Case: E2 | Prepare your pitch

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How will my pitch be a success?

28-08-2024 439 views 0

E2 | Prepare your pitch

Now that you have learned what makes a pitch strong, it’s time to prepare your own pitch.

Imagine that Businessbase is a business idea. How can you describe it clearly?

My business idea / company (enter name of idea / company),
is all about offering (enter a defined offering)
to help (mention defined audience) solve (a problem)
with (secret sauce).

My business idea / company Businessbase,
is all about offering online training programs
to help students like you launching a new business idea
with easy-to-understand assignments, including standardized response forms.

The goal of this assignment is to describe your business idea as sharply as in the example above.

Furthermore, use the following outline to prepare for your 5-minute pitch:

Introduction: Briefly describe your business idea.
Problem and solution: What problem does your business idea solve? What value does it add to the lives of your customers or audience? How is your idea different from others?
Target audience: Who is your target audience? Who do you want to embrace your business idea?
Business model: Based on your research so far, how do you plan to make money?
Investment / Ask: Based on your research so far, what investment (money, connections, knowhow) do you think you will need, and what could it bring in the future? You need to make the other person very curious!

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entrepreneurship

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Assignments for students

What to do? Four steps:

Answer the key questions

We want you to prepare your pitch by giving short, direct answers to the following questions. Your pitch will only take 5 minutes, so each answer should be concise and to the point.

What is your business idea?
What problem does your business idea solve?
How does your idea add value for your target audience?
Who is your target audience?
How will you make money? What’s your business model?
Be wise and make use of the example model mentioned earlier.
What do you need (investment, connections, knowhow) to succeed?
State what resources you need and what they could bring in the future.

Tip: Consider the deal you are offering to investors
When preparing your pitch, put yourself in the shoes of a potential investor. An investor may be willing to invest, but they need to know what they will get in return. Be clear about “the deal.” For example, will the investor receive a share of your profits, ownership in the company (equity shares), or something else? Maybe your business complements the investor’s own business, or they can offer valuable contacts and a network that can help your idea grow. Whatever the deal is, be clear about it.

It’s also a good idea to test “the deal” in advance. You can do this in an ‘ask-me-anything’ session, so be sure to take advantage of that opportunity!

Evaluate your previous work

Consider the following items you’ve created in previous assignments:

Wordcloud: Will you use this in your pitch?
Conceptboard: Will you use this in your pitch?
Infographic: Will you use this in your pitch?
Other (e.g., video, presentation): Will you use this in your pitch?

Make a simple agenda for your pitch (3-5 topics)

This should be a list of the topics you will cover. Remember, some topics are mandatory, like describing your business idea.

Plan your next steps

Reflect on any additional preparations you plan to make:

Are you planning to come up with a creative angle for your pitch (e.g., inspired by Dragons’ Den examples)?
Will you create a presentation (e.g., PowerPoint) to support your pitch?
Will you improve or refine your previous work (e.g., wordcloud, conceptboard, infographic)?
Will you practice your pitch with a classmate?
Will you ask your teacher for feedback or advice before your pitch?

How to submit?

Just click the ‘Core’ button and fill out the fields.

It may be a good idea to have a final meeting with your teacher, just to make sure that your plan is solid. You’ll need to arrange this directly with your teacher.

Core assignments for students

Discover whether you master the essence of this case by completing the corresponding core assignments. If necessary, you can share your answers with your teacher or supervisor.

E2 | Prepare your pitch

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Step 1 of 2

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Your name*

First Last

Your email*

Are you responding on own behalf or on behalf of a group (of students)?*

On my own behalf

On behalf of a group (of students)

Enter the first and last names of all group members

1. Your Pitch in One Sentence*

Write the core of your pitch in one sentence using the Businessbase format: "My business idea is all about offering (offering) to help (target audience) solve (problem) with (secret sauce)."

2. Structure or Agenda of Your Pitch*

How will you structure your pitch? Write a brief agenda in a maximum of 5 bullets.

3. What Pitfalls do you wish to avoid? Be honest!*

Previously, you identified common pitfalls when delivering a pitch. What steps will you take to avoid them?.

4. Adding a Surprise Element*

How will you bring surprise to your pitch? What will be the "wow factor" that grabs your audience's attention?

5. Where do you already feel confident?

Select the 2 to 4 strongest aspects of your pitch based on your preparations so far.

Select between 2 and 4 choices.

1. Clarity of the problem and solution: Is the problem well-defined, and is the solution convincing?

2. Connection to the target audience: Do you understand and address your audience effectively?

3. Realism of the business model: Is the revenue model logical and achievable?

4. Engagement and creativity: Does your pitch include a unique or surprising element to captivate the audience?

6a. Optional: Upload Files

Make sure your pitch is complete and meets the criteria above. If you have additional materials (slides, visual aids), please upload them here:

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 256 MB, Max. files: 5.

6b. Optional: Files submission online

Share a link to your files. Before submitting, ensure the sharing options are correctly set so the link works properly. Be aware that some links may only be valid for a limited time — check that your link will remain accessible. Remember: Your pitch should be visually appealing!

Assessment Criteria | Prepare your pitch

Do you think your preparation meets the following criteria? (Check what applies)

Pass - Preparation shows basic insights on the pitch process.

Merit/Distinction - Provides thoughtful reflections on the pitch process, including presentation competences.

Do you want to add any other information, relevant to this assignment? If so, keep it short.

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Edvard Spaapen

Editor of content during development stage