demo-day-prep

# Demo Day Prep Prepara un founder para **Demo Day** — el evento más high-stakes del early-stage journey. Cubre 4 artefactos: 1. **Application** (YC / Techstars / cualquier accelerator que requiera written apply) 2. **Pitch deck** (10-slide standard para VC demo days) 3. **Pitch script** (3-min spoken script coordinado con deck) 4. **Q&A bank** (50+ preguntas anticipadas + respuestas preparadas) ## ⚠️ Disclaimer - Demo Day es **one-shot event** per cohort — preparation quality correlates direct con fundraising outcome - Este skill genera **structured preparation material**, NO sustituye: - Rehearsal con real humans (record + review; iteration crítica) - Feedback from experienced demo day judges o investor advisors - Legal review de financial claims + forward-looking statements - Deck design polish (Figma / Canva / professional designer) ## Regla de idioma Español para interacción + preparation. **Deck + script final** pueden ser en inglés si demo day es US-based + international investors expected. ## Directorio de salida ``` ./launchpad/{startup-slug}/demo-day/ ├── application.md # Application form write-up (YC, Techstars, etc.) ├── deck-outline.md # 10-slide outline with speaker notes ├── script.md # 3-min spoken script (coordinated with deck) ├── qa-bank.md # 50+ anticipated Q&A ├── rehearsal-log.md # Rehearsal iteration log (round N feedback) └── one-pager.md # 1-page PDF-ready summary for post-event handout ``` --- ## 4 artefactos core ### 1. Application (si aplica) Typically required by: - Y Combinator (~5000 words, heavily structured) - Techstars (~2000 words, accelerator-specific) - 500 Startups, Plug and Play, local accelerators (varies) **Structure standard** (adaptada por accelerator): - Company name + tagline - Founders (backgrounds, equity split, commitment) - Problem (customer-centric, 1-2 paragraphs) - Solution (what we built, 1 paragraph) - Traction (quantitative metrics, specific) - Market (TAM/SAM/SOM + bottom-up validation) - Competition (direct + indirect, differentiation) - Business model (revenue streams, unit economics) - Why now (timing rationale) - Ask (money raising, use of funds) **Critical**: application review para filter — must be tight, no fluff. Average reader spends 3-5 min. ### 2. Pitch deck — 10 slides standard Canonical 10-slide structure (adaptable by accelerator): 1. **Title**: logo + tagline (≤8 words) + founder names 2. **Problem**: concrete customer story, quantified pain 3. **Solution**: what we built, 1-line core value prop 4. **Traction**: 2-3 key metrics with trajectory chart 5. **Market**: TAM/SAM/SOM, bottom-up 6. **Business model**: revenue streams, unit economics snapshot 7. **Competition**: 2×2 matrix or feature comparison 8. **Team**: founders + key advisors, why we'll win 9. **Why now**: market/tech/regulatory timing signal 10. **Ask**: $X raising, use of funds, runway bought, milestones to next round Some accelerators require deck <10 slides (e.g., YC wants ~5 for the initial pitch). Adapt. ### 3. Pitch script — 3-min standard Pacing: - 3 min = 400-450 words spoken at natural pace - Each slide gets ~18-20 seconds - Final 30 sec reserved for ask + call-to-action **Structure**: - **Hook** (first 15 sec): specific customer story that demonstrates pain - **Problem + Solution** (45 sec): what's broken + what we built - **Traction** (30 sec): 2-3 metrics with "because X..." rationale - **Market** (20 sec): TAM size + why bottom-up is credible - **Business model** (20 sec): how we make money, unit economics - **Competition** (20 sec): why we win - **Team** (20 sec): why these people will execute - **Why now** (10 sec): tight window rationale - **Ask** (30 sec): $X for Y milestones, closing line **Delivery rules**: - NO jargon without immediate definition - NO superlatives without quantification ("fastest growing" without data = instantly dismissed) - Practice WITHOUT deck first (deck should complement, not drive) - Record + review — detect filler words, weak transitions ### 4. Q&A bank — 50+ questions Categorize anticipated questions: **Market (10 questions)**: - "What's your TAM bottom-up?" - "Why is the market growing / why will it grow?" - "Who's the largest competitor and why don't they already do this?" - etc. **Product (10 questions)**: - "What's the core technical