MINERVA BIRMINGHAM PITCH UP

 

The established premier pitching competition of the West Midlands is back with a new look. Due to the current circumstances, this programme will now be delivered online. 

Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up (previously known as Pitchfest WM) will be holding its inaugural final at Venturefest WM, the region’s most prestigious event for growth focused businesses.  

The Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition will provide the opportunity for ambitious businesses to improve their ability to win investment while simultaneously boosting your business's profile.  

Over the last five years, the competition was created and delivered by the Centre for Growth at Aston University, Bizzlnn at the University of Birmingham and Minerva at the University of Warwick Science Park. Over this period, we have put over 125 entrepreneurs directly in front of investors and helped bring more than £3,000,000 of investments to the region's small businesses.

The competition begins by attending a pitching preparation online workshop, helping to refine your investment pitch. Judging rounds follow, where you pitch to a panel of investors through a webinar, receiving valuable feedback on your presentation. Then comes the public final, hosted at Venturefest West Midlands, where the best business pitches compete in front of an audience of investors and entrepreneurs to win the Best Pitch Award. Further details to follow. 

 

ARE YOU AN AMBITIOUS ENTREPRENEUR? 

 

Do you want to:

·        Perfect your investment pitch?

·       Raise the profile of your business?

·       Come face-to-face with investors, innovators, and fellow entrepreneurs?

 

Taking part in Pitch Up is a great opportunity to develop your skills and work on and practice your pitch deck in a safe environment. Not only will you be putting yourself in front of an audience of investors looking for businesses to back, but you will also be developing your ability to compose and deliver a pitch that is both engaging and appealing.

There are other benefits too - improve self-confidence, skills and networks that can help further your business in the future. If you are selected through to the final, you will be provided with an exhibition stand at Venturefest to showcase your company and network throughout the event.

 

How It Works

From application to the final, the process will support you with honing in on your business plan, perfecting your pitch, building your confidence, and getting you in front of an audience of investors who could help you realize your business potential.

Each shortlisted applicant takes part in one pitch preparation session. Selected applicants will move on to one of the follow-up judging panels, after which carefully chosen businesses are invited to present and/or exhibit at the final.

 

Webinars

We are currently delivering a series of webinars for both businesses seeking investment and those wishing to be an Angel investor. To find out more or register, click on the links below: 

Upcoming webinars for businesses 

What does an investor look for? Tuesday 4th August at 14:00 – 15:00

Getting Yourself Investor Ready   Tuesday 11th August at 14:00 – 15:00

VC vs Angel Investor   Tuesday 18th August at 14:00 – 15:00

Understanding SEIS/EIS   Tuesday 25th August at 14:00 – 15:00

 

Upcoming webinars for potential Angel Investors

Term sheet & Shareholder Agreement Friday 24th July at 09:30 – 10:15

SEIS/EIS Pros & Cons for investors Friday 7th August at 09:30 - 10:00

Doing Due Diligence on Early Start-ups 

Friday 21st August at 09:30 – 10:15 

Boards when they do & don't work

Thursday 9th July at 9:00-10:00 | Thursday 27th August at 09:30 – 10:00

New Additional Event - Valuation & Approaches to Valuations

Tuesday 1st September at 09:30 -10:30 | Friday 24th September at 09:30 -10:30

The right and wrong investment  Thursday 17th September at 09:30 – 10:15

Investing strategies from a panel of angels  Thursday 1st October at 9:30-10:30

Surgery & Round-Up  Wednesday 7th October at 9:30-10:30

 

Application Flow  

1. Apply 
2. Participate in Online Pitch Preparation Workshops
3. Attend Online Judging Panels meeting
4. Join the final competition  

Dates for this process will follow and communicated to you. 

 

Testimonial

Here's what one of the last years' finalists has to say about their experience:

“Pitch Up is definitely a good process to go through! Hopefully, you will secure funding. Worst case you will understand what you need to do to help make yourself investable, or understand why it is really not for you. Since Pitch Up, we have secured over £1m of funding to power our business forward. As part of one of our technology collaborations, we have also won the 'Global Light Rail Technical Innovation of the Year' and have been nominated for a JEC World Innovation award (think of it as the Oscars of the composite industry)."

Steve Barbour, Director of Composite Braiding, Pitch Up 2019

 

Guides

We have put together the following guides to support you with the process. Please note these are guides and not mandatory to your application. If you are successful and selected to go to the Judging Panels stage then you will be required to either submit a business plan or summary document. Please refer to the templates below for further guidance. 

Top Tips for Success

Pitch Up Business Plan Template

Minerva Summary Document Format

 

Your Data

Your data will be collected and treated confidentially. In order to process your application and for the purpose of delivery, management and evaluations for the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up, your data is being collected and will be shared with our delivery partners and stakeholders. Participation to Pitch Up is voluntary. Please read our privacy statement. 

Minerva Privacy Statement

APPLICATION FORM

Please complete all 3 sections on this form. 

 

What happens next?

1.  After you submit your application, the team will review it and inform all applicants the outcome of their application.

2.  Successful applicants will be invited to attend one of our workshops where you can perfect your pitch before coming in front of a panel of judges.

3.  Those successful on this stage will be invited to West Midlands Venturefest Competition.

4.  Contestants invited to Venturefest will have the opportunity to showcase their business at this exhibition or pitch in front of a large of audience investors and entrepreneurs for Best Pitch Award.

PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR BUSINESS PLAN