Why You're the Only One Who Can Close That First Deal (Tip #1)
Tip #1 - 60 minutes to learn how to generate revenues as deeptech founders
Hello everyone!
I hope you're all doing well.
This is the first episode in our 6-part series to help you go from zero customers to real revenue as a deeptech or climate tech founder.
Quick reminder of why you should trust this:
I've coached dozens of deeptech founders. I’ve launched a tech startup (and made all the mistakes). I’ve led a deeptech accelerator where half the companies are still alive today. And I’ve interviewed the best of the best. TLDR: I’ve been where you are.
If you like that format, let me know! I tried to give a lot of value per second. I hope that you’ll like it!
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💼 Tip #1 – Founder-Led Sales from Day One
No sales team. No CRM. Just you, a dream, and a cold LinkedIn DM.
The mistake I see 90% of founders make? They wait too long to sell. They're still "refining the product" while their runway burns.
But your first job as a CEO is not to build. It’s to sell.
📌 Why YOU need to do it:
No one can sell the vision like you.
Customers buy YOU, not just the tech.
You get priceless unfiltered feedback.
It's your only path to product-market fit.
📞 When to start? Day one. Before incorporation. Before the MVP. Literally when it’s just a sketch on a napkin.
Think this is premature? Here’s what the best founders do:
50–100 conversations before they build
Ask about the pain, not just pitch
Get letters of intent or pilot commitments
Stop hiding behind your terminal. Stop writing whitepapers. Get out there and talk to real humans who might pay you.
Because if they won’t talk now, they won’t pay later.
Remember: the myth of “build it and they will come” kills more deeptech startups than anything else.
📌 Your action this week:
Make a list of 10 target customers
Reach out – cold email, LinkedIn, network
Ask: "What’s your biggest pain around [X]?"
Don’t pitch yet. Just listen.
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Join the Reactor community on WhatsApp: deep tech and climate-tech entrepreneurs, events, discussions
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Let’s keep building the future of deeptech and climate tech. 🚀
Keep innovating,
Jérôme