PitchTankEverything you need before you pitch.
The core material from our virtual sessions: how to build a business plan, how to structure a pitch, and what judges look for.
How to make a pitch
Structure a three-minute pitch that judges remember.
- 1Open with the problem, told through one real person who has it.
- 2Say what you are building in one sentence a ten-year-old would understand.
- 3Show why now and why you: what changed, and what you know that others don't.
- 4Explain how it makes money and roughly what it costs to start.
- 5Close with a clear ask: what you would do with the prize or the investment.
- 6Rehearse out loud and time it. Cut anything that does not help one of the points above.
How to build your business plan
The one-page version every idea needs before the pitch.
- 1Problem: who has it, how often, and what they do about it today.
- 2Solution: what you build and the simplest version you could test this month.
- 3Customer: who pays, how you reach them, and how many of them exist.
- 4Money: price, cost per unit, and how many sales it takes to break even.
- 5Competition: who else solves this, and why customers would switch to you.
- 6Next steps: three milestones and what each one proves.
How ideas are judged
What our sharks look for when they score a pitch.
- 1Problem: is it real, and does the team understand it?
- 2Solution: does it actually solve the problem, and is it doable?
- 3Market: are there enough customers who will pay?
- 4Business model: does the money make sense?
- 5Presentation: is the pitch clear, confident, and well prepared?
- 6Q&A: can the team handle tough questions honestly?
Want the full slides?
Slideshows from our virtual Zoom sessions are shared with registered students.