The Founder Defense Room
Put startup ideas to the test with
five AI Minds
An immersive pitch practice and project evaluation experience for investors, business schools and entrepreneurs.
Free trial. Registration required
A question worth preparing for
“What is the biggest assumption
you haven’t validated?”
Harris Stark / Skeptic Mind
For the people building and backing ideas
Better prepared founders.
More informed conversations.
Explore the thinking behind each project, with a structured experience for practice, evaluation and feedback.
01 / FOR INVESTORS
Explore the business
behind the pitch.
Invite founders to defend their project through questions about revenue, customers, competition and execution.
- Review session scores and reports
- Compare projects and explore the gaps
- Focus your next founder conversation
02 / FOR BUSINESS SCHOOLS
Give entrepreneurship
a place to practise.
Help students rehearse their pitch, respond to objections and explain the decisions behind their project.
- Bring pitch practice into your programme
- Use reports to guide individual feedback
- Follow progress across practice sessions
BUILDING YOUR OWN STARTUP?
Practise before your next panel. Find out where your answers need work.
Your AI evaluation panel
Five perspectives.
A fuller picture.
Each Mind has a distinct personality and a specific focus. Their questions adapt to your project and your answers.
01
Victor Thorne
Investor Mind
+
02
Anika Patel
Customer Mind
+
03
Harris Stark
Skeptic Mind
+
04
Lena Kovic
Execution Mind
+
05
Janelle Pierce
Vision Mind
+
Investor Mind
The Pitch Lab
A QUESTION YOU MIGHT FACE
“Who pays for your solution, and why?”
Direct. Analytical. Focused on the numbers.
Victor challenges your business model, pricing and financial logic. He wants to understand how a promising idea becomes a credible business.
Customer Mind
The Pitch Lab
A QUESTION YOU MIGHT FACE
“What evidence shows that this problem matters to your customer?”
Empathetic. Curious. Focused on the customer.
Anika examines your customer needs, problem clarity and validation. She asks what people do today and why they would choose your solution.
Skeptic Mind
The Pitch Lab
A QUESTION YOU MIGHT FACE
“What is the biggest assumption you haven’t validated?”
Sharp. Probing. Difficult to convince.
Harris challenges your competitive position, risks and weakest assumptions. He asks the uncomfortable questions that help you prepare for scrutiny.
Execution Mind
The Pitch Lab
A QUESTION YOU MIGHT FACE
“What will you deliver in the next 30 days?”
Practical. Organised. Focused on action.
Lena examines priorities, team capabilities and delivery plans. She wants concrete milestones, clear ownership and realistic next steps.
Vision Mind
The Pitch Lab
A QUESTION YOU MIGHT FACE
“What should people remember about your project?”
Strategic. Encouraging. Demanding about clarity.
Janelle challenges your vision, positioning and pitch. She helps you explain what makes your project different and why it deserves attention.
Inside the experience
Present. Defend.
Decide what comes next.
01
Register
Sign up for your free trial of The Pitch Lab.
02
Present your project
Enter the 3D room. Explain the problem, customer, solution and business logic.
03
Answer by voice
Respond as the five Minds challenge your reasoning and ask follow-up questions.
04
Review and improve
Explore your feedback and report. Identify what to strengthen, test or practise next.
Make the conversation actionable
Leave with a clearer
next step.
Bring the five perspectives together through scores, feedback and a session report.
Investors and schools can compare projects and follow progress over time, using each assessment to guide their own review and mentoring.
WHAT THE PANEL EXPLORES
01
Problem & customer
Clarity, customer understanding and value.
02
Business & market
Revenue logic, opportunity and differentiation.
03
Risk & execution
Assumptions, priorities and delivery readiness.
04
Vision & pitch
Positioning, strategic ambition and clarity.
Before you step inside
A few useful
answers.
Investors reviewing startup projects, business schools running entrepreneurship programmes and founders who want to practise presenting and defending their ideas.
Yes. You can try The Founder Defense Room for free after registering.
You present your project and answer questions by voice inside an immersive 3D room. Each Mind responds from its own specialist perspective and adapts its questions to your answers.
You receive scores, feedback and a session report to help identify strengths, concerns and recommended next steps. Organisations can compare projects and follow progress over time.
Yes. Present the current version of your project and be clear about what has been validated and what remains an assumption.
The Pitch Lab by Virtway
Try the questions
before the real panel.
For your next founder review, entrepreneurship class
or pitch practice. Experience the five Minds for yourself.