AI Can Write Your Pitch Deck.
But It Can’t Make Anyone Give a Damn.
In a world where AI can write the perfect pitch deck…
You don’t need more polish.
You need more proof.
You need your Proof of Life.
That unmistakable signal that says:
“This is real. It’s scalable. And only we could’ve done it.”
I recently coached a team with a gorgeous deck — brand colors dialed in, slick fonts, elegant layout. But here’s what I told them:
“You don’t need so many slides about how broken the world is.”
Impact funders already know:
🌍 Climate chaos 🌊 Bleached reefs 🌲 Vanishing forests 🚱 Water stress
What they don’t know (yet) is why you are the one to bet on.
So I gave them this playbook:
✅ Keep ONE slide on the macro problem
✅ Lead with results only you could’ve created
✅ Show real data and the story behind it
✅ Add testimonials that give goosebumps
✅ THEN tell me your ask — and why you’ll nail it
This is your Proof of Life.
The moment your solution becomes undeniably real.
You stop being one of 50…
And start being the one they can’t refuse.
🎯 Give them an experience they feel in their bones.
Not just slides. Not just promises.
A reason to say yes.
And that’s when it hit me:
What if we didn’t just talk about Proof of Life —
what if we built a place where it comes alive?
🔥 The Impact Stars Network: A living atlas of solutions that deliver.
After attending a recent climate funding event at Duke, something clicked.
With government funding cuts and market swings making private funders skittish, it feels like everyone’s retreating.
But what if this moment — this pressure — is exactly what sparks our most creative move yet?
Here’s the epiphany I had (yes, I was over-caffeinated when it hit me and my bestie gave me this look):
What if we built a virtual and IRL experience center…
where the most promising climate and regenerative solutions don’t pitch —
they prove why they’re the ones to bet on?
A place where:
💡 Innovators stand out by showcasing their Proof of Life
🤝 Funders + partners experience the impact before the intro call
📈 Buyers + customers get matched with solutions that fit like a glove
Think: If an interactive museum, an experiential ‘goosebumps’ inducing pitch, and a matchmaking platform had a baby — this is it.
This could be brilliant… or totally bananas.
So I want your unfiltered take:
👉 If you’re a funder — is this something you’d sponsor for your grantees or portcos?
👉 If you’re a solution builder — does this make you say, “Where do I sign up?”
Here’s who I think this would be perfect for:
✅ You’ve built something real, and you’re ready to scale
✅ You want to tell your story in a way no traditional deck ever could
✅ You’re looking for aligned funders, partners, or customers to find you
👀 What would make this a HELL YES for you?
Hit reply, drop a comment, or DM me.
If there’s enough love for it, I’ll bring it to life.
If there isn’t, that’s fine too!
Always rooting for you,
Neesha
P.S. Don’t hold back — really. If this isn’t a transformational idea, I’ll scrap it.
But if it is... I might just build the space where it happens.
What’s your take? Let’s jam!
P.P.S. Thanks to David Witzel for his edits as always.
Legal stuff: Not financial advice. You know the drill.
Sent from Raleigh, NC with ❤️
Forward this to someone who needs it.
I think your idea is brilliant and I hope you are able to make it happen!