May 30, 2022, by aczjb1
Pitch to Win returns!
In June, the Ingenuity Lab will be running the third edition of our pitching competition, Pitch to Win, where members get the chance to present their business pitches to an expert panel for the chance to win a top prize of £1000!
To enter, Ingenuity Lab members had to submit an elevator video pitch, and the best entrants will be shortlisted to pitch, in-person at the Lab, on Wednesday 22 June.
We spoke to some of last year’s winners to hear how Pitch to Win helped them, and to find out their top tips for this year’s entrants.
Tom Sproull with his Pitch to Win trophy
Our top prize winner was MSc student Tom Sproull, for his pitch about his sustainable clothing company, Cove.
“Pitch to Win puts the pressure on!” said Tom. “It’s a great opportunity to hone a strong pitch, compressing all the core elements of your business into a three minute presentation. Not only do you gain experience of pitching publicly, it’s also a great exercise to consider the foundations of your USP.”
Tom says the £1,000 prize helped him to achieve better economies of scale on a larger stock order, and ended the 2021 financial year up 65% on 2020. He has also been able to get his clothing stocked in the Portland Clothing Shop on University Park Campus.
His top tip for this year’s entrants?
“Practice, practice, practice! Be clear, concise, and persuasive. Imagine you’re explaining your business to someone who knows nothing at all about your industry. When it’s your time to speak, smile and slow down!”
Trelawny McKenzie also received funding for her Hobistry pitch, providing home activity kits for people wanting to find a new hobby.
Trelawny Mckenzie
“It’s an amazing opportunity to practice your pitching skills,” she said. “It was the first time I delivered a pitch to an audience and although I consider myself a confident person, nothing is quite as nerve wracking as convincing people your ‘idea’ has the possibility to become a success business. The skills I developed in terms of preparing a pitch deck, public speaking, and how to handle a Q&A, I will carry on using throughout Hobistry’s journey.”
A fourth-year Hispanic Studies student, Trelawny is currently focusing on finishing her degree this summer and is looking forward to launching her product after graduating, with the Pitch to Win funding going towards purchasing extra stock. She echoed Tom’s advice for this year’s hopefuls: preparation is key.
“A well prepared pitch always stands out. Winging it works sometimes, but not always.”
Pitch to Win returns on Wednesday 22 June.
If you would like to enter please follow instructions below by 5pm on Wednesday 15th June
- Record a 1-minute elevator pitch – please start the recording by stating your full name and your business name.
- Send your recording via email or wetransfer.com to rachel.bedrock@nottingham.ac.uk
- Fill in the form below to complete your application
Sign up for this year’s event here.
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