Students invited to compete in Elevator Pitch contest
September 22, 2014
You're on your way to class on a normal day. You step into the elevator, and by some incredible chance, business entrepreneur Donald Trump is on the same elevator.
You have a business idea, and in that moment, you have 90 seconds to pitch it to Mr. Trump.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO) has created a way to prepare students of all majors for these situations.
The CEO Elevator Pitch Competition is a chance for students to give a 90-second sales pitch to hypothetical investors. Judges critique contestants on how well they pitch their ideas and persuade them to invest in their businesses.
The preliminary round is Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 5:15 p.m. The final round is Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 5:15 p.m. Both rounds of competition will be held at the Innovation Center at Whitewater University Technology Park.
"The Elevator Pitch Competition is a great way to validate an idea," said Alec Tranel, president of CEO. "Students have the chance to get in front of possible investors and talk about something they're passionate about. It's also a great networking opportunity. A business major isn't necessary to take an idea and turn it into something tangible"
The deadline to submit an application to enter the competition is Friday, Sep. 26. The application can be found here.
First place receives a $500 cash prize; second place receives $250; and third place receives $100.
Last year, 15 teams entered the competition and CEO is hoping to increase that number this year, said Greg Heal, CEO's chief marketing officer.
"It's not a business competition, it's a competition that showcases passion," Heal said. "If you have a need -- and an idea to fix that need -- let your voice be heard."
The winner gets to pitch a business idea at the CEO National Convention, Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 in Orlando, Fla.
-- Written by Jonathan Fera