Article · 10 min read

Using Pilots, POCs, and LOIs to Build Trust and Scale

Alchemist Accelerator Free Intermediate

This is the how-to for the exact 'proof of demand you actually gathered' your answer calls for. It gives you the five things a real pilot or LOI agreement must contain (measurable objective, timeline, success metric, each party's duties, exit clause) so the paper you put in your data room signals genuine pull, not a friendly forward. Its best rule for a pre-traction founder: make the customer commit time or money, because an LOI where a senior buyer agrees to weekly check-ins is worth ten polite 'looks interesting' emails.

  • An LOI is non-binding, so treat it as a signal of intent you walk the buyer through, not a contract you email and hope gets signed.
  • A credible pilot forces customer commitment: senior staff on weekly reviews or actual budget, which is what makes it evidence on a deck.
  • Walk away from pilots with no committed sponsor, misaligned goals, or an innovation team that cannot actually buy, so your 'demand' is real.
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The question it answers

  1. How do I pitch when I have almost no traction yet? What replaces revenue on the deck?

Read with it

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  2. This is the canonical slide-by-slide template from the person who has read more pre-traction decks than almost anyone. Seibel's... Y Combinator Article · 12 min read How to Build Your Seed Round Pitch Deck Michael Seibel
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