Pitch Pool

As an EVA, yes, I would invest in this product. The presenters, Daniel and Bethany, describe their product and explain the benefits that it provides to the educational world. There are other products that are popular, but this product is unique because of the combination of electrodough, an app and a controller. Playdough is fun and offers a high level of engagement for students. These elements provide engagement, the opportunity to have fun and a platform to teach how to use technology as a learning tool and not just a consumable. It teaches young students about subjects that are often difficult and where there is little interest. It has the potential to peak a curiosity that could turn into a career in a STEAM field. This product is an excellent option because of the opportunities that it provides for young students. I would invest in this product because of the marketability of it. It could easily be used within the classroom. But a concern would be about the sustainability of the product. Playdough dries out if not properly stored. If this could be overcome for a lesser cost this would be excellent. The potential to build on these topics also presents a reason to invest. Subjects such as coding, robotics, 3D printing, CNC machines, etc., all begin with a desire to create and this product provides that opportunity. I would be willing to invest in this product because of the curriculum links that it provides, because of the age range of the target market, the popularity of both playdough and apps (on various tablets) and because the companies objective is to make educational toys that help kids learn about the world through technology and play. They have created many solid products in the past and have received awards for their products.

YES, I would invest in this venture. This pitch clearly identifies the pain point which is prosthetic limbs are too costly and not as user friendly as one the CEO is able to design and create. The CEO seems very driven and passionate about helping others and creating the best product on the market. The video clearly outlines how superior the product is when comparing it to its competition. The innovation in the product is growing by the day but is unique compared to the competitions prosthetic. The team behind the CEO seems to be very small because the company is based out of his garage and he said he has had a hand in every prosthetic he creates. The CEO is receiving help from engineers at Microsoft and various other companies to help this product which could lead to positive results in the near future. This is a very niche market which is only beneficial to those who are requiring a prosthetic, however, the technology could be used elsewhere in the robotics field. I believe that this venture will take time to become more profitable, however, I do think it will be successful soon due to the advancements in robotics and computer aided design. The destination for this product is very clear and focused. It is aimed at creating the best prosthetic on the market that will help those who require them at a much lower cost. I do believe this investment is a risky one because if a large-scale company had the will to target this small market, it would be able to invest more time and man power into this project. The CEO is a person I could see making a real difference in this market and I believe he has the will to do so. The CEO stated they are in need of investments to scale up production. I do believe the success of the company would be more likely if they were able to receive more funding.

Pitch Pool Review YES, I would invest in this venture. Advertising on a coffee cup is a fantastic idea for marketing especially when it is mutually beneficial for both the cup supplier and coffee distributer. The CEO of CupAd, Josh Light, comes across as extremely capable and confident in his product. Josh has a clear focus and a clear target audience for his product. He has been involved in many other business ventures and start-ups since 2010 (according to https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajameslight) . Based on this short video of this elevator pitch, it is unclear how large his team is or how experienced they are. This venture is a very original idea and is certainly one that may entice many small coffee shops across the USA. It appears to be marketable because the product is free for the small coffee stands who are willing to distribute the cups that advertise for other products or companies. Josh has tested this product with coffee stands in California and this venture appears to have the ability to expand. Furthermore, 80% of the businesses that used the cups signed exclusivity agreements for distributing the cups in the future. With only 700 coffee shops using this product across the United States, it has the potential to make $1,000,000 profit per month by selling 8,000,000 cups. In the United States, there are over 25,000 coffee stands which currently pay $15,000 per year on white coffee cups. This market has the ability to become much larger if it grows outside the United States. It does not have innovative advantage; however, it is one of the first ideas like this on the market. With the addition of 58 coffee stands carrying the CupAd cups per month (696 per year), this venture has the potential to become very successful very quickly. I personally believe in the CEO because of his personality and clear focus. I believe that his other start-ups are a good indicator of what I would be able to expect if I were to invest in this venture. The injection of money would be useful for this venture because it would allow them to hire more employees to spread this product to small coffee stands across the United states. I believe that this venture is a fairly low risk venture because there would be very few coffee chains interested in advertising for companies other than their own.

I would not invest in Quest Atlantis Rebooted based on their pitch video. It is a high production animation that celebrates the game’s past participation numbers and geographic reach. The narrator is an animated character who presents a sentimentally driven call to action for investors to join the QA team to transform the game to fit the needs of a new generation. This is an unconventional pitch that takes a chance at showcasing the platform’s reputation and focus on meaningful learning without directly addressing the pain point or competition. It is never entirely clear what form the product will take other than a brief statement that it will provide teachers with a means to use virtual reality (VR) to deliver content as a new form of textbook. The narration relies on sound bytes of progressive educational terms such as: complex 21st century problems, learning path, experiential learning and community. There is no connection between these descriptions and a tangible product. The imperative to invest in Quest Atlantis Rebooted is not framed as a solution to fill a market gap or a design that improves on a different product but call to breathe new life into an older learning platform. The presentation boasts 18 countries, 100 000 students and 10 million lines of code in the original QA game, yet it still lost is funding. They imply that the reason was because of limitations in platform access but I am not convinced. As an EVA, I am concerned that as a concept it is not original. There is also no build-out strategy, just a visual upgrade to an existing format with no priority to gain a competitive edge. The development team is impressive and includes the likes of Rick Noll and Sasha Barab; however no names or credentials are included in the presentation. There is also no indication of a timeline for production or expectation of return to the investor. Finally, the animated narrator was too refined and polished for a pitch. I would like to see a human face from whom I can draw tacit communication cues.

No I would not invest in eduCanon. The product is intended to provide teachers with interactive tools that shift watching videos from a passive to an active learning activity. The team’s assumed pain point is that Youtube videos allow student attention to wain. Their solution is to provide a user-friendly way for teachers to layer formative assessment into existing videos. They promise enhancements such as higher order questioning, common core data bases, lesson efficacy analysis and data-rich reports in the $140 per teacher annual premium version. educational decision makers will recognize that the product essentially turns video into a text book, where section questions and chapter reviews promote information processing. The competition is identified as either functionally weak or expensive and complicated but no examples are provided. Khan Academy - mentioned by the introducer but not the presenter- is the obvious opponent and has neither deficiency. The eduCanon speaker fails in this opportunity to differentiate how their service improves upon this free, viral and effective incumbent that mirrors personal tutorials rather than just testing. The extent of the presenter’s teaching experience is not disclosed. His MIT Sloan experience is advantageous. but his decision to say “matriculated” rather than “graduated” implies that he may not have completed the program. His partner is only identified as having 7 years of marketing experience, with no specific product examples offered. No return is projected on the $300 000 USD investment target. In terms of marketability, he provides impressive initial client interest and projects growth to 100 000 teacher users by the end of September 2014 but he does not entice the potential investors with how the trajectory of such figures could translate to profits. He indicates an intention to build-out and scale the product, but misses the opportunity to describe future directions or innovative advantages going forward. Overall the presenter did not instil confidence to me as an EVA. The dated intro music, casual T-shirt and his awkward stance, voice quality and preoccupation with his slide advancer was distracting.