Startup advisory
See your startup the way an investor will, before you walk into the room.
I am a founder, an AI builder and an investor: personally in more than 70 startups, and in many more through Formula VC and SmartGate VC, where I am a partner. I also founded Qloong, a startup roasting program where founders get honest feedback from industry experts. I have evaluated startups for accelerators, state grant programs and international awards, so I usually see quickly what is working, what is missing and what an investor will challenge.
- 70+
- Startups, personally
Plus Formula VC and SmartGate VC - 5.0
- Rated 5.0 from 30 founder reviews on GrowthMentor (opens in a new tab) (September 2026)
Angel investor with BANA Angels, Science and Technology Angels Network (STAN), Angel Investor Club of Armenia (AICA).
01 · Three reasons to book
Bring the real problem
Your deck, your pitch, your AI idea, your go-to-market problem, or the decision that is keeping you stuck. You leave with the highest-leverage problem named and clear next actions.
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Roast My Startup: the investor’s view (book on Intro, opens in a new tab)
Pitch me your company. I tell you what I believe, what I do not, the objections an investor will raise, and what I would fix first.
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Investor-ready pitch and fundraising (book on Intro, opens in a new tab)
Story, deck, positioning, traction narrative, business model and the ask. Then rehearse: pitch me like I am the investor and get direct feedback before the real meeting.
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Make my startup AI-native (book on Intro, opens in a new tab)
Find where AI genuinely improves your product, operations or customer experience, and turn it into a scoped roadmap: use cases, MVP scope, workflows, models and agents.
02 · What we can work on
From idea to investable company
- 01Idea validation and product-market fit
- 02Business model and positioning
- 03Investor readiness and fundraising preparation
- 04Pitch deck and pitch delivery
- 05Go-to-market: ICP, channels and early traction
- 06Accelerator, grant and competition applications
- 07Where AI belongs in your product
03 · Before the call
Good questions to bring
“Would you invest in this startup, and why or why not?”
“What will VCs challenge in my story?”
“Are we actually ready to raise?”
“Where should AI be part of our product?”
“Why aren’t we getting traction?”
“Is this accelerator application strong enough?”
04 · Mentoring and judging
Selected programs
- 2018, 2019, 2024, 2026Mentor, Seaside Startup Summit Armenia · Source (external site)
- 2025Mentor, Plug and Play Central Asia, President Tech Award
- 2025Judge, Startup Grind Yerevan Pitch Battle
- 2022–2023Mentor, Garage48 M1TQ and Metrix hackathons
- 2022Mentor, Neruzh 3.0, Dilijan (state startup program) · Source (external site)
- 2022Mentor, Buissup Global Forum, voted best mentor by participants · Source (external site)
- 2021Judge, M1TQ incubation program demo day · Source (external site)
- 2026Workshop Leader, Plug and Play Albania: “The Investable Pitch”
FAQ
Questions
Who is startup advisory for?
Founders from idea stage to growth who want an experienced, direct view on their product, pitch, fundraising or AI strategy. I have been on every side of that table: founder, AI builder, investor, mentor and evaluator.
How is this different from your consulting work?
Startup advisory is about decisions: what to build, how to position it, and whether you are ready to raise. When a startup needs AI built, reviewed or secured, that work goes to the SmartClick AI team.
How do I book a session?
Book a call directly on Intro, or send a short note through the contact form and choose “Startup advisory”. I reply with times for a call.
Next step
Pressure-test your startup.
Tell me where you are and what you are trying to decide. I reply with times for a call.