Rocket Pitch 2.0!
Join us for our 18th annual Rocket Pitch!
Rocket Pitch is an annual event where Babson (students and alumni), Olin Engineering and Wellesley College student entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a large audience of students, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. Each entrepreneur is given three minutes and three PowerPoint slides to quickly and succinctly deliver the critical differentiating elements of their business ideas. Pitches happen in rapid succession in multiple rooms.
In true ET&A fashion, we are innovating this year’s event! We are excited to announce that this year we will be featuring a live feedback forum! Following each three-minute presentation, attendees in the room can provide live feedback to our presenters. In the past, we’ve had close to 100 presenters. With this new format, only the top 48 applicants will be invited to pitch. Each team will get personalized feedback directly after their presentation.
So you’re probably wondering, what does the “feedback forum” actually mean? After each pitch, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the presenter. Time is limited, so although the presenter will not be able to answer questions, we encourage all attendees to network at our reception following the pitches.
As a presenter, the purpose is not for you to explain yourself better or answer questions, but to understand where you were not clear/compelling and what next steps you can possibly take to continue developing your idea. It is suggested that you or a team member take notes during this time and consider this feedback when refining your message and/or in your business planning process. We hope that this new format will provide value to you and your venture!
As an attendee, your feedback is vital to the presenters! In the past, our presenters typically did their pitch, and would hope that someone would speak with them afterwards. Here at the Blank Center, we are all about helping entrepreneurs. What better way to make a more inclusive experience than to have the audience members actually involved? We want to provide a forum that allows our community members a place to collaborate, share ideas, and encourage one another.
So, as an attendee, what kind of feedback can you provide? What questions do you have after listening to the pitch? Here are some things to consider:
- Was the presenter engaging? Were you paying attention during the presentation?
- Did their presentation have substance? Was there information that was missing or something that you were not clear on? Did you understand the business and the value proposition?
- How effective was presenter’s style? Body language? Did the presenter maintain eye contact?
- Did the presenter have a call to action? Was there a clear ask?
- Was the presenter persuasive?
- Did the presenter make a good use of visuals and/or props?
After the presentations, there will be an open networking reception. If you’re an attendee that did not have time to share feedback, please be proactive and find the entrepreneur you want to talk to. If you have advice, potential contacts, or want to get involved, reach out!
We look forward to seeing you at Rocket Pitch at Babson’s Wellesley campus on Thursday, November 2! Register now >>
Tweeting or on Instagram? Hashtag for the event is #babsonrp