How Founders Win Investors: Lessons from Startup Builder & Plug and Play UAE Investor Michael Maylahn | Michael Maylahn on the Perfect Pitch Podcast Ep14

This special Startup Spotlights episode was filmed live at Expand North Star (ENS) 2025, the world’s largest startup and investor event (October 2025).
In this exclusive conversation, Michael Maylahn — Startup Founder and Investor at Plug and Play UAE — shares the lessons, mindset shifts, and practical frameworks behind building ventures, raising capital, and now backing the next wave of founders in the region.

Together with host and Chief Content Officer of Lucidity Insights, Erika Welch, Michael walks through his entrepreneurial journey, the reality of startup fundraising, and what founders must prove before any investor is willing to write a check. He explains how founders can position themselves so investors come to them, how to validate market demand creatively (even with limited resources), and why the biggest fundraising mistakes are often rooted in unclear storytelling rather than bad ideas.

Michael also breaks down what makes a complex idea “investable,” how Plug and Play evaluates startups, and where he sees the most exciting opportunities across emerging tech, the UAE ecosystem.
A high-signal, founder-focused episode for anyone raising capital, refining their pitch, or navigating today’s fast-moving startup landscape.

Michael Maylahn’s Linkedin
Plug and Play Investor Profile