Is your venture ready
for the market to say yes?
A Value Conversation is a focused 45-minute session to find out where you really are — and what needs to change before you put your story in front of investors, partners, or customers.
Request a conversationFrank Smeets
I've spent more than two decades helping technical founders and science-based ventures turn complex ideas into enterprises that attract the right capital and customers.
Most of the founders I meet are intelligent people with real technology. The gap is rarely the science. It's the story, the proposition, and the ability to have a commercial conversation that convinces.
The Value Conversation is where we figure out which gap matters most for you right now — and what to do about it.
A candid 45 minutes.
Not a coaching session. Not a pitch.
We'll look at your Story, your Proposition, and your Team — the three things that determine whether your venture can convince the market. I'll tell you where I think the gaps are, and you'll leave knowing what to work on next.
This is for you if...
- You have real technology or a science-based venture
- You're trying to sharpen your proposition for investors or enterprise customers
- You're honest about not knowing what your weakest link is
- You're willing to hear a direct, unvarnished view
- You want to move forward — and soon
This is not for you if...
- You're still in idea mode — no technology, no real problem validated
- You want validation for decisions you've already made
- You're looking for a sales coach or a pitch trainer
- You're not ready to act in the next 2–3 months
- You're building a consumer app, agency, or lifestyle business
I read every submission personally. If I don't think I can add value — or if the conversation would be premature — I'll tell you honestly and suggest a better starting point. I'd rather turn you away now than waste both our time.
Three steps
You complete the questionnaire
8 questions about your Story, Proposition, Team, and ambitions. Takes around 10 minutes. Answers carefully — I read them.
I review within 24 hours
I'll come back with a confirmation if I think the conversation will be useful — or an honest note if I don't think it's the right time.
We meet for 45 minutes
Focused. Prepared on both sides. You leave with a clear view of your gaps and a sense of what matters most to work on next.
Tell me about your venture
Take 10 minutes. Answer honestly — vague responses won't get a call. Complete responses will.
Startup Status Questionnaire
Completed responses only. Frank reviews each one personally.
Request received
Frank will review your answers and come back to you within 24 hours — either to confirm a call or to give you an honest steer on whether now is the right time.