A classroom scaffold, not an official event submission format. Check the organizer’s current rules and rubric first. Campus Patch is a fictional example.
Selection record
Event and official rules URL: __________________________
Date checked and adviser: __________________________
Eligibility, format and deadline checked: __________________________
Internal rehearsal and submission dates: __________________________
A six-slide pitch template for students
| Slide | Copyable prompt | Evidence to show |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Customer and problem | Our customer is ___. They struggle with ___ when ___. | Observation or interview finding; source and limits |
| 2: Proposed solution | We propose ___. The customer would use it by ___. | A sketch, prototype or clear description |
| 3: Alternatives and difference | Today the customer uses ___. Our difference is ___. | A comparison with a real alternative, including doing nothing |
| 4: Business logic | We charge ___. Each unit costs ___. We expect ___ sales because ___. | Revenue, contribution and a labeled demand assumption |
| 5: Test and uncertainty | We tested ___. We learned ___. We still need to know ___. | Actual evidence, or a clearly labeled proposed test |
| 6: Next step and request | Our next milestone is ___. We need ___ to test ___. | A specific action, resources and a success criterion |
Keep one main claim on each slide. Use readable labels and explain charts aloud. Cite sources beside the claim they support. If the team has not tested something, say so rather than turning a plan into a result. A prototype, a survey response and a paid order are different kinds of evidence.
Completed fictional example: Campus Patch
Campus Patch is an invented made-to-order T-shirt idea used only for teaching. No interviews, orders or results below are claims about a real venture or Startup Wars platform outputs.
Slide 1: Our proposed customers are student clubs that need small batches of event shirts. Our hypothesis is that minimum order quantities create a problem. We have not yet interviewed club organizers.
Slide 2: We propose a simple preorder form and a shared pickup window. A paper sketch shows the ordering steps. We would test whether organizers understand the process before building a website.
Slide 3: Alternatives include an existing local printer, an online print service, or reusing last year's shirts. We need actual quotes before claiming a price or convenience advantage.
Slide 4: At an assumed price of $24 and variable cost of $14, contribution is $10 per shirt. At 70 sales, revenue is $1,680 and contribution is $700 before fixed costs. The 70 sales are a forecast, not validated demand.
Slide 5: Our next test is an approved interview with three club organizers about their most recent order. We will ask about quantity, timing and the process they used. We will not ask whether they like our idea and treat politeness as a purchase commitment.
Slide 6: We request teacher approval for the interviews and time to compare supplier quotes. The next milestone is a revised cost estimate and a documented decision to continue, change the offer or stop.
Presenter instructions and questions
Rehearse to the actual event limit. For classroom practice, use three minutes to present and two minutes for questions. Every team member should be ready to explain one calculation and one uncertain assumption, even when a single speaker presents.
Peers can ask: What evidence supports demand? Which alternative is strongest? What cost might be missing? What result would change your decision? If you do not know, explain how you would find out. Record questions that reveal missing evidence and revise the relevant slide after rehearsal.
A 20-point classroom pitch rubric
This rubric assesses the classroom assignment, not the official competition. Score each of five criteria from 0 to 4: 0 absent; 1 a claim with little explanation; 2 partly supported with important gaps; 3 clear and mostly supported; 4 clear, well-supported and explicit about limitations.
| Criterion | What a strong submission shows |
|---|---|
| Customer problem | A specific customer and a problem supported by relevant evidence |
| Proposed value | A clear solution and a fair comparison with alternatives |
| Financial reasoning | Correct units, revenue and cost calculations, with assumptions labeled |
| Testing and revision | A useful test, honest interpretation and a change tied to feedback |
| Communication | A coherent pitch, readable materials, source attribution and reasoned answers |
Calibrate by having two reviewers score the same practice pitch and discuss differences. Give feedback tied to the work: “Label the sales estimate as an assumption” is more actionable than “Be more convincing.” Keep delivery confidence separate from whether a business claim is supported.
Collect an individual response after the team presentation: Which decision did you influence? What evidence changed your thinking? What would you test next? Use it to assess each learner's understanding. Winning, advancing or earning revenue is not itself evidence that every team member met the course objective.
Individual reflection
Which decision did I influence?
What evidence changed my thinking?
What would I test next?