innovation?" - "What would a competitor need to replicate this?" - "Is there a data moat forming?" - etc. **Traction (10 questions)**: - "What's the growth rate month-over-month?" - "Which channels are working? Which aren't?" - "What's your CAC and LTV? How confident are you?" - etc. **Team (5 questions)**: - "Why are you the founder to solve this?" - "What are your gaps and hiring plans?" - "How did you meet your co-founders?" **Business model (10 questions)**: - "What's your revenue per customer?" - "Where's margin expansion coming from?" - "How do you price and how did you arrive at that?" **Fundraising (5 questions)**: - "What's your runway?" - "How much are you raising and at what valuation?" - "Who's already committed?" - "What milestones does this raise unlock?" --- ## Flujo del skill ### Paso 1 — Load context + demo day target **DD-1**: "Vamos a preparar tu Demo Day. Primero contexto: 1. `startup-profile.md` existente? Si sí, lo leo. 2. `cap-table.md` existente? (para ask slide + ownership context) 3. **Target demo day**: - Name: [YC / Techstars / local accelerator / internal investor day] - Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] - Audience: [general VC / sector-specific / geography-specific] - Format: [stage presentation / 1:1 meetings / video submission] - Time limit: [3 min / 5 min / 10 min] 4. **Application required**: yes/no? If yes, which questions/format?" ### Paso 2 — Application draft (if required) **DD-2**: Si hay application, generar `application.md` siguiendo la structure del accelerator + inputs del startup profile. Incluir: - Version para el founder edit (markdown) - Word count tracker (must fit accelerator limits) - Highlights section — strongest 3 bullets to ensure reviewer sees immediately ### Paso 3 — Deck outline + speaker notes **DD-3**: Generar `deck-outline.md` con 10 slides: - Por slide: headline + 2-3 bullet points + chart/visual description + speaker notes - Cross-reference a datos específicos del startup profile (traction numbers, market data) - Flag slides que requieren design polish (professional chart, custom visual) ### Paso 4 — Pitch script **DD-4**: Generar `script.md` coordinado con deck: - Word-by-word script (400-450 words for 3-min) - Timing markers per slide - Delivery cues (pauses, emphasis, transitions) - Alternate openings (3 hooks to A/B test in rehearsal) - Alternate closes (2 ask framings) ### Paso 5 — Q&A bank generation **DD-5**: Generar `qa-bank.md` con 50+ Q&A: - Por categoría (Market/Product/Traction/Team/Business Model/Fundraising) - Question + prepared answer (30-60 sec spoken) - Follow-up question chain (si te preguntan X y respondés Y, probable follow-up Z) - Red flag questions — questions que si las responden mal torpedoan el momentum ### Paso 6 — One-pager handout **DD-6**: Generar `one-pager.md` — resumen de 1 página para post-event handout: - Logo + contact info - 3 key metrics - 1-line problem + 1-line solution - 2-3 "why now" points - Ask (specific, include link to data room / deck) - QR code if possible (link to full deck) ### Paso 7 — Rehearsal log **DD-7**: Iniciar `rehearsal-log.md` — track iterations: - **Round 1**: solo rehearsal (video record + self-review) - Weak points detected - Timing issues - **Round 2**: con co-founder/advisor feedback - **Round 3**: con externa (founder friend + potential investor) - **Round 4**: full dress rehearsal incluyendo Q&A bank - **Round 5+**: polish until natural pacing **Recommended**: mínimo 5 rounds + 3 different audiences. --- ## Output template — deck-outline.md (preview) ```markdown # Pitch Deck Outline — [Startup Name] **Demo Day**: [Accelerator] **Date**: YYYY-MM-DD **Time limit**: [3 min] **Audience**: [profile] --- ## Slide 1 — Title **Visual**: Logo (large, centered) + tagline **Tagline**: [≤8 words, value-prop clear] **Founders**: [F1] + [F2] **Speaker notes (0:00-0:15)**: "Hola, soy [name], CEO de [startup]. [Hook — specific customer moment]." --- ## Slide 2 — Problem **Visual**: Customer photo / quote / data point **Headline**: [specific pain, quantified] **Bullets**: - [Bullet 1 con datos específicos] - [Bullet 2 con market validation] - [Bullet 3 con urgency signal] **Speaker notes (0:15-0:45)**: "[30-sec storytelling del pain point]" --- ## Slide 3 — Solution [continues same format for all 10 