User experience (UX) design is essential for any startup looking to create a successful product. However, for pre-seed startups, UX design can be particularly valuable in helping them shape the direction of their business.

At the pre-seed stage, startups are still in the early stages of developing their products and testing their ideas. By focusing on UX design, startups can gain a better understanding of their users' needs and preferences, which can inform their product development and business strategy. Here are some ways UX design can help pre-seed startups on the direction of their business:

1. Understand your users: At the pre-seed stage, it's important to understand your users' needs, behaviors, and pain points. By conducting user research, you can gather valuable insights that will inform your design decisions and help you create a product that meets the needs of your target audience. This research can also help you identify gaps in the market and potential opportunities for innovation.
2. Develop user personas: Once you've gathered user research, you can create user personas - fictional representations of your ideal users. This helps you keep your target audience in mind as you design your product and ensures that you're creating something that meets their needs and preferences. User personas can also help you identify potential pain points and areas for improvement in your product.
3. Test and refine your product: At the pre-seed stage, it's important to test your product early and often. By creating wireframes and prototypes and testing them with users, you can catch usability issues and make improvements before you invest a lot of time and resources. This also allows you to refine your product based on user feedback, which can help you better meet the needs of your target audience.
4. Create a unique value proposition: By focusing on UX design, you can create a unique value proposition that sets your product apart from the competition. A well-designed user experience can create an emotional connection with users and differentiate your product from others on the market. This can be particularly valuable for pre-seed startups looking to establish themselves in a crowded market.