An old school pitch night in front of an audience of investors and funders, potential collaborators, founders and customers, provided the opportunity for nine entrepreneurs to share a business idea or startup that others should know about.
On Friday night at The Innovation Factory, one of Adelaide’s latest coworking space, founders from 17 to 59 years of age practiced their pitch in front of a supportive, high energy live audience. Gaining broader validation and different perspectives, guests provided feedback and included people who can help startups take it to the next level.
By standing up in front of an encouraging audience the pitchers were about to refine their pitch and drill down on who is willing to pay for the experience, product or service - which could ultimately fast-track their success. Chris Ryan from Web A-team and Scott Perry from Workforce BluePrint ran the event with loads of enthusiasm and cheering where the 9 pitches (many first-time pitchers) were:
1. Jessica James, Cook n Create
2. Natasha Copeland, JigJag
3. Philip Catley, Echidna Consulting (59 years); working on solving labour and skills shortages by tapping into experienced mature aged people for contracts and projects
4. Aaliyah Sirengo, Maisha Flow (17 years); addressing period poverty for girls and women in Kenya
5. Mark Potter, Home Cheesemakers
6. Mary Kelly, Reusably
7. Matthew Pearson, AIR Property Management
8. Dr Marta Gabryelska, STEMcognito Ltd
9. Lyn Carman, Lync Squad
The audience voted on the pitches that they liked the most with 3 pom poms to put into mason jars for each pitch plus a whiteboard area for each pitcher to write positive comments. One on one feedback was provided to those who pitched on the night by a panel (not judges) including:
- Adele Flego, Founder of Chiliad Consulting; a boutique Australian and New Zealand Patent and Trademarks Attorney practice
- Benjamin Flink, Senior Manager - Business Innovation, RAA
- Tyson Gundersen, CEO Bureau Booths, CFO Black Matter
- Wendy Perry, Managing Director Workforce BluePrint, Entrepreneurship Facilitator, Switch Start Scale
And there were prizes!
1st Coffee catch up/Zoom with Andrew Nunn, South Australian Chief Entrepreneur
2nd Coffee catch up/Zoom with Ben Flink, Senior Manager - Business Innovation, RAA
3rd – 5th 3 x hot desks free of charge for a month worth $330 inc GST each from The Innovation Factory
But who won?! Well by a landslide Aaliyah was first, Phil second, Mary third, Jess fourth and Matthew fifth - congratulations!
One event guest who has just come back from 5 years in Sydney said, “… the energy in the room was amazing and I’m keen to now start a business with a couple of ideas in the mix.”
Food and drinks were sponsored by the Money Can't Buy Club, Switch Start Scale and thanks to The Innovation Factory for cohosting plus all the volunteers.
If you want to come along to the next event and/or possibly pitch, then please subscribe to email updates here:
Contact:
Wendy Perry, Managing Director Workforce BluePrint, Entrepreneurship Facilitator, Switch Start Scale
wendy@workforceblueprint.com.au
0416 150 491