The RvD iPrize and Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award competitions are right around the corner. To help get students ready, the LaunchPad will be hosting a “Pitch Perfect” workshop on Friday, March 19 from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. via Zoom. The session will include tips on presentation techniques, as well as info on what to include in pitch decks. The Zoom link is here.
The workshop will include:
Presentation style
- Tips on an effective presentation, and how to create a compelling story
- How to pitch with polish in a way that connects with the audience and judges
- How to create effective visuals and infographics to demonstrate your points
- Do’s and don’ts of presentations, and how to create impact
What the judges are looking for
- Problem identification, customer discovery and validation
- Viability and feasibility of solution
- Market opportunity and effective identification of target customers and end-users
- Competitive advantage and value proposition
- Strength of the business model the product/service or technology being developed, solid assumptions and realistic projections of cost and revenue drivers
- Expertise of the team, and a network of supporting advisors who bring expertise
- Passion, drive and team commitment
- Clear, convincing and engaging pitch
Components of the pitch
- Problem and its significance (tell a story and create a context)
- Solution and what makes it unique
- Problem/solution validation
- Size of the market opportunity and customer/end-user you are targeting
- Competitive landscape and where you fit
- Marketing and sales channels to reach your market
- Your plan: product roadmap and business development roadmap
- Financial model and a breakeven analysis
- Your funding strategy, and projected sources and uses of funds
- Your team, and expertise it has to tackle this problem and bring this solution to market
- Your wrap and how to hit it out the park. Make the ask and give the judges a reason to invest in your idea and your team
The LaunchPad team, mentors, and professional service providers are available to help develop investment-ready business models, create more competitive pitches, and coach teams on the art of successful pitching.
The LaunchPad team of peer mentors will be available for pitch practices the week of March 22. Make reservations by e-mailing LaunchPad@syr.edu