Use case · Demo day

Practice the demo day pitch against the clock.

Record or upload the pitch you will give on stage. Check which sections you covered, what is missing, and whether your delivery fits the time limit.

Watch a real breakdown
The full breakdown

See which parts made it into the pitch.

Each section is marked Solid, Decent, Needs work, or To cover. You can also see how much time each section used. Open one to see what was missing and how to improve it. The example below is the real analysis of Retool’s YC pitch.

See Retool’s full breakdown
Pitch Anatomy

9 core elements investors expect, plus 4 optional ones (How It Works, Why Now, Vision, Roadmap) that only some pitches need.

Market takes 36% of your pitch
To cover
Optional

Add these only if they fit your pitch.

How practice works

Before, during, after

Practice under the same conditions as the real event, then see exactly what to improve before your next take.

01Before

Match the event format

Demo-day formats vary. Set up your practice around the time limit and pitch requirements for your event, then rehearse the version you plan to deliver on stage.

  • Use the event’s time limit
  • Choose the sections your pitch needs to cover
  • Practice the version you plan to deliver
02During

Record your pitch

Record directly in your browser or upload an existing take. speaking.app maps what you say to the pitch sections and analyses how you deliver it.

  • Record in the browser or upload a file
  • See which pitch section each part covers
  • Review pace, filler words, uptalk, and jargon
03After

Review and refine

See what is strong, what needs work, and what you have not covered. Get specific feedback and a revised version to help with your next take.

  • See each section rated Solid, Decent, Needs work, or To cover
  • Get specific suggestions for weak or missing sections
  • Edit and rehearse a revised version

Preparing for an investor meeting?

Practice the longer investor-meeting pitch.

Investor meetings usually allow more time than demo day. Practice that longer version separately, including the market, business model, differentiation, team, and ask.

Startup pitch practice
Charlie Ward
Off the back of how the pitch went, I was introduced to an investor, and I genuinely think that outcome was a direct result of the improvements I made through speaking.app.

Charlie Ward

Founder, Pay Path IQ · NDRC Pre-Accelerator

The feedback loop.

Impressive and useful.
Matt Abrahams

Matt Abrahams

Lecturer, Stanford GSB · Think Fast Talk Smart

speaking.app helped me condense the way I speak and get the valuable information out.
Eoin Quirke

Eoin Quirke

Founder, TRACE Teams

It was the least nervous I've ever felt pitching, despite it probably being the biggest audience I've pitched to. The constructive feedback I received helped me practise properly and know my pitch better than ever.
Dan Goggin

Dan Goggin

Founder, LogUp

It helped me turn a rough, jargon-heavy pitch into something much clearer and more compelling.
Charlie Ward

Charlie Ward

Founder, Pay Path IQ

speaking.app was incredibly helpful while I was preparing pitches for my business. It is a great tool for anyone looking to improve their communication skills or practise for presentations, interviews, or public speaking.
Mohammed Shoaib Malik

Mohammed Shoaib Malik

CEO & Co-founder, Locanter

I think the app is fantastic and we should have used it sooner.
Robert Bordianu

Robert Bordianu

Founder, IDV Exchange

I am so impressed with how much value this can give to people who want to level up their speaking and receive valuable feedback!
Verity Price

Verity Price

2021 World Champion of Public Speaking

The rewritten version and the filler-word feedback were huge, they showed me exactly where I was using filler words and helped me cut them.
Eoin Quirke

Eoin Quirke

Founder, TRACE Teams

I've pitched many times before, but speaking.app took my pitch to the next level. I felt more confident and polished on the day.
Paul Murnane

Paul Murnane

Founder, DocuSmart AI

Someone in the group said: 'Wow, your opening was so good.' I said, 'I got it from the speaking app.'
Lynda Wilkes-Green

Lynda Wilkes-Green

Founder, Ahlya

The detail it went into was particularly impressive, with the WPM and Vocal Expression analysis.
Mohammed Shoaib Malik

Mohammed Shoaib Malik

CEO & Co-founder, Locanter

For the subscription fee, it was totally worth it.
Charlie Ward

Charlie Ward

Founder, Pay Path IQ

It did exactly what I needed for the showcase. I'd come back to it for another event and would refer other founders to it.
Eoin Quirke

Eoin Quirke

Founder, TRACE Teams

The hard 3-min stop was annoying at first but such a good setup for me to cut excess out.
Robert Bordianu

Robert Bordianu

Founder, IDV Exchange

I loved it and learned a lot!
Luisa Montalvo

Luisa Montalvo

2024 World Champion of Public Speaking

In the early stages I was also using the recommended adjustments verbatim while I was building out the flesh of my pitch, as I found them to be quite high quality.
Mohammed Shoaib Malik

Mohammed Shoaib Malik

CEO & Co-founder, Locanter

Common questions

Is this only for YC demo day?

No. It works for accelerator demo days, pitch competitions, and other short, timed showcases. Use the time limit from your event. For a fuller investor-meeting pitch, use the startup pitch practice page.

Can we prep a whole demo-day cohort with this?

Yes. Coaches can create a workspace for the cohort, assign pitch practice, and review each founder’s progress. Each enrolled founder gets Pro access, and seats can be reassigned when a new cohort starts. See speaking.app/for-coaches for details.

Can I see a real pitch analyzed?

Yes. Each founder card above opens a full pitch breakdown. Sign in to run the same analysis on your own pitch.

What does the analysis actually check?

It checks which pitch sections you covered and marks each one Solid, Decent, Needs work, or To cover. It also reviews pace, filler words, clarity, uptalk, and jargon from the same recording.

Does it analyze my slides?

No. It reads your spoken pitch, the words you say and how you deliver them, not your deck. Record or upload the talk itself.

How long until I see results?

Results are ready shortly after the recording finishes. Pitch analysis is part of Pro, and each analysis uses your monthly credits.

Will it rewrite my pitch for me?

Yes. For each section you delivered, you see what you said, one suggestion, and a revised version. The Refined Version also reorganizes the full pitch. Missing sections are marked with guidance instead of invented content.

Can I practice just one part of my pitch?

Yes. Open a section from your breakdown, or choose one before you start, and practice it on its own. You will get feedback after each take.

Your turn

Practice your demo-day pitch before the event

Record or upload your pitch, see what needs work, and try it again with the same time limit as your event.