The Brain Mixers deck, titled 'F**NEWS No. 1 - July 23,' is not a standard fundraising pitch but a curated industry report designed to showcase the firm's expertise in digital strategy, M&A, and emerging technologies. Across 23 slides, the document summarizes major market moves, such as Mistral's €105 million seed round (Slide 4) and Liquid Death's $700 million valuation (Slide 21). It heavily emphasizes Generative AI, dedicating five slides to its impact on search, image editing, and advertising. While the deck lacks traditional startup metrics like CAC, LTV, or a specific financial 'ask,' i…
Key takeaways
- The document is a curated monthly report rather than a traditional fundraising pitch deck.
- Mistral is highlighted for raising a €105 million seed round with only one month of history (Slide 4).
- Miura Partners' investment in Wikiloc is estimated at 15-20 million euros, valuing the company at 37.5 to 50 million euros (Slide 3).
- The deck notes a significant slowdown in European tech investment for 2023, returning to pre-pandemic figures (Slide 5).
- Liquid Death is cited as having over 130m USD in revenue and a 700m USD Enterprise Value (Slide 21).
- Generative AI is the most covered topic, with specific mentions of Google's Search Generative Experience and the DragGAN image editing tool (Slides 12, 19).
- Antler is identified as an early-stage partner with a portfolio of over 790 companies valued at more than 3.7 billion USD (Slide 18).
- The deck lacks all standard fundraising components, including a team slide, financial projections, and a capital request.
Introduction: The Intelligence Report as a Pitch
The document titled FNEWS No. 1 - July 23 by The Brain Mixers is a 23-slide presentation that functions as a curated industry intelligence report. Unlike a traditional startup pitch deck that seeks capital for a specific product, this deck seeks to establish authority and thought leadership. It provides a snapshot of the digital landscape in mid-2023, focusing on M&A, strategy, and the explosive growth of Generative AI.
Slides 1-2: Title and Introduction
The deck opens with a bold, high-contrast title slide featuring the name FNEWS and the tagline "To leave your 'Techie' friends with a bewildered look." Slide 2 clarifies the intent: a summary of strategy, funding, startups, and studies from the last 30 days. The branding is aggressive and informal, using the logo of The Brain Mixers in the corner. There is no mention of a company mission statement or a specific business problem being solved; the 'product' here is the information itself.
Slides 3-6: M&A - Investments and Acquisitions
This section focuses on the movement of capital in the European tech sector. Slide 3 details Miura Partners' entry into Wikiloc , acquiring 40% of the business. The deck estimates the transaction at 15-20 million euros , with a total valuation between 37.5 million and 50 million euros . Slide 4 highlights Mistral , a European AI company that raised €105 million in a seed round after only one month of operation. The slide questions if this is a "clear case of 'overvalue'."
Slide 5 provides a macro view of the market, citing a report by Atomico, Lazard, and others. It notes a slowdown in activity, returning to pre-pandemic figures, and a reduction in "mega rounds." Slide 6 covers the sale of Broadbean by CareerBuilder to Veritone for 52 million USD , noting that Broadbean is expected to merge with Pandologic.
Slides 7-10: Strategy and Consumer Trends
The strategy section shifts from finance to corporate maneuvers and consumer psychology. Slide 7 discusses Elon Musk's changes at Twitter, identifying his "North Star KPI" as profitability and noting the introduction of usage restrictions. Slide 8 introduces the "Me Economy," a trend where consumers expect brands to support mental health and individual joy. Slide 9 covers LinkedIn's adoption of Generative AI for job offers and post-writing, as well as algorithm changes to discourage purely viral content. Slide 10 notes Google's attempt to enter the gaming sector via YouTube, offering arcade-style games to capture advertising revenue following the failure of Stadia.
Slides 11-12: Generative AI - The Macro View
Generative AI receives significant attention. Slide 11 summarizes Bill Gates' forecast, predicting that AI will replace the need for traditional search engines and marketplaces, evolving into personal assistants. Slide 12 focuses on Google's "Search Generative Experience," highlighting the risk to Google's own advertising revenue if users are provided direct answers rather than links.
Slides 13-14: New Business Models and Innovation Reports
Slide 13 explores "flexible fashion buying" in the second-hand market, where customers can return items after 8 months for a residual value refund. Slide 14 cites a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report stating that 79% of companies consider innovation a top priority, yet 70-80% of innovation processes fail.
