# S1 E7: Level Up Your Hardware Product Pitch with Haje Kamps

- Show: [The Builder Circle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle)
- Published: 2023-06-27
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-06-27-s1-e7-level-up-your-hardware-product-pitch-with-haje-kamps
- Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/thebuildercircle/1013019

## Summary

Haje Kamps, a pitch coach and former VC, explains why technology rarely speaks for itself and why founders must demonstrate founder-market fit, VC-scale potential, and bottom-market fit to secure funding. He argues that traction is the ultimate antidote to weak teams or poor storytelling, allowing founders to bypass complex narratives with proven growth metrics. Kamps warns against common pitfalls like building too few prototypes without market validation, using dense slides, or creating rigid product roadmaps that ignore hardware's inherent uncertainty. He emphasizes that successful pitching requires tailoring the story to the specific investor, focusing on clear milestones that unlock the next round of funding rather than just extending runway.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Haje Kamps and the importance of storytelling
2. Why technology doesn't speak for itself and the myth of first-mover advantage
3. The three pillars of VC investability: Founder-market fit, VC scale, and bottom-market fit
4. Traction as the antidote to weak teams and the importance of smart milestones
5. Common pitch mistakes: Runway extension, small prototypes, and dilution of focus
6. Designing effective pitch decks: Visuals, language, and the leave-behind strategy
7. Managing product roadmaps and understanding investor audiences

## Topics

- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Betamax (product)
- VHS (product)
- HD DVD (product)
- Blu-ray (product)
- Google (company)
- Facebook (company)
- Sony (company)
- Airbnb (company)
- Lyft (company)
- Sequoia (company)
- Fellow (company)
- IKEA (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [100: Pitch Deck Storytelling for Hardware Funding](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-11-03-100-pitch-deck-storytelling-for-hardware-funding) (Product Startup)
- [178: Venture Capital Funding for Hardware Startups](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-01-178-venture-capital-funding-for-hardware-startups) (Product Startup)
- [The Importance of Defining Project Milestones with Dave Millman of SalesDev.Global](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-08-24-the-importance-of-defining-project-milestones-with-dave-millman-of-salesdev-glob) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [S4E41 Neil Thompson | Technical Pitches: Revealing Flaws, Using Stories, & Wiggling Toes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-10-27-s4e41-neil-thompson-technical-pitches-revealing-flaws-using-stories-wiggling-toe) (Being an Engineer)
- [Hardware Development with No Prior Experience with Kris Christopher of Grow Nanny](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-hardware-development-with-no-prior-experience-with-kris-christopher-of-grow-nann) (Predictable Designs Podcast)

## Citing this page

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