Discover: Elevator Pitch Competition
The Elevator Pitch Competition (EPC) has been a Start@Shea staple for several years, dating back to the earliest days of Start@Shea. EPC is the first of Start@Shea’s three pitch-focused events, with the other two, Demo Day and The Strakosch Venture Competition, held in the spring semester. Start@Shea likes to think of our EPC as the start of our year-long pipeline helping students along their journey from ideation to execution.
At the Elevator Pitch Competition, students prepare a 60-second pitch for a well thought out business idea. The whole idea is it’s a pitch that you can give on an elevator ride (maybe to the fifth floor of Walsh). They present it to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, who determine the top pitches based on the presenter’s idea and pitch execution. $1500 in prize money is on the line in the final round with $600 going to first place, $400 to second, $300 to third, and $200 to the crowd favorite.
Applications open for the Elevator Pitch Competition in mid-September and close in early-October. Accepted applicants are invited to a pitch workshop where they learn how to craft a good pitch and practice the best ways of delivering it effectively. This year, the workshop was hosted by Bryan Burdick. The following week, teams attend the semi-final round and pitch to a panel of younger-alumni and professionals who determine which teams will make the final round. During the same week, another pitch workshop is hosted for the finalist teams. This year our host will be our very own Jere Doyle — Popolo Family Executive Director of the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship. Finalist teams then pitch at EPC Finals the following week in front of the BC community and another panel of judges. This is the big one where the winning teams are selected!
Students from all years and all schools apply. Some past EPC participants have gone on to work on their pitch ideas full time after graduation, such as Phoebe Jon and Cariina!
So far, 2022 has been our most competitive year to date, with a 34% increase in applications from the past year. This year’s finals will be held on 10/25 at 7pm in 245 Beacon Street, room 107 — we hope to see you there! Come hear the top student pitches, participate in the crowd favorite vote, and you may even be the lucky audience member selected to win a free JBL speaker! RSVP here
Thanks for reading! We are Start@Shea, the student executive team of the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship at Boston College.
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