slides] ``` --- ## Rehearsal best practices ### The 5-5-5 rule - **5 rounds minimum** before going live - **5 different audiences** (solo, co-founder, advisor, external founder, real investor) - **5 iterations** per section (refine slide X 5 times based on feedback) ### What to look for in rehearsals - **Pacing**: Hit 2:45 consistently (leaves 15 sec buffer for stage transitions) - **Filler words**: count "umm", "like", "basically", "actually" - **Eye contact**: look at camera / audience, NOT at deck - **Confident posture**: stable stance, controlled hand gestures - **Energy**: varied delivery — not monotone, not shouty - **Weak transitions**: listen for "and then..." or "so..." as crutch words ### Record + watch back - Record every rehearsal (phone camera is sufficient) - Watch the playback WITHOUT audio first (body language only) - Watch with audio but without video (delivery only) - Watch complete - Take notes; identify top 3 improvements per iteration --- ## Output template — script.md (preview) ```markdown # Pitch Script — [Startup Name] **Target duration**: 3:00 **Word count**: 430 words (@ 143 wpm) **Last rehearsal**: [YYYY-MM-DD, duration achieved] --- ## [0:00-0:15] Hook > "La última vez que [specific scenario], [specific customer type] tuvo que [painful action] porque [root cause]. Esto le pasa a [N number] personas cada [time period]." **Delivery**: Direct eye contact, medium pace, no notes visible. ## [0:15-0:45] Problem deepening > "[Continuation of pain with quantification + why current solutions fail]" **Delivery**: [next slide cue] [... continues through all sections] ## [2:30-3:00] Ask + close > "Estamos raising $[X] at $[Y] post-money para [specific milestones — e.g., reach $X MRR, hire N people, expand to Y markets]. Si esto te resuena, me encantaría hablar 15 min después. Gracias." **Delivery**: Slow down on ask, make eye contact with judges, confident pause before "Gracias". ``` --- ## Integración con DojoOS (future) Cuando el DojoOS API esté disponible: - Pull demo day queue assignments del user desde DojoOS - Sync rehearsal artifacts al DojoOS demo day portal - Use Dojo-Score para identify weak areas que need extra rehearsal time Standalone hasta entonces. ## Integración con otras skills - **`startup-intake`**: source del startup-profile.md para context - **`cap-table-builder`**: ask slide needs accurate ownership + dilution impact - **`investor-matching`**: Q&A prep informed by what target investors ask historically - **`feature-to-spike`**: si durante prep se descubre pattern (ej. "3-slide deck outperforms 10-slide in video demo days"), generar SPIKE ## Principios clave - **Deck complements, not drives**: script must hold up without slides - **Specific > abstract**: "We have 47 paying customers" beats "We have strong traction" - **Customer stories > stats**: open with concrete pain moment, anchor to data - **Ask is specific**: "$1.5M at $10M post-money for 18-month runway to $500k MRR" beats "We're raising" - **Rehearse to 2:45, live at 3:00**: buffer for nerves and stage transitions - **Q&A prep is 50% of the work**: judges remember your Q&A more than your pitch - **Record every iteration**: delta between round 1 and round 5 is massive ## Anti-patterns - Reading off slides (death) - Fitting 5 minutes of content into 3 minutes by speaking faster (unintelligible) - Overloading slides with text (should be <20 words per slide) - Stats without source or timeframe ("1M users" — in what period?) - Ask slide is vague or too late (must be in final 30 sec) - No one-pager handout (investors forget names within 1 hour) - Rehearsing alone indefinitely (feedback loop is critical) - Arguing with judges during Q&A (even if they're wrong, concede gracefully) - Checking notes during pitch (signals unpreparedness) ## Recursos - **[Y Combinator — How to Apply + Demo Day tips](https://www.ycombinator.com/resources)** - **Guy Kawasaki — 10/20/30 rule**: 10 slides, 20 min, 30-pt font - **[Founder Institute — Pitch Deck Template](https://fi.co/)** - **[Pitch Anything](https://www.oren-klaff.com/pitch-anything/)** (Oren Klaff) — behavioral selling framework - **[DemoDay.vc — Accelerator pitch database](https://demoday.vc/)** — watch past demo day recordings - **[The Pitch Podcast](https://thepitch.show/)** — listen to real investor Q&A dynamics