Inside the AI Startup Contest: A Conversation with Rosie Bailey, CEO of Nibble
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What was the experience like pitching live at Technology for Marketing?
The coolest part is the chance to go viral in real life. As you pitch and start to grab attention, people wander over, stop, and join the crowd. And the more people stop, the more others wonder what’s going on and want to stop too... I love events and the element of live performance. We do too much online these days and it’s over-curated.
What impact has winning the competition had on your business since then?
Technology for Marketing gave us visibility beyond ecommerce. Nibble is often seen as a discounting tool, but it’s so much more—it drives loyalty, encourages trading up, and increases basket size by nudging customers in real time. We met everyone from national telecoms giants to niche menswear brands, and converted interest into deals fast—especially as people were gearing up for Black Friday last year.
What advice would you give to startups thinking of entering this year’s competition?
The pitch is short—so you have to hook people fast. I used a video to grab attention but you also need clarity. Explain your tool in plain English, like you would to a smart child – don't use jargon. What does it do, and who is it for?
Importantly, your ideal client might not be in the room but their colleague probably is. Make it easy for them to go back to the office and pitch you.
I also rehearse and learn word for word my opening line and my closing line. Don’t tail off at the end.
Looking back, what do you think made your pitch stand out to the judges?
Our video wasn’t an animated explainer; it featured a real customer, full of energy, talking about how much they loved the tool. That user endorsement was 100x more powerful than anything I could have said.
Secondly, it made it clear that people treat AI emotionally. We’ve had users ask if Nibble is a real person. We won’t let clients rename it with a human name, but the emotional layer is powerful if you are wanting to persuade. Negotiation is emotional, high-stakes, and currently under-served by tech. We’re building 1-1 customer relationships with AI.
How has your business evolved since the competition—and what’s next?
We’ve taken those broader use cases and doubled down on the most valuable: B2B sales and procurement. Nibble now helps some of the world’s biggest companies buy from their suppliers using AI negotiation and agentic AI has really taken off.
Finally, in one sentence, why should AI startups apply for the 2025 competition?
Visibility. The chance to stand out in a strong, engaged community—and maybe even go viral IRL ;-)
Quickfire Questions
If your AI marketing tool were a movie character, who would it be and why?
Kermit. Funny, kind and highly empathic and calm under pressure, he is a model leader
Which celebrity would you hire as the voice of your personal AI assistant, and what’s the first thing you’d make them say?
David Tennant, definitely. I’d love Nibble to have a cheeky Scottish voice—especially when someone makes a ridiculous counter-offer and needs to be gently shamed into being reasonable. (Sadly, it’ll never happen—our US clients wouldn’t understand a word but picture the scene when the chatbot says “Let’s no’ fall oot o’er this, but that’s a bit rich…”)
If your AI could throw a marketing party, what would the theme be and who’s on the VIP list?
The Muppets, obviously—Nibble loves them. But we’d invite Michael Caine too because The Muppet Christmas Carol is arguably the best film of all time. Hopefully he’d get on with David Tennant. Do you think he would?
Entries close 18th of July!
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