Most founders spend weeks preparing a pitch deck. They refine headlines, shorten paragraphs, improve visuals and search for the perfect wording. AI has made all of that easier. In a matter of minutes, it can rewrite slides, sharpen messages and suggest stronger narratives. But investors rarely remember the slides. They remember the conversation.
At the Venturelab Trainings for Innosuisse, we're seeing founders use AI in a much more interesting way. Instead of treating it as a copywriter, they're using it to test whether their story actually holds up. Can the business model withstand difficult questions? Does the traction support the narrative? Are there gaps that become obvious the moment an investor starts digging deeper?That's exactly the shift Innosuisse trainer Jonas Baer has observed.
"Some founders use AI mainly for wording. But many also use it as a sparring partner: to test the logic of the story, prepare for investor questions, and spot where the pitch still feels vague or unproven."
That's where AI starts creating real value. Not when it helps founders sound better, but when it helps them think more clearly about the story they're telling.
AI Prompt: Before every investor meeting, ask AI to answer these eight questions from the perspective of a VC, an angel investor, a family office and a sceptical customer. Differences in their answers often reveal the weakest parts of the story.
Sources: Deloitte Scale-Ups Confidence Survey 2025, EY Venture Capital Trends, Venturelab / Innosuisse expert insights.
A Strong Story Starts Long Before the Pitch Deck
One of the biggest misconceptions around fundraising is that a compelling presentation starts with great slides. In reality, it starts with a founder who understands their business well enough to explain it simply. AI can't invent that clarity. It can only amplify it.
Jonas Baer sees this regularly when founders ask AI to improve a pitch without giving it the information that actually matters.
"It is all about context and data. AI becomes much more useful when founders give it the right inputs: their real voice, investor audience, business model, traction, and the financial logic behind the story. Otherwise, the result may sound polished, but it will still feel generic."
The Best Investor Is the One You Meet Before the Meeting
One of AI's biggest strengths isn't writing. It's role-playing. Every investor looks at a company through a different lens. A venture capitalist will focus on scale, while an angel investor may care more about the founding team. Family offices often ask different questions again. Instead of waiting for those conversations to happen, founders can simulate them beforehand.
As Jonas Baer recommends:
"Founders can ask AI to respond from the perspective of a 5F, an angel investor, a family office, or a VC, because each tends to focus on different things."
The exercise isn't about predicting exactly what investors will ask. It's about exposing weak arguments before someone else does. The more perspectives founders test, the stronger and more resilient the story becomes. Practise the Conversation, Not Just the Presentation
Fundraising is rarely won during the presentation itself. More often, it's the discussion afterwards that determines whether investors continue the conversation.
- Can the founder explain why customer acquisition costs are rising?
- Can they defend their assumptions?
- Can they answer unexpected questions without losing confidence?
"With audio mode, founders can practice real investor conversations and learn to answer questions on market, traction, burn, and runway more clearly."
At Venturelab, we see enormous value in this approach. AI creates a safe environment to rehearse difficult conversations, refine explanations and build confidence before stepping into the meeting room. It's one of the few areas where repetition genuinely improves performance. Investors Invest in Founders, Not Prompts
AI can improve almost every part of a pitch. It can rewrite headlines, simplify complex explanations and even identify weaknesses in a narrative. What it cannot do is replace conviction. That still comes from founders who understand their business deeply enough to answer difficult questions without relying on prepared scripts. Jonas Baer's perspective reinforces something we've seen across countless investor pitches: great fundraising isn't about delivering a flawless presentation. It's about having a story that stands up to scrutiny. AI can help founders prepare for that moment. The conviction still has to come from them.