Guide to a good venture pitch. Conquest 2007, BITS-Pilani Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

First Page This presentation intends to be a guideline for Conquest finalists. The order followed by the slides is logical. Your presentation should have a similar structure. Do not have too many slides. Ideally fifteen is good. Format it well. Make it look beautiful and weed out all spelling mistakes. Focus on your strengths, USP. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

This presentation intends to be a guideline for Conquest finalists.

The order followed by the slides is logical. Your presentation should have a similar structure.

Do not have too many slides. Ideally fifteen is good.

Format it well. Make it look beautiful and weed out all spelling mistakes.

Focus on your strengths, USP.

Introduction (1 slide) The most important slide. What does your company do?(in one line) Current status: Stage of the venture. Incorporated? Any big clients or piloting partners? Testimonials? Funded? Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

The most important slide.

What does your company do?(in one line)

Current status:

Stage of the venture. Incorporated?

Any big clients or piloting partners? Testimonials?

Funded?

Stars List the most important points about your company. Strong management team. Patents and unique technology or model. USP Attractiveness of the venture for investment. Market trends, market growth rates. Size of the target market. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

List the most important points about your company.

Strong management team.

Patents and unique technology or model.

USP

Attractiveness of the venture for investment.

Market trends, market growth rates.

Size of the target market.

Problem or the pain (1 slide) Describe the problem your venture aims to solve or the pain of the society it relieves. How big is the problem? Mention data, statistics. Why hasn’t it been solved before? Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Describe the problem your venture aims to solve or the pain of the society it relieves.

How big is the problem? Mention data, statistics.

Why hasn’t it been solved before?

Solution (1-2 slides) How does your venture solve the problem? Why/how is it more effective than the current solutions, if any? USP! Describe your product or service in required amount of detail. The magic/technology behind it. Patented? Important selling features. Use simple diagrams, flow charts. Give screenshots/pictures. Value addition to complimentary products or services available currently. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

How does your venture solve the problem?

Why/how is it more effective than the current solutions, if any?

USP!

Describe your product or service in required amount of detail.

The magic/technology behind it. Patented?

Important selling features.

Use simple diagrams, flow charts. Give screenshots/pictures.

Value addition to complimentary products or services available currently.

Testimonials (1 slide) Every investor needs proof about solution efficacy. Why did your customer love you? Response of existing clients. Use logos. Or response to prototype by prospective clients/customers. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Every investor needs proof about solution efficacy.

Why did your customer love you?

Response of existing clients. Use logos.

Or response to prototype by prospective clients/customers.

Market analysis (1-2 slides) Which market need are you meeting? Describe the market. How big is it? Growth rate? Maturity. Product positioning. Market Capture projections. Marketing strategies. How will you reach the market? Tip: always brilliant to describe a typical customer/client. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Which market need are you meeting?

Describe the market.

How big is it?

Growth rate?

Maturity.

Product positioning.

Market Capture projections.

Marketing strategies. How will you reach the market?

Tip: always brilliant to describe a typical customer/client.

Business model (1-2 slides) What is the business model? Use flowcharts and diagrams. How will you make money? Revenue strategy and model. Economies of scale. Describe distributor or franchise commission/rates, if applicable. Operations model. Use flowcharts and diagrams Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

What is the business model? Use flowcharts and diagrams.

How will you make money?

Revenue strategy and model.

Economies of scale.

Describe distributor or franchise commission/rates, if applicable.

Operations model. Use flowcharts and diagrams

Competition analysis (1 slide) Who else is tackling the same problem? (direct competitors) Why are you better? Compare features on a table/matrix. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani Feature A Feature B Feature C Product A Yes Yes Yes Product B No Yes No Product C Yes Yes No

Who else is tackling the same problem? (direct competitors)

Why are you better?

Compare features on a table/matrix.

Management Team (1 slide) Who will run the show? Relevance of experience/skills to role allotted. Track record. Who is missing? Solution. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Who will run the show?

Relevance of experience/skills to role allotted.

Track record.

Who is missing? Solution.

Co-stars (1 slide) Technology development team. Partners. Board of advisors. Board of directors. Legal advisors. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Technology development team.

Partners.

Board of advisors.

Board of directors.

Legal advisors.

Rollout plan (1 slide) Current status. Rollout model. Strategy behind it. Timeline of the rollout. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Current status.

Rollout model.

Strategy behind it.

Timeline of the rollout.

Risks (1 slide) What reasons could lead to failure? Regulatory risks. (Medical and financial ventures, beware.) Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

What reasons could lead to failure?

Regulatory risks.

(Medical and financial ventures, beware.)

Exit strategy (1 slide) Acquisition? IPO? Diversification? Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Acquisition? IPO?

Diversification?

Financial summary (1-2 slides) Mention key assumptions. Give key figures of revenue growth, profits, ROI. Projections for next few years. Mention breakeven period. Tip: Do not show excel sheets, since you’ll never read them neither will the investor. Only gives a crammed look. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Mention key assumptions.

Give key figures of revenue growth, profits, ROI.

Projections for next few years.

Mention breakeven period.

Tip: Do not show excel sheets, since you’ll never read them neither will the investor. Only gives a crammed look.

Funding summary (1 slide) Requirements and details. Highlight ROI . Breakup of spending. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Requirements and details.

Highlight ROI .

Breakup of spending.

Conclusion The points you want your investors to remember. Re-highlight the attractiveness/strengths. Funding requirements and ROI. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

The points you want your investors to remember.

Re-highlight the attractiveness/strengths.

Funding requirements and ROI.

Thank You! Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

Final comments While bullets are effective. Nothing can beat diagrams and pictures. Use them generously. Do not cram your slides. Speak more than your slide. Use big text. Practice and time your presentation. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, BITS-Pilani

While bullets are effective. Nothing can beat diagrams and pictures. Use them generously.

Do not cram your slides. Speak more than your slide.

Use big text.

Practice and time your presentation.