According to a recent survey, there are nearly 150 self-identified student entrepreneurs in the LIM student community. Most are thinking of starting, or have already started, a “side hustle” business and launched product(s) in areas such as apparel, accessories, beauty, home, and styling.
To help these aspiring and current business owners move their ideas forward, the LIM Fashion Industry Advisory Board Think Tank created Pitch LIVE at Entrepreneurship Week, which will be held April 6 and 8.
Pitch LIVE is a competition where any LIM student can pitch their “big idea” to industry entrepreneurs to win one-on-one mentoring.
The Office of Career and Internship Services, in partnership with the student Entrepreneurship Club and Advisory Board members, will select semi-finalists from video submissions to compete in a final live pitch competition via Zoom. At the live events, students will pitch their ideas and receive personalized feedback. Winners will be chosen for innovative ideas that demonstrate originality, creativity, feasibility, and potential impact.
Submissions for Pitch LIVE are being accepted until March 24, 2021 at 11:59PM. Winners will be announced on April 8, 2021.
Competition Details
Round 1 — Video Pitch
Submit a 90-second video pitching your big idea by March 24. Judges will assess your idea on how well you explain it. Ideas can be conceptual, in development, or in maturity, and must not be in violation of any intellectual property rights.
Round 2 — Semi-Finals
Semi-finalists will be selected to pitch their ideas live via Zoom on April 6. Students will have 90 seconds to showcase their entrepreneurial idea through a “quick pitch” proposal. Entrepreneurs from the LIM College Fashion Industry Advisory Board will provide feedback and select the finalists.
Round 3 — Finals
Finalists will be selected to pitch their idea in 90 seconds via Zoom on April 8. Entrepreneurs from the LIM College Fashion Industry Advisory Board will provide feedback and select the winners.
How to Enter:
- Record a video pitching your big idea, in 90 seconds or less
- Upload it to YouTube or Vimeo
- Ensure video is posted as "public" or "unlisted", but NOT "private"
- Include your YouTube or Vimeo URL in the Video Pitch Entry Form
Judging Criteria:
Semi-finalists and winners will be chosen for ANY original idea that is creative, innovative and solves a real problem or satisfies a need for a growing market. Ideas will be evaluated based on their uniqueness, feasibility, and potential impact. Judges will assess how effectively you use video to tell a compelling story about your idea, including:
- Intro: State your name, major/year, business idea, product or service.
- Why: Show interest in the problem (e.g. a story or statistic).
- Need: State the problem and how your big idea will solve it. Explain why this idea is different from others in the marketplace.
- Market: Who will buy your product or service?
- Benefit: What is the potential value of the product or service?
- Model: How will you make money?
- Delivery: Is your pitch inspiring, passionate, memorable, creative and original?
Prizes:
- First Place: Mentorship Session (2 hours) with an Entrepreneur/Founder
- Second Place: Entrepreneurship Masterclass with an LIM Fashion Industry Advisory Board Member
- Third Place: Business Proposal and Resume Feedback
