Preparing for your pitch

How does the Innovation Center do pitches?

We do three rounds of pitches throughout our competition. The first pitch is a 5-minute business/idea pitch to qualify for our competition. You will then pitch again in late February after completing 2 Mentor Saturdays. There will be 5 teams chosen from the Second Round of Pitches, and those teams will attend the final Mentor Saturday and pitch in the Finals to compete for cash investments and, office space.

Resources

10 Steps to Perfect Your Startup Pitch - Startup guru Guy Kawasaki explains why asking investors for money is like online dating. Click Here To Read

12 Easy Steps to a Perfect Pitch - Whether you're presenting to potential investors, clients or customers, ace your next pitch with these 12 tips. Click Here To Read

How to Deliver the Perfect Business Pitch: 8 Tips Inspired by 'Shark Tank' Click Here To Read

How to Pitch: 18 Steps to Create and Deliver a Winning Pitch for Investors and Early Customers Click Here To Read

How to give the perfect pitch - with TedX speech coach David Beckett - Young Creators Summit 2016 Click Here To Watch

13 Tips on How to Deliver a Pitch Investors Simply Can't Turn Down - Hint: Practice your pitch. And then practice it again. And again. Click Here To Read

Mastering the Pitch with Nicole Glaros Click Here To Watch

How To Create A Great Investor Pitch Deck For Startups Seeking Financing Click Here To Read

Questions You Should Ask Yourself

  • What is the problem that the business/idea addresses?

  • How does your business/idea solve that problem/make it better?

  • Identify the market for your business/idea

    • Who are your customers?

      • Where are they (are they geographically bound?)

  • What is the market for your business/idea –

    •  Market size (how much money is out there to be spread around to this idea?)

    • How much will each customer spend on your business?

    •  How many customers will your business get?

  • How your business/idea/product will actually work when the customer uses it (how does your business work?)

  • Where do you make money/generate revenue?  Might consider how much does it cost to run your business/idea

  • Who are you competitors in this space

  • Who are you?  Who is on your team?  What skills do you bring?

  • How could you use the prize money from the innovation challenge?