I've been through pitch trainings before, but this one really opened my eyes. The focus on storytelling completely changed everything.
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Your pitch is not a sales talk. It is the beginning of a journey.
We have helped hundreds of startups package their story so people do not just listen — they understand. With heart, clarity, and the experience of 20+ years of entrepreneurship.
94%
Net Promoter Score
Gamescom Invest Circle 2025
Hundreds
Startups Trained
From over 30 countries worldwide
20+
Years of Entrepreneurship
Built. Acquired. Sold.
The Problem
Why most pitches fail.
Why most pitches fail.
And it is not about the numbers.
When investor eyes glaze over at slide three, it is rarely about the market size. It is about the missing connection. Many pitches sound like memorised brochures — sterile, interchangeable, soulless.
Features over vision
You show 47 features of your app, but nobody understands why you exist. Investors do not buy feature lists — they buy the future you are building.
Fear of hard questions
Your storyline has gaps, and you know it. So you speak faster when Q&A arrives. Everyone in the room notices.
Sales talk that makes genuine founders sound generic
You are passionate. You believe in what you are building. But somewhere between the third pitch template and the fifth advisor note, you started sounding like everyone else.
We do not polish slides.
We work on the foundation of your story.
Manuel is an excellent pitch doctor - he gets you into the right headspace and reshapes how you think about pitching - even after a ton of time pitching.
Our Approach
Storytelling over
Storytelling over
sales talk.
A good pitch is not a performance. It is a conversation — only you have the first three minutes to yourself. We help you use those minutes so well that your audience cannot help but listen.
Your truth, not our mask
We do not put a pitch template on you. We work with what is there — your real story, your real strengths. Authenticity beats any rehearsed performance.
The psychology of pitching
Understand what happens in an investor's mind. Why does attention open in the first 8 seconds — or close? We give you not just the tools, but the understanding behind them.
What a training can look like
Every training is individually tailored. A typical flow looks like this:
01
Input
Masterclass
Structure, psychology, storytelling principles. The theory that sets the frame. Interactive, with real-world examples — not a PowerPoint lecture.
02
Hot Seat
1:1 Coaching
Directly on your deck. This is where it gets personal. We take your pitch apart and put it back together so it lands — your story, your words, just sharper.
03
Simulation
Dress Rehearsal
Pitching under real conditions. Real feedback, real questions, real pressure. So the big moment is no longer a surprise — it is the moment you have been looking forward to.
Who is this for?
Whether a whole cohort
Whether a whole cohort
or one big meeting.
For Programmes
Running an accelerator or a cohort?
We offer turnkey training packages — from a masterclass for everyone to intensive 1:1 coaching for each team. We make sure your demo day reaches a level that leaves investors with a lasting impression.
- ✓ Tailored to cohort sizes from 5 to 50+ teams
- ✓ Masterclass + individual Hot Seat sessions
- ✓ Dress rehearsal & simulated investor panel
- ✓ Experience with international cohorts from 26+ countries
Perfect for:
Accelerators, incubators, ministries, funding programmes
For Founders
One big meeting coming up?
Whether it is a 30-second elevator pitch, a 3-minute stage pitch, or a 10-minute deep dive: we sharpen your message so you raise capital, win customers, or persuade partners.
- ✓ Personal 1:1 coaching on your pitch deck
- ✓ For investor pitches, customer presentations & product demos
- ✓ Focus on your individual story and strengths
- ✓ Flexible formats: remote or on-site
Perfect for:
Startups, game studios, solo founders, scale-ups
Formats
From elevator to deep dive.
Every situation calls for a different pitch. We train them all.
30 seconds
Elevator Pitch
The essence of your idea in a single breath. For the moment someone asks: "So what do you do?"
Networking, conferences, trade shows
3 minutes
Stage Pitch
The classic at demo days and pitch competitions. Structure, timing, dramaturgy — everything lands.
Demo days, pitch competitions
10 minutes
Investor Deep Dive
The full conversation with the VC. Vision and substance in the right balance.
VC meetings, funding rounds
Variable
Product Pitch
Pitching to customers or partners? A great story sells.
Client meetings, trade shows, sales
The Coach
A coach who stands
A coach who stands
in the fire himself.
Manuel is not a "consultant" in the traditional sense. He is an entrepreneur by passion. For over 20 years he has built companies, run them operationally — including through crises — and sold them successfully. He has organised hundreds of pitch competitions with over a thousand startups and personally coached hundreds of founders for their pitches.
Entrepreneur & Operator
As the founder of PIRATE.global, Manuel actively leads a portfolio of companies — operationally, not as a silent partner. He knows the daily decisions founders must make because he makes them himself. Every day.
Business Angel & Investor
Through PIRATE.ventures he invests in startups and game studios himself. He knows exactly which questions hurt and which answers convince — because he has sat on both sides of the table.
Built. Acquired. Sold.
He has built companies from scratch, acquired existing ones, and sold them successfully. Today he also guides other entrepreneurs on their journey through PIRATE.coach. This perspective makes all the difference: he understands not just pitches, but the entire journey of a company.
I do not want to put a mask on you. I want you to tell your truth in a way that leaves people no choice but to follow.
Manuel Koelman
Hundreds of pitch competitions organised.
1,000+ startups on stage.
Hundreds of founders personally coached.
