A DIVISION OF DIGITAL FUTURES INTERNATIONAL

Founder Stage

Your idea deserves to be understood.

Pitching, storytelling and cross-cultural communication remain part of Innovators Campus. Explore the work that shaped this program and discuss your next session with us.

THE FOUNDATION

The story matters.

Founder Stage grew around helping founders explain their ideas, respond to an audience and communicate across markets. That work continues to inform our broader focus on international collaboration.

01

Pitch & positioning

Make your idea understandable to people who do not share your market context.

02

Story & delivery

Explore narrative structure, voice, pacing and the way a message reaches an audience.

03

Listen & respond

Use conversation and feedback to understand what your audience needs.

PEOPLE & PRACTICE

Built through shared experience.

Matt Ainsworth and David Castillo contributed founder communication work, alongside Thom Peace and other participants. Their original articles remain available with their credits.

Why Your Pitch Loses the Room in the First 60 Seconds

FROM THE ARCHIVE · BY MATT A

Why Your Pitch Loses the Room in the First 60 Seconds

Workshop notes on listening, persuasion and communicating a business idea.

Read the original article ↗
World-Ready Pitch Night – 1 July 2026

FROM THE ARCHIVE · BY MATT A

World-Ready Pitch Night – 1 July 2026

A cross-border pitch format hosted by Matt Ainsworth and Thom Peace, with Ryan Ahamer as guest judge.

Read the original article ↗
Five Storytelling Frameworks That Work in Any Room

FROM THE ARCHIVE · BY MATT A

Five Storytelling Frameworks That Work in Any Room

A session with Matt Ainsworth, Thom Peace and David Castillo at Venture Cafe Tokyo.

Read the original article ↗

NEXT STEPS

Discuss a founder session.

Contact Thom and Ryan about current workshop possibilities, facilitation and partnership opportunities. Session format, facilitators, timing and fees are agreed for each engagement.

Book a conversation