Simple Acoustic-Prosodic Models of Confidence and Likability are Associated with Long-Term Funding Outcomes for Entrepreneurs

摘要

Entrepreneurship pitches are an increasingly common way for startup founders to attract the attention of potential investors, who may be swayed by style as well as content. This study examines whether vocal features can capture some of the perceived traits of entrepreneurs, and whether those perceptions are associated with long-term funding outcomes for the firm. Using 122 pitches from the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield competition, I find that eventual funding amounts are significantly greater for those entrepreneurs who are perceived as more confident and less likable, and that these traits can be well modeled by features associated with the intensity (loudness) of their speech patterns.