Pitching a startup to a king is nerve‑wracking. London‑based Magic AI, maker of a smart mirror that offers training tips, recently won the King’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category. CEO Varun Bhanot travelled to St James’s Palace to collect the prize.

He admitted he was very nervous, the weather was 31 degrees, and he was in a suit and tie—unusual for him. The crowd felt like tech founders dressing up to meet Trump, he joked.

During the reception he fumbled: ‘We’re in AI,’ he said, and the king asked, ‘What sort of AI?’ Bhanot replied, ‘One that helps make people fitter.’ He added that he’d run the London Marathon to raise money for a charity the king patronises, wearing a Magic mirror as a costume.

He advises to keep it extra brief, think what interests the king, not just sell your company. Get a wingman who can break the ice—he spotted a Pimm’s in the king’s hand. Position yourself strategically; a neighbour talking about vacuum services made his pitch shine by contrast.