Most founders in the GCC find out their pitch isn't ready the same way. An investor passes. A second meeting doesn't come. A relationship they'd spent months building goes quiet.
By then, the feedback is already too late to act on.
The Dopamine pitch simulation session exists to give founders the investor perspective before those conversations happen, not after.
What is a pitch simulation session?
A pitch simulation is a structured 60-minute session where you pitch your company as if you're in a real investor screening call. It's followed by realistic Q&A, direct feedback on your deck, and written notes you can use to make specific changes before your first real meetings.
It's not pitch coaching. It's not deck design. It's the closest thing to a real investor meeting you can run before the one that matters.
We've reviewed over 1,000 decks from the investor side and sat in hundreds of investment committee meetings. The feedback in a simulation session is drawn from that pattern recognition, applied to your specific company and story.
Who this is for
Pre-seed through Series B founders in MENA preparing to raise capital. Specifically:
• Founders with a deck ready who want experienced investor eyes on it before their first meetings
• Founders who have started pitching and want to understand what's not landing
• Founders who've been told to 'come back with more traction' and want to understand what that actually means for their specific situation
If you don't have a deck yet, this session isn't the right starting point. Come back when you have something to stress-test.
Why the GCC requires a different kind of preparation
Pitching in the GCC is structurally different from pitching in larger markets. The investor pool is concentrated. The same partners often know each other. A pass from one fund travels faster than most founders expect.
In the US, you might pitch 50 investors while iterating your deck. In the GCC, your version 1.0 and version 5.0 are often going to the same network. That compression changes the stakes of an unready pitch considerably.
The simulation is designed for this reality. The Q&A mirrors what GCC partners actually ask. The feedback is calibrated to what's resonating in this market right now, not what worked two years ago.
Why investor-side feedback is different from mentor feedback
Mentors and advisors give useful feedback. But it tends to come with blind spots.
Someone close to your company may be too familiar with your story to see where it's unclear to a cold reader. A mentor who hasn't sat in a VC partner meeting recently may be giving you feedback calibrated to an older version of what investors want to see. And most people, even those who want to help, soften feedback in ways that make it less actionable.
The feedback in a simulation session comes from partners who evaluate deals every week. The standard isn't what sounds good. It's what gets a founder to the next meeting.
Common pitch mistakes GCC investors flag
After reviewing thousands of pitches, a few patterns appear consistently in the ones that don't move forward.
• Market framing that's too broad. A large TAM without a credible first wedge reads as unclear positioning, not ambition.
• Weak founder-market fit narrative. Investors want to understand why you see this problem clearly and why you're the right person to solve it. A team slide alone doesn't answer that.
• Unconvincing competitive positioning. Saying 'we have no competition' or listing global players without explaining your specific advantage signals a gap in market understanding.
• Unclear ask. Raising 'up to $2M' with a general use of funds slide suggests the founder hasn't thought carefully about what capital is actually needed to reach the next milestone.
• Answers that don't hold up under Q&A. A well-designed deck can mask a story that falls apart when someone starts asking the uncomfortable questions. The simulation exposes that before it matters.
What you walk away with
• Clarity on whether you're ready to pitch, or what specifically needs to change first
• Written feedback within 24 hours covering deck flow, positioning gaps, and investor-ready changes
• A recording and transcript of the session to reference when making revisions
• Answers to the hard Q&A questions before you face them in a real meeting
• An optional 30-minute follow-up call within six weeks, to debrief after your first real investor conversations
Session pricing and how to book
Sessions are 60 minutes. Two slots are available per week. Typically books 1-2 weeks in advance.
Launch pricing: $525 USD for the first five bookings (standard price $750 USD, VAT included for UAE-based clients). The launch offer includes the guaranteed 30-minute post-pitch follow-up call.
To book: submit your deck via the booking form. We review it in full before the session so the time is spent on feedback, not catching up.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just get feedback from my investors or advisors?
You should. Feedback from people who know your company and want you to succeed is valuable.
What it tends to lack is current market calibration. An advisor who hasn't sat in a partner meeting recently is giving you feedback based on what they think works, not what's passing screening calls in the GCC right now. We see live deal flow every week. That context is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Think of a simulation session as complementary to your network, not a replacement for it.
Can't I just use AI tools or pitch deck templates?
AI tools are useful for structure and first drafts. They can help you get to a coherent deck faster.
What they can't do is tell you that your market positioning won't land with GCC VCs, or simulate the Q&A that will actually come up in a partner meeting, or give you an honest read on whether your story holds up under pressure. A simulation session does all three.
Is $750 worth it for an early-stage founder?
The math isn't complicated. If this session helps you avoid one pitch that results in a 12-month delay, you've saved a year of runway. At $10k/month burn, that's $120,000. At $20k/month, it's $240,000.
The more relevant question is what it costs to find out your pitch isn't ready by burning through your best investor relationships. That delay tends to compound. $750 to avoid it is a reasonable trade.
Will you introduce me to investors after the session?
No. This session is pitch preparation, not fundraising support. If your pitch is strong and there's a fit, we may consider it for the Dopamine portfolio in future. But that's not the purpose of the session and shouldn't be the reason to book it.
What if I disagree with your feedback?
That's entirely valid. This is pattern recognition from our side, not a verdict. You know your company better than anyone. If something doesn't resonate, ignore it. But if we're flagging a gap, there's a reasonable chance investors will flag it too. Worth sitting with, even if you decide differently.
