How to Run Effective Startup Briefings in Venture Clienting

Startup Briefings

Once you’ve shortlisted a startup, it’s time to brief them. A Startup Briefing is your opportunity to:

1. Explain the problem and expectations
2. Check if the startup is really a good fit
3. Prepare them to give a tailored, pain-point-specific demo

Done well, this step makes the difference between a random sales pitch and a powerful, relevant solution presentation that impresses the stakeholder.

How to Run a Great Startup Briefing

1. Start with context

• Introduce yourself, your role, and why you’re contacting them on behalf of the customer.
• Briefly explain how Venture Clienting works and what the process will look like from here (e.g., “next step is a demo, not a purchase decision”).
• Let them ask questions to clarify.

2. Explain the challenge

• Clearly share the pain point the customer is facing and what kind of solution they’re looking for.
• Tell them why you think their startup is a fit (e.g., “we’ve seen a lot of companies, but yours stood out, you’re on the shortlist”).
• Ask them:
  • “Can you solve this problem?”
  • “Have you solved it before for similar companies?”
  • “Do you have reference customers in this space?”

3. Clarify any open questions

• Go through any unclear points from the needs assessment or sourcing phase.
• Ask follow-ups that help confirm or rule out a match.

4. Train them for the demo

Now comes the crucial part: prepare them to deliver an effective, customer-specific demo.

Tell them exactly what the customer wants to see:

• A slide clearly stating the problem, in the customer’s own words
• Their solution, tailored to that problem
• A before-and-after example (e.g., “Client X used our tool and went from A to B”)
• References, ideally from the same industry
• The team setup, who would they work with?
• A proposed PoC scope, what exactly would be tested?
• Pricing (if possible), both for the PoC and for a full rollout

👉 Emphasize:

❌ “We’re a cool startup from Hamburg with a rooftop terrace.”

✅ “Here’s exactly how we solve your problem.”

Also:

• Ask them to demo the specific feature that solves the pain point, not their whole product.
• If possible, ask them to customize the demo using mock data or customer-like context.

Bonus Tips

• Always trust your gut.
• If something feels off, whether it’s the product, the tone, or the person - don’t move forward! It’s better to pause now than fix damage later.
• Bad fit, great product? Talk to the founders.
• If the product looks promising but the contact person doesn’t inspire confidence, reach out to the founders directly. Most will gladly take over, especially if a real opportunity is on the line.
• Be clear about the next step.
• Invite them to the upcoming demo afternoon or similar session. Give them the time slots and explain how to confirm attendance.

A strong startup briefing sets the stage for a strong demo, which in turn builds stakeholder trust and leads to faster decisions.