HOW TO PITCH (WELL).

@alexcovic

BACKGROUND

• Programme director @startakademija
• EIR @ICT Hub
• Mentor @ eleven, LauncHub, Founders Institute
• Organised a bunch of pitching events
• Pitched a few times

@alexcovic

BACKGROUND

• Seen hundreds
• Made dozens
• Most suck (including my own)
• Same mistakes keep popping up

@alexcovic

SO WHAT A PITCH IS (NOT)?

@alexcovic

Basics

• 3-5 minutes
• Tells a story
• Gets you noticed
• Answers questions
• Gets you an investment? 

@alexcovic

The Elements.

• A great one liner (Unique Value Proposition. What, who, how - X for Y).
• Know your audience!
• Not about the deck, about the conversation (10-15 slides max).
• Validation beats demos.
• Expect sharing! (So it is about the deck after all).

@alexcovic

SUGGESTED STRUCTURE.

10-15 slides, remember?

@alexcovic

10-15 Slides

• The Big Idea
• Why you?
• The problem
• The solution
• Market, Traction, Validation, Competition, Biz Model.
• The future, big vision?
• The ask.

@alexcovic

The BIG Idea.

Unique Value Proposition.
What problem?
For Who(m)?
How?

@alexcovic

The Problem.

@alexcovic

Why You?

Remember Risk/Reward?What makes YOU the team to solve this (You better know the answer!)

@alexcovic

Market Validation

@alexcovic

The Solution.

@alexcovic

Market Size (Reward)

@alexcovic

Have MVP? Show it.

@alexcovic

The Biz Model

@alexcovic

G2M (more market!)

@alexcovic

Competition

@alexcovic

Competition

@alexcovic

(a)Traction

@alexcovic

The Future.

Lines, not Dots.
Where will you be in 12-24 months?

@alexcovic

The Ask.

You want something, right?

@alexcovic

Common Mistakes.

• To many words.
• Not enough answers.
• Not enough numbers (market is king).
• Not enough practice.
• Not enough homework.
• Body language.
• Eye contact.
• Voice.

@alexcovic

TAKEAWAYS

@alexcovic

RISK vs REWARD

@alexcovic

TEAM
TRACTION
MARKET TRŽIŠTE

@alexcovic

PRACTICE & LEARN

• Record yourself
• Practice with your mom
• Slideshare: 500Startups, YCombinator
• Go to events (startit.rs)

That's all folks!

Questions? Yes please!
@alexcovic
alex.covic@icthub.rs
icthub.rs