Demo Day Pitch

The demo-day register

A demo-day portrait is the founder caught at the moment that decides a round — on stage, mid-pitch, in front of the room. It is a different register than the office editorial headshot: the light is harder and more directional, the energy is forward and live, and the context is unmistakably a presentation rather than a desk. The pack borrows from how event and conference photographers shoot a speaker — a focused stage spot, the glow of a presentation screen behind, the audience reading as deep shadow — and from the cleaner backstage and step-and-repeat portraits that go out with an accelerator's press kit.

Technically that means half-length framing, a small hard key from one side and above for the on-stage shots, and a controlled drop into shadow that reads as a real stage rather than a flat studio. Backstage and accelerator-cohort takes soften to a broad practical light against a curtain or a logo wall. The palette runs navy, charcoal, ivory, warm stage amber, and the cool blue of a screen. The output is a photograph of you, photorealistic — a founder mid-pitch, ready in the wings, or against the cohort wall — not an illustration, not an avatar, not a generated stranger at a lectern.

How to photograph yourself for a demo-day portrait

Better source photos make better portraits. The pack works with imperfect inputs — the free preview tells you in 15 seconds — but a few things help.

1. Use soft, directional natural lightStand near a window, indirect daylight on your face from one side. Avoid overhead bulbs and phone flash; the pack supplies its own stage and event lighting, and a flat-lit source fights it.
2. Shoot at eye level, front or three-quarterCamera at eye level, front or slight three-quarter turn — the pack uses half-length framing. No selfie-stick uplook or overhead angle; they undercut the on-stage composition.
3. Plain wall behind youA plain wall or empty indoor background. The AI replaces the backdrop with the stage, the backstage curtain, or the cohort wall; a cluttered source makes it harder to isolate your face and figure cleanly.
4. Wear what you would pitch inA slim blazer over a clean tee, a tailored blazer over a shell — the register is presentation-ready smart. Starting from similar attire makes the AI portrait read consistent with the pack.
5. Upload 2 to 5 photos if you have themOne clear photo is enough. Multiple varied angles — front, slight turn, different light — sharpen the likeness. The pack uses all uploaded photos together as a single identity input.

Frequently asked questions

What does the output actually look like — is it photorealistic?

Photorealistic. The output is a photograph of you in a demo-day context — not illustrated, not cartoonish, not obviously AI-generated. Three registers: on stage mid-pitch under a focused stage spot with a presentation screen behind, a composed backstage portrait before the pitch, and an accelerator-cohort shot against a branded step-and-repeat wall. The free preview streams in about 15 seconds so you can verify the likeness before paying.

What is this pack specifically built for?

The accelerator and pitch context. Demo-day cohort pages, pitch-competition speaker bios, startup-conference talks, and the press kit that goes out with a funding-round announcement. Investors and journalists form an impression of the founder before reading the business model; these three registers are built for the surfaces where that impression lands.

How is this different from the startup founder pitch-deck pack?

The founder pitch-deck pack is office editorial — bright workspace, soft window light, the founder at the desk. The demo-day pack is the live-presentation register: stage spot, screen glow, backstage, the cohort wall. If your materials are a deck and an about page, use the pitch-deck pack. If you are presenting on stage or going into an accelerator program, the demo-day register fits that context better.

How is this different from the conference speaker pack?

The conference speaker pack is the general keynote and panel register, profession-agnostic. The demo-day pack is specifically the founder-on-stage-pitching context — accelerator stage, pitch competition, the step-and-repeat cohort wall. If you speak across many event types, the speaker pack is broader; if the context is a startup pitch or accelerator demo day, this one is closer.

How is this different from generating a stage portrait with Stable Diffusion or Midjourney?

Text-to-image tools generate a person who matches a description — not you. This pack uses your uploaded photo to anchor the identity. The output is a portrait of you in a demo-day register, not a generated stranger at a lectern.

Can I use one photo or do I need several?

One clear, front-facing photo is enough. More angles sharpen the likeness slightly — the free preview tells you in about 15 seconds whether one photo is sufficient before you pay.

What happens to the photo I upload?

Your photo is processed on European servers. We use it to generate your preview and, if you buy, your pack of nine. We do not share it with third parties.

Can I use the output commercially?

Yes. The output is yours. You may use it for cohort pages, press kits, event bios, and pitch materials without restriction. See the terms for the full scope.

When the demo-day pitch headshot fits

• For an accelerator or incubator cohort page and demo-day program bio (YC, Techstars, and the like)
• For a pitch-competition or startup-conference speaker bio paired with a talk or pitch slot
• For a press kit or media headshot accompanying a demo-day or funding-round announcement
• For a founder speaker page on an event site that needs to match the event's stage visual identity
• For a pitch-deck team slide where the founder should read as presentation-ready, not desk-bound
• For a startup-event or summit attendee profile and networking-app photo
• For a Crunchbase, AngelList, or accelerator-directory founder profile photo
• For a LinkedIn update following a demo day, pitch win, or accelerator acceptance
• For a conference or meetup organiser bio when the founder is also the host
• For replacing a flat headshot with a portrait that signals you are someone who presents

About narcis

Most AI portrait tools ship every pose, profession, era, and aesthetic in one giant catalog. The output looks like every other AI photo on the internet — a glaze over a stock face. Narcis goes the other way. One tool, one job: turn a photo of you into a portrait worth keeping. Each pack is hand-curated against actual references — paintings, photographers, registers — and tested on real faces before it ships. Free preview before you pay. Packs are one-time — no subscription to buy one; Studio, the unlimited composer, is optional at €12/month and every pack includes 30 days of it. No template generator. Built and run by one team, on our own infrastructure.