Deadline for Pitch Startup Competition is almost here
Startup wizards and budding entrepreneurs: The deadline for the Miami Herald Startup Pitch Competition is almost here.
Pitch decks are due by 11:59 p.m. on March 11, 2019.
Here’s what you need to know:
The competition has three tracks:
▪ Community Track, for anyone in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties with a minimum viable product whose business was founded after Jan. 1, 2016. Plans must be in entered in one of five verticals outlined below.
▪ Florida International University track, for students, alumni and faculty of FIU
▪ Teen Track to Benefit NFTE, the nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Open to anyone in our South Florida region in grades 9-12.
WHAT YOU WIN
In the Community Track, finalists get unprecedented exposure to top investors, entrepreneurs and executives in the local area. Each will have the opportunity to attend a pitch polish session with Melissa Krinzman, co-founder of Krillion Ventures, Miami’s top startup investment firm. One winner in each vertical also receives a mentorship with a top local company (outlined below.)
Winners in all three tracks are profiled in a future issue of Business Monday.
HOW TO ENTER
Email us a pitch deck of 12 to 20 slides (in the Teen Track, 8 to 15 slides) explaining your business, the problem it solves, how it’s different from competitors and how it will make money. (See full tips below)
challenge@MiamiHerald.com — Community Track
fiuchallenge@MiamiHerald.com — for FIU Track
highschoolchallenge@MiamiHerald.com — for High School Track.
For the full rules and list of judges, go to miamiherald.com/challenge. The entry deadline is March 11.
TIPS (ALL TRACKS)
To enter, competitors must submit a pitch deck containing 12-20 slides (for Community and FIU tracks) and 8-15 slides (for the Teen Track.) The deck should explain the following:
▪ What problem is business solving?
▪ What is the solution?
▪ Who is the customer?
▪ What differentiates your product from the competition?
▪ What stage of development is it currently in?
▪ Who are the members of your team and what expertise does each bring?
▪ What, if any, technology is required?
▪ How will the business make money? (i.e., define the business model and revenue streams)
▪ What is your marketing plan? (Details are required; “social media” is not enough)
▪ What are your costs and basic final projections? When do you project to break even?
(FOR COMMUNITY TRACK ONLY)
▪ Current investment and revenues
Pitch-decks will be used to evaluate all plans. Those judged as finalists in each track will compete in a live pitch competition before a panel of judges.
COMMUNITY TRACK VERTICALS
