After two years with MENA’s leading VC firm - Global Ventures – having attended 400+ pitches – and spending eight months deep diving into this topic, I’ve seen firsthand how startup pitching has evolved.

This series is powered by insights from multiple stakeholders, including investors (from Senior Analysts to Senior Partners across MEA), founders (leading top-tier businesses from Seed to Series B), and a communications expert (specializing in internal and external communication best practices at a leading MBB consulting firm in EMEA). Their perspectives reveal what makes a pitch stand out in today’s digital world, and how founders can adapt to win over investors.

You’ve spent weeks perfecting your investor pitch, rehearsing every detail, only to find yourself staring at a tiny box on a Zoom call as your slides occupy most of the screen. There’s no room to read the room, no firm handshake to seal the connection, just a blinking cursor and a Wi-Fi signal you hope won’t fail you.

For decades, pitching was high-touch, high-energy. Founders relied on in-person charisma, eye contact, and a physical presence to captivate investors. The pandemic then forced startups and VCs to adapt overnight to digital platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

As remote work and digital-first meetings went mainstream – the big picture became clear. Digital pitching has fundamentally reshaped the investor-founder dynamic, yielding new challenges and new opportunities. Founders have had to adjust and reinvent how to communicate their vision.

Technology is changing the rules of engagement. How you speak supersedes the physicality of how you stand. The power of a strong voice, compelling storytelling, and engaging visuals outweighs the firmest handshake.

The famous media philosopher, Marshall McLuhan, coined the phrase "The medium is the message." In digital pitching, the medium (whether video calls, screen shares, and virtual meetings) carries as much weight as the content itself. A stable connection, crisp audio, and clear visuals are no longer ‘nice to have.’

To thrive, founders need to understand not just what to pitch, but how to pitch digitally.

The Biggest Challenges of Digital Pitching

Establishing a genuine connection with investors has always been essential to pitching. A well-timed smile, a confident stance, or even a quick joke before the meeting starts goes a long way. Virtually, that organic connection is harder to establish. Conversations are more transactional, squeezed into shorter time slots with little flexibility. In-person meetings typically lasted an hour, often with flexibility to go longer if discussions gained momentum. Today, when calls end, investors are jumping to their next meeting, with little room for natural rapport-building that would help close an investment.

Technical issues can also derail even the most well-prepared pitch. A lagging video, distorted audio, or an unstable internet connection can break the flow of your presentation and distract investors from your message. In an environment where attention spans are already stretched, every moment of lost clarity increases the risk of disengagement.

Another hurdle is competing for full attention. When face-to-face, investors are naturally more present, free from inbox distractions or Slack notifications popping up mid-conversation. Online, these distractions are even more prevalent.

The Opportunities: How Digital Pitching Works to Your Advantage

While digital pitching presents challenges, it also creates new opportunities. Access to investors is no longer limited by geography. Securing a meeting with a VC in another country once required expensive flights and time away from running your company. Now, those same conversations can happen from anywhere, opening doors to a broader range of investors.

Virtual pitching is also more efficient. Freed from travel logistics, founders can pitch more often, and investors can evaluate more opportunities. This accelerates fundraising timelines and increases exposure to potential backers.

The digital format also enhances storytelling. A well-designed pitch deck becomes the focal point of the presentation, commanding nearly the entire screen. Strong visuals, clean design, and interactive elements such as live demos or real-time data can make a pitch more compelling and memorable. Instead of simply talking about a product, founders can show it in action, bringing their vision to life in ways never previously possible.

Virtual pitching also has the advantage of controlled practice. In-person pitches happen in the moment. Digital pitches can be rehearsed, refined, and optimized.

How to Make Digital Pitching Work in Your Favor

High-quality audio and video make a significant difference. A clear microphone and good lighting instantly elevate your professionalism, ensuring investors focus on your message rather than distractions caused by poor sound or visuals.

Strong vocal delivery is as important as what is on the screen. Without the physical presence of an in-person meeting, voice becomes the primary tool for conveying energy and confidence. Varying your tone, pacing, and emphasis helps maintain engagement and keeps investors locked in.

Pitch decks should be visually striking and easily digestible. Cluttered slides filled with text repel attention quickly. Bold visuals, concise messaging, and clean design make information compelling. Investors should be able to absorb key points at a glance.

Keeping investors engaged requires an active and dynamic approach. Address them by name, ask questions, and avoid reading directly from slides. Enthusiasm and passion should come through, making the presentation feel like a conversation, not a one-way monologue.

Finally, repetition and refinement are key. Recording and reviewing mock pitches fine-tunes delivery, eliminates weak spots, and ensures every detail is polished before presenting. Every small improvement adds up, increasing the likelihood of making a lasting impression.

Final Thoughts: The Future of Startup Pitching

Digital pitching for startups is here to stay. While it comes with challenges, it opens new doors for global access, cost efficiency, and storytelling innovation. With this, technical fluency, and engaging visuals, startups can make virtual pitching work in their favor.

In the next article, we’ll break down step-by-step strategies to craft a winning digital pitch, from designing compelling slides to delivering with confidence. Stay tuned!

‍