 34. #FoundersConnect: Tosin Faniro-Dada, MD /CEO of Endeavor (Nigeria) Peace has a conversation with Tosin Faniro-Dada, the MD & CEO of Endeavor in Nigeria, about her career and her passion for helping entrepreneurs. 35. #FoundersConnect: Ben Lyon, CEO and CoFounder of Stax, an Offline Payment App for Africans Conversation with Ben Lyon of Hover Developer Services, the parent company of Stax, a simple way to carry out payment services without internet or USSD codes. 36. Meet Clockwise Software Meet Clockwise Software - a Ukrainian JavaScript development company with a head office in Dnipro. 37. [ANN] Pitch.Tech - A Dottech Domains & Startup Grind Competition For Ideapreneurs Win $10,000 in equity-free funding and over $100,000 in startup benefits. 38. Kristina Cahojova, CEO at Kegg.Tech: #MyStartInTech Story In this interview, Kristina Cahojova, CEO of Kegg.Tech talks about how she got her start in the tech world. 39. All the Tech You Need to Start an Online Business New business owners must ensure they have a good foundation of the necessary technologies to run their businesses. 40. What is the Difference Between MVP and POC? In this article, we will look at definitions for MVPs and POCs and the circumstances in which to use them. 41. Tadeas Adamjak from UXtweak Talks About How to "Make Your Websites Better" UXtweak is user experience (UX) research platform providing tools for usability testing, IA research and behavior analysis. Read its origin story and more! 42. Thrilled to be Recognized as a Trending Startup in Jaipur, India Emizentech is recognized as one of the trending startups in Jaipur India in 2022 by Hackernoon. 43. Should I Work At A Startup Or An Established Company? A Company vs A Startup. What’s best? In this article, I review my experience working at both startups and companies to help you determine your best route. 44. #FoundersConnect: Godwin Tom, Serial Entrepreneur, Music Business Mogul & CEO of iMANAGE AFRICA Conversation with Godwin Tom, an expert in music management and CEO of iMANAGE Africa on his journey, his work, and the future. 45. How to Launch a Tech Startup and Raise Financing in the U.S. Starting a tech business in the U.S. can be a challenge and a privilege. While the market is large, the competition is intense and consumer standards are high. 46. Exploring Taiwanese Start Up Culture Following our hiring survey for Taiwan startups, this story discusses how local companies find talent, and the importance of employer branding for scalability. 47. What Are The Most Common Mistakes New Startups Make? Newbie startups fly HIGH and then fall hard! Here’s why. 48. Right Entrepreneur, Right Problem: The First Steps in Startup Building “Focus on getting your MVP’s value proposition incredibly clear. If your grandma doesn’t understand it’s probably not clear.” [49. When We Can Pitch Startups at Events Again, Take These Lessons With You](https://hackernoon.com/when-we-can-pitch-startups-at-events-again-take-these-lessons-with-you-in2jc3yio) Here I am, a twenty-year-old astrophysics student designing satellites to place in orbit around Mars and a self-starter entrepreneur longing to show my baby — nect MODEM — to the earth. I've had a few bumps on the road. Thankfully, I learned a few valuable lessons, and the experience of attending five conferences with my startup as my product made me reflect on a lot I'd like to share with other aspiring startup owners. 50. Taking on “12 Startups in 12 Months” Challenge in 2022 I am doing the 12 Startups in 12 Months challenge starting from January 2022. That means I need to build and launch one startup every single month of 2022! 51. How Tech Companies are Helping in Times of Covid-19 Crisis Since the pandemic COVID-19 is shaking all over the world, several people are dying and facing issues to earn for their livelihood. Well, big tech companies have responded with unusual alacrity and they are helping people during this crisis. 52. How to Negotiate a Letter of Intent (LOI) That Provides a Smooth Acquisition Process The buyer needs to see that there are no hidden surprises waiting for them. 53. Console #16: Fake Like Factories and Surviving the Surveillance Apocalypse 01/05/2020 54. Startups Are Thriving in LA: It's An Entrepreneurial Hot Spot In this article, there are some great insights about the Los Angeles business hub that places it in the lead in the post-pandemic era! 55. Useful Tools To Improve Your Business Performance To improve business performance, a business spends a lot of time, effort, and money unaware of the tools that can help him/her to boost business performance. 56. Product Marketer vs. Growth Marketer vs. Content Marketer: How to Choose Your First Marketing Hire Product, growth, and content marketers all have unique roles to play in your tech startup, but which should you prioritize? This article answers that question. 57. 9 Things I‘ve Learned About Running a Startup Almost 2 years ago, we launched Meddy out of a class project at college. We faced our fair share of challenges from lawsuits to team conflicts to engineering issues etc. 58. 7 Startups Founded During the Pandemic These 7 Startup Founders used the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic to propel them forward. From asynchronous communication apps to a self-sanitizin 59. AI Startup Financing: 6 Best Seed Funding Options in 2022 So you have a new cutting-edge AI product/service idea. 60. The Ideal Tech Co-Founder for Your Startup: Expert Tips to Avoid Odds of Failure in 2021 Choosing a technical co-founder is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an entrepreneur. 61. Descriptive Analysis: Why Did These 500 Trending Startups Shut Down? Discovering meaningful patterns in business failures. 62. Startup Journey: From Aviation To Fintech The ninth interview in the Startup Journey series: Building an airline out of necessity & an innovative fintech product out of passion Thank you for checking out the 62 most read stories about Tech Startups on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

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