VEI Competitions

COMPETITION OVERVIEW

An elevator pitch is a quick and persuasive speech that generates interest in a person, product, service, or business. The name “elevator pitch” is used because the conversation usually takes place within the amount of time of a short elevator ride. This competition challenges VE students to make a convincing and engaging elevator pitch about their business to someone they recently met who may eventually be interested in investing in the business.

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

Opening: Draw in the individual with an opening statement.
Problem & Solution: During the pitch, a problem is identified and a solution is provided.
Target Market: A clear target market is identified and is appropriate for the problem and solution identified.
Call to Action: Identify the specific investment need of the company and request next steps to set up a meeting with the potential investor.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Acceptable file types: mov, mpeg4, mp4, webm, m4v
Maximum file size: 1GB
One entry per firm
All submissions due by 10:55 PM ET

JUDGING CRITERIA

Using the Judging Criteria, each Element will be rated from 1 to 5 stars. A score of five is outstanding and a score of one needs significant improvement.

Opening - How well does the opening draw you in?
Problem & Solution - How well does the pitch identify and explain the problem? How well does the pitch convey the product or service as the solution?
Target Market & Market Potential - Does the pitch identify the target market and evaluate the market’s potential?
Current Needs & Next Steps - Does the pitch identify current needs of the company and outline potential next steps to set up a follow up meeting with the potential investor?
Delivery - How would you rate the quality and professionalism of the student's delivery? (i.e. appropriate attire, eye contact, voice projection, and poise)

CAREER READINESS FRAMEWORK ALIGNMENT

Leadership Competencies:

Demonstrates intrapreneurship
Motivates others to act
Operates with purpose

Professional Competencies:

Communicates effectively

Functional Competencies:

Understands general business dynamics
Understands and applies financial concepts
Communicates through storytelling