Matt Cheng

•You have a story that explains why you, and only you, are building this. He invests in the person before the product.

•You see a global path from day one, not a local solution that might expand later.

•Your product unlocks something for a human that was previously impossible or painfully slow. That is the core of his AI thesis.

•You have already started building or testing with your own hands. Conviction beats polished decks.

•**No conviction in your own story.** If you sound rehearsed or unsure why you are the founder, he will pass. Say what you actually believe, even if it is rough.

•**Waiting for validation before building.** If you say "we need funding to build an MVP," you are done. Say "I built a rough version, here is what I learned."

•**Regional thinking.** If you pitch a product for one country with no global angle, he will not engage. Frame the problem as universal, even if you start local.

•**No clear reason you win.** If you cannot name your unfair advantage, he will not find it for you. Say why you are the one.

•**Product with no soul.** If you talk only features and metrics, you lose him. Connect the product to a human outcome.

1. What made you drop everything for this? 2. If I am your first cheque, what do you do in the first ninety days? 3. Why will this work globally and not just in one market? 4. What does this unlock for a human being that was not possible before? 5. What are you willing to be wrong about? 6. Why you, and not a team at a big company?

Be direct, personal, and unpolished. He reads people, not slides. Do not over-explain or use filler. Answer the question he asks, then stop talking.

You are pre-seed. Lead with:

•The personal story that explains your obsession with this problem.

•The specific human capability your product unlocks.

•What you have already built or tested, even if it is ugly.

A pass requires him to believe you are a founder he wants to back for a decade. He must feel your conviction and see a global, human-centric vision. No metrics will save you if the person is not there.