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What participants say
Wall of Love.
Ungefiltert. Ungeschönt. Echte Stimmen von echten Teilnehmer:innen.
Manuel and the whole PIRATEx crew helped us really transform our pitch from a boilerplate pitch to something really impactful. Manuel's feedback was precise, constructive, and motivating. THANK YOU!!
This is easily the best and most helpful/relevant experience and opportunity we've had this year.
The Gamescom Investment Circle was one of the few startup events that truly exceeded my expectations. The trainer didn't just repeat generic advice; he listened, challenged, and tailored his input to each founder's story.
Manuel is an excellent and experienced speaker, his expertise is evident from the very first moments. Precise, insightful, and extremely helpful.
The PIRATEx crew made everything run so smoothly. The whole training was not just professional, but also super friendly and personal.
The mix of profound startup knowledge and Manuel's understanding of gaming studios made the content feel tailor-made for me.
Lara and Selina were amazing - the PIRATEx team made sure everything felt easy and well organized from start to finish.
I came in with a long, complicated pitch and left with something clear, sharp, and memorable. That transformation was eye-opening.
Manuel has a rare mix of experience and empathy. He knows the game, but he also knows how to teach it in a way that sticks.
Every minute felt valuable. There was no fluff, just practical insights I can immediately apply.
The biggest surprise? How much fun it was. I expected a boring webinar, but this was practical and insightful.
Thank you so much for the realistic feedback and professional people joining the coachings. I learned a lot.
A very useful and more practical version. Very useful and hands-on training.
Manuel is an excellent pitch doctor - he gets you into the right headspace and reshapes how you think about pitching - even after a ton of time pitching.
Definitely a highlight from gamescom '25! I left with so much knowledge into pitching, the process of raising, and how to conduct yourself.
What really stuck with me was Manuel's way of showing how to distill a startup story into 30 seconds. I left with a pitch I'm proud of.
It felt less like a training and more like having a coffee with someone who's been in the room with investors countless times.
I came in with a messy pitch and left with something crisp, focused, and memorable. The difference in just one session was huge.
The training gave me confidence. Knowing how investors think takes away a lot of the guesswork and stress.
One of the best parts was practicing in a safe space. I could experiment, make mistakes, and improve on the spot.
The feedback from Manuel was tough but fair. He pushed us to do better - and it worked.
If you're serious about pitching, this is the training to take. Manuel and the PIRATEx crew make the difference.
Want to meet awesome developer-people and get the best in business hands-on coaching… join!
This Pitch Training is a must for indie companies with little to no experience in pitching to actual VCs and investors.
The pitch training was incredibly valuable. I walked away with clearer messaging, a sharper pitch, and confidence in presenting my game.
Manuel has a real gift for breaking down complex ideas into clear, actionable steps. I finally understand how investors actually think.
I've been through pitch trainings before, but this one really opened my eyes. The focus on storytelling completely changed everything.
I loved the balance between theory and practice. Every insight Manuel shared could be applied immediately to my pitch.
Manuel's way of weaving storytelling into business ideas made me rethink how I present myself, not just my company.
The PIRATEx team brought such a positive vibe. It never felt like 'training' - more like a fun workshop where you learn a ton.
The focus on storytelling was exactly what I needed. Numbers are important, but stories win hearts.
I loved the way the PIRATEx team kept everything so well-organized yet so personal.
Overall was very useful and exceeded my expectations.
The pitching training offered by PIRATEx was invaluable for us! It helped us polish our pitch decks and the delivery.
As a founder, you must take every opportunity to sharpen your ability to communicate what you're doing. Practicing with a master is the best way.
PITCH TRAINING / FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Pitch Training
Do you only train startup pitches?
No. We train every kind of storytelling and presentation: 30-second elevator pitches, 3-minute stage pitches, 10-minute deep dives, product demos for customers or partners. Wherever you need to convince someone in a short time, we can help.
In which languages do you offer training?
Our trainings run in German and English. We work regularly with international cohorts — at the Gamescom Invest Circle 2025, teams came from more than 30 countries.
How does a training for an entire cohort work?
Typically we start with a masterclass for the whole group — theory, structure, storytelling principles. This is followed by individual "Hot Seat" sessions where we work 1:1 on each pitch. The programme closes with a dress rehearsal under real conditions. Format and scope are tailored to your cohort.
Can we book a single 1:1 coaching session?
Yes, absolutely. If you have a specific event coming up — a VC meeting, a demo day, a customer presentation — we can focus precisely on that. Just reach out and we will figure out what fits best.
What does the training cost?
It depends on the format — a single 1:1 coaching is priced differently from a multi-day programme for 30 teams. Send us a short message with your context and we will make you a fair offer.
Do you work with game studios?
Yes, we have extensive experience in the gaming industry. The Gamescom Invest Circle was one of our most recent projects, and many of our participants were indie studios and game startups. We understand the specifics — from publisher pitches to platform deals.
How do we get started?
Simple: send us a message. We have a quick chat and see if we are a good fit. No long form, no sales funnel. Just a conversation.
Your pitch.
Your story.
Whether you are preparing for a demo day, want to train an entire cohort, or simply want to communicate what you do more effectively — let us talk.
Let us sharpen your pitchTraining in German & English · Remote or on-site · Individually tailored