Episode 136: How to Pitch to Investors – Beth Susanne on Coaching Startups that Raised $10B

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Beth Susanne, global pitch coach trusted by over 3,950 startups and clients across 60 countries. She has helped entrepreneurs raise over $10 billion to date! Her work spans industries from medtech and biotech to fintech, AI, and cleantech, and she has collaborated with organisations such as Singularity University, Oxford Foundry, Barclays, BMW, and Disney. Known for her “dogged determination to extract the very best” from founders, Beth specializes in crafting clear, confident messages that resonate across investors, markets, and culture. She is the person European and Asian entrepreneurs call when they want to learn how to loosen up and exude confidence before meeting with a group of Silicon Valley investors. In this episode, Beth breaks down how to capture and maintain investor attention, map motivations such as risk, upside, and speed, and master delivery through voice, pace, pause, and presence. She also shares why simplicity is a superpower, how founders can remove 70% of words to double their impact, and much more! You’ll learn: – Why attention is the only currency in a pitch—and how to earn it fast – How to map investor motivations (risk, upside, speed) and speak to them directly – Delivery that lands: voice, tempo, pause, and eye contact – Simplicity as a superpower: remove 70% of words, double the impact – Visualization & rehearsal: training confidence on command Takeaways: – Attention is the currency. Open strong, cut filler. – Motivation mapping: speak to risk, upside, speed. – Delivery makes meaning: breath, pace, pause, eye contact. – Simplicity scales: fewer words, clearer claims. – Visualization works: rehearse the state you need to feel. Chapters: 00:00 The Art of Pitching: Understanding Investor Attention 02:33 Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Structure and Delivery 05:05 Transformative Coaching: Real-Life Success Stories 08:14 The Importance of Simplicity in Pitch 10:48 Mastering Delivery: Techniques for Confidence 13:33 Visualization and Mindset: Preparing for Success 16:02 Universal Pitching Rules Across Industries 19:00 Cutting Through the Fluff: Effective Communication 21:19 Body Language and Credibility in Pitching 23:56 Feedback and Growth: The Coaching Process 26:30 Rapid Fire: Insights and Advice for Founders If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #pitching #venturecapital