CASE STUDY
Customer
Industry: Culture & Creative Tech (CCT), Accelerator
Project: Investor Negotiation & Fundraising Process Training (2019-2025)
Company: Culttech Accelerator, Europe
Contact persons: Irina Yashina, Samanta Pena & Alejandra Prieto, Culttech Accelerator
Challenges
For founders in the CultTech space, fundraising is a critical hurdle due to the niche nature of the industry. It is vital for these founders to
evaluate whether venture capital is the right path and to demystify the investor mindset. The primary challenge was preparing a highly diverse
group of founders – ranging from first-time entrepreneurs to experienced professionals – to enter high-stakes negotiations with the confidence and structural knowledge required to secure capital.
Our Approach and Execution
Interactive Methodology & Harvard Concept
We utilize the ‘Harvard Concept’ of principled negotiation, moving beyond theory into an intensive, 6-hour ‘learning-by-doing’ workshop format.
Live Case Simulations & Peer Debriefing
Teams conduct live negotiation cases based on identical starting information. By comparing different outcomes and tactics in a structured debrief, we trigger a powerful knowledge exchange between experienced founders and beginners.
Tactical “Dirty Tricks” & B2B Focus
We provide a deep dive into B2B sales situations and partner negotiations, including a specific module on identifying and countering ‘dirty tricks’ in professional settings.
Results and Impact
- 10/10: Participants consistently rated the sessions as the ‘best so far,’ specifically highlighting the interactive and pragmatic format.
- 100% Immediate applicability: feedback emphasized the value of the ‘safe space’ to make mistakes and the relevance of insights that can be applied immediately to fundraising and life in general.
Key Highlights
Safe space environment enabled cross-pollination of expertise between experienced and first-time founders.
Key Learnings
Strategic fundraising is about finding partners who understand that technological scaling must serve making “more culture accessible to more people.”
About the collaboration
The feedback from the founders has been fantastic, with a 10/10 rating and an NPS of 100! They described it as the ‘best exercise I’ve done in the startup world’ and ‘a must for any founder.’ The combination of theory and practice provided relevant insights that can be applied immediately. It felt like a safe space to learn, make mistakes, and grow better.
Irina Yashina, Samanta Pena & Alejandra Prieto, CultTech Accelerator
Guiding the Culttech cohorts through the intricacies of the investor process has been a journey of empowerment. By providing these founders with a structured framework and the ‘sparring’ space to practice, we move them from a position of uncertainty to one of strategic negotiation power. It’s about ensuring that great cultural innovations are investment-ready.
Petra Wolkenstein, CEO Konsultori