The MERLIN Pitch & rePlay Returns
Musical chairs for entrepreneurs … but the music doesn’t stop and no one is cut out of the process. For the COVID-Edition of the Badger Startup Summit, The MERLIN Pitch & rePlay goes Virtual.
This session gives entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to fine tune their pitch in a non-competitive environment to a few interested listeners. They get immediate feedback on their idea from a small but eager audience. All this is repeated five times to different small groups where entrepreneurs get to make corrections perfecting their pitch and their presentation style all while gaining helpful feedback and meeting others who can help. Those who pitch range from individuals who have been thinking over an idea, to CEOs of companies preparing to go into the investor arena for funding.
As a live event in a room buzzing with conversations, the Pitch & rePlay has proven to be an extremely successful event. Several now well known startups on the Madison Scene have used this forum for their initial pitch to the startup community. For 2020, with special thanks to gener8tor and g-Beta for Zoom support this virtual Pitch & rePlay will be similar to that used successfully this Spring in the g-Beta Mentor Swarms.
The intent of the Pitch and re-Play is a departure from the typical pitch event. The structure of most pitch events is a ‘one-shot up and out’ experience for the entrepreneur where feedback is limited to a few questions at the end. All presenters are winners here as all participants get the chance to perfect their pitch and receive helpful feedback on that pitch and potentially make new connections with people who can help.
Guidance for those who want to Pitch
Due to the limitations of the virtual setting only five entrepreneurs will be pitching. Application deadline was July 31 2020. Although having an existing entity (for profit or not for profit) is not a requirement, those who apply should have thought through the problem they are addressing, their solution, how they intend to build a sustainable business and how their skills and experience rise to the task of executing the project
Specifically a good pitch should cover:
- who you are
- what problem you are addressing
- how you intend to solve it and
- how you will sustain your vision.
The format is simple. Following welcome remarks, all attendees will be moved to rooms of 4-6 attendees each. the number of rooms = the number of entrepreneurs pitching. Each entrepreneur will be assigned to a ‘room’ to meet his/her initial audience. Each entrepreneur gets 15 minutes in the room, 5 minutes to pitch, and the rest to answer questions and receive feedback. Entrepreneurs will receive a 1 minute warning prior to rotating to the next room. Entrepreneurs should be able to deliver 5 pitches to 5 very different diverse and helpful audiences. This will be a very active participatory event. Through the Zoom software screen sharing option entrepreneurs may elect to use a slide deck should they chose.
For questions contact Chief Pitch Wrangler, Dennis Barnum
Applicants selected to present must participate in a short online orientation to be arranged following the application deadline..
Watch this space for details on the companies selected to present
