The latest news from the 2025 SF/LA Tech Week and the a16z Speedrun program has been compiled, along with successful pitching examples and practical tips from early-stage startup founders. Based on the Progress Day scene and founders' candid experiences, this piece conveys the secrets and preparation process behind pitches that powerfully captured hearts. The article introduces pitching preparation methods, Demo Day goals, and the power of the startup community through the actual voices of startup leaders.
1. SF/LA Tech Week and Speedrun SR006 Program News
In 2025, the SF/LA Tech Week schedule was announced! This year, over 1,500 events have been prepared, more than doubling last year's count. Investor events, founder workshops, hands-on strategy sessions--all packed with essential content for founders. Learn more at: tech-week.com/calendar
"The SF/LA Tech Week calendar just dropped. Over 1,500 events are lined up this year!"
Applications for the Speedrun SR006 program are also open through September 28. With the opportunity to receive up to $1 million in investment, founders should not miss this chance! Apply at: speedrun006.a16z.com/ss2
A Global Founder Program for founders outside the United States (including relocation support and localization guides) is also being introduced via video.
"Participating in Speedrun can feel daunting for founders outside the US. Tom Hammer introduces the Global Founder Program."
Additional resources include a live Q&A with Super.com's Henry Shi and connections to the a16z talent network.
2. What Are the Speedrun Program and Progress Day?
Speedrun is a 12-week intensive program that helps early-stage startup founders leap to the next level through customer acquisition, team building, and follow-on fundraising. One of its biggest highlights is Progress Day. Held mid-way through the 12-week program, startup founders pitch their businesses on stage for two minutes and receive on-the-spot feedback from partners and peers.
"Every founder presents their company on stage for two minutes, and the investment team calls out feedback from the front row so all founders can learn."
In SR005 in 2025, over 60 startups took the Progress Day stage.
3. Live from the Scene: Founder Han Kim's Pitching Story
At this Progress Day, Han Kim, CEO of Fearn AI, delivered an impressive pitch. He introduced a solution that uses AI to help draft intellectual property (IP) documents, and explained why his presentation received particularly high praise:
"We focused on telling our own story rooted in professional experience. If someone else delivered our presentation script, it wouldn't make any sense at all. We wanted it to genuinely come through that everything stemmed from our own capabilities and experience." -- Han Kim, CEO of Fearn AI
Han Kim and co-founder Angela Gao said they "wrote the presentation script themselves and practiced it many times," and that "the real strength was the feedback sessions with trustworthy fellow founders."
He also stated that "being in the best speedrun community was a tremendous source of strength," emphasizing the culture of mutual support among peers.
4. Pitching Preparation Know-How: Real Tips from Founders
Various founders who participated in this Progress Day shared their own pitching preparation methods and best tips.
Kevin Jiang (CEO, Azimov)
"I watched all the previous Demo Day pitch videos, analyzed the structure of standout pitches, and built my script. I got feedback from past participants and practiced dozens of times until tempo, content, and gestures were all perfect."
Alexis Sursock (CEO, Luvu)
"I practiced my presentation about 50 times in front of the bathroom mirror."
Philipp Wehn (CEO, Nexxa.ai)
"I focused on the central message of why this business matters and drafted an outline with pen and paper."
Taylor Offer (CEO, Atrios)
"I always think of every communication--whether a conversation, social media, or stage presentation--in three parts:
- Hook (one attention-grabbing line), 2. Body (information delivery), 3. Conclusion (one takeaway message for the audience)"
Maxwell Wang (Dispatcher)
"I spent a long time conceptualizing the content, but finalized the deck just a week before. I shortened the script, practiced the presentation hundreds of times, and got peer feedback."
Lior Strugach (CTO, Argu)
"Emphasizing traction metrics was key. Others advised me that this element was the most important."
Common Advice Received
- Be concise with the essentials:
"Rather than trying to show a lot, convey the 1-3 most important things about the company within two minutes." "The audience will ultimately remember one sentence. Decide in advance what that sentence should be."
- A differentiated story:
"Focus on a message that makes investors write down at least one or two sentences."
- Repetitive practice and feedback:
"If you deliberate alone for too long, you can lose sight of the core. Keep getting feedback from fellow founders." "Pitching is like 'finding the forest.' An outside perspective is absolutely necessary."
5. Goals and Resolve of Founders Ahead of Demo Day
After Progress Day ended, founders in the thick of final preparation for Demo Day shared their diverse goals.
- Han Kim (Fearn AI):
"We will improve the model while seriously beginning to think about fundraising. We will explore new opportunities with help from the a16z community."
- Lior Strugach (Argu):
"We are reworking the entire deck and have even hired a professional designer to fully align it with our brand."
- Alexis Sursock (Luvu):
"An eye-catching, unforgettable pitch and relentless user acquisition are the goals."
- Taylor Offer (Atrios):
"Double the revenue, nail the pitch, dominate the industry!"
- Anchr co-founder (anonymous):
"Close deals and make a real splash!"
6. The Power of the Startup Founder Community
What was repeatedly emphasized throughout this Progress Day and the founder interviews was the importance of peer feedback and support within the founder community. When it is hard to overcome walls alone, conversations and feedback with peers who share the same struggles led to the most tangible growth.
Closing
For early-stage founders, what matters most in pitching is clarity of the core message, a story uniquely your own, and repetitive practice with peer feedback. The know-how and candid experiences shared through the a16z Speedrun community provide invaluable insight. More diverse startups and pitching stories will continue to unfold throughout 2025.
"A single message that stays in the audience's memory, and an authentic story--those are the keys to a successful pitch."