Slides 15-16: Mental Health and Training
Slide 15 references a McKinsey study of 40,000 people across 26 countries, finding that over 50% of respondents see benefits in social media for socialization skills. Slide 16 details a partnership between Telefónica and The Valley Business School to provide digital skills training to 100,000 SMEs in Spain over two years, funded by NEXT GENERATION funds.
Slides 17-18: Start-ups and Ecosystems
Slide 17 profiles 5min.ai , a UK-based edtech startup that uses a TikTok-like dynamic for 5-minute learning modules. The slide notes they have secured 5.7 million USD in funding. Slide 18 discusses Antler , describing it as a partner for entrepreneurs with a portfolio of 790 companies valued at over 3.7 billion USD .
Slides 19-20: Generative AI - Tools and Advertising
The deck returns to AI with Slide 19 , showcasing DragGAN , a tool for radical image editing using a pointer. Slide 20 highlights Google's vision for using AI in ad creation, allowing users to generate or remove elements in display and shopping ads through a user-friendly interface.
Slides 21-23: Campaigns, Curiosities, and Conclusion
Slide 21 features Liquid Death , noting its 130m USD revenue and 700m USD Enterprise Value. The slide focuses on their "Greatest Hates" marketing campaign. Slide 22 mentions Pope Francis and the Holy See's release of an ethical guide for AI use. The deck concludes on Slide 23 with The Brain Mixers logo and their website URL.
What The Brain Mixers Deck Does Well
The deck excels at curation and synthesis . By aggregating high-profile news (Mistral, Elon Musk, Bill Gates) with niche startup data (5min.ai, Wikiloc), it positions the authors as well-informed intermediaries in the tech ecosystem. The use of external links for every claim adds a layer of credibility and utility for the reader. The visual layout is consistent, using a split-screen format that balances imagery with concise text blocks, making it highly readable as a digital report.
What Is Missing from the Deck
As a fundraising document, this deck is entirely incomplete . It lacks the following standard components:
The Team: There is no information on who runs The Brain Mixers or their qualifications. · Business Model: It is unclear how The Brain Mixers makes money—whether they are a consultancy, a fund, or a media outlet. · The Ask: There is no request for capital, no valuation of the firm, and no use-of-funds breakdown. · Internal Metrics: While the deck cites external company revenues (Liquid Death), it provides zero data on its own performance, reach, or client base.
Founder Takeaways: Authority through Content
Founders can learn from this deck's approach to authority building . If you are in a service-based industry or a complex B2B sector, producing a high-quality monthly report can serve as a powerful lead-generation tool. The "FNEWS" branding is a calculated risk; it uses mild profanity to stand out in a sea of dry corporate white papers. However, founders should be careful to separate "content marketing" from a "pitch deck." If the goal is to raise money, the focus must eventually shift from what is happening in the market to why your specific company is the best vehicle to capture that market opportunity.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this a fundraising deck for The Brain Mixers?
- No. Based on the content, this is a 'Monthly Report' or a content marketing asset. It summarizes external market news, M&A activity, and tech trends to demonstrate the firm's industry knowledge. It contains no information about The Brain Mixers' internal financials, team, or investment needs.
- What major funding rounds are mentioned in the deck?
- The deck highlights two significant European events: Mistral's €105 million seed round (Slide 4) and Miura Partners' acquisition of a 40% stake in Wikiloc for an estimated €15-20 million (Slide 3). It also mentions that the UK edtech startup 5min.ai has secured $5.7 million in funding to date (Slide 17).
- How does the deck treat the topic of Artificial Intelligence?
- AI is a central theme, categorized under 'Generative AI.' The deck covers Bill Gates' predictions on personal AI assistants (Slide 11), Google's implementation of AI in search and ad creation (Slides 12, 20), and the emergence of radical image editing tools like DragGAN (Slide 19). It even notes the Vatican's interest in AI ethics (Slide 22).
- What is the 'Me Economy' mentioned in the strategy section?
- On Slide 8, the deck discusses the 'Me Economy,' a term coined by Havas Group. It describes a shift where consumers demand that brands not only contribute to society but also provide personal joy, mental health support, and solutions for an easier life, leading to 'individual transcendence.'
- What are the key omissions in this deck compared to a standard pitch?
- The deck omits every core requirement of a fundraising pitch: there is no 'Problem' or 'Solution' slide for the company itself, no 'Team' slide, no 'Business Model,' no 'Market Size' for their specific services, and no 'Ask' or 'Use of Funds.' It is strictly an informational industry summary.
