LaunchManchester

Where startup ideas come to life.

Registration: $5, due at the door to cover the cost of pizza and drinks!

Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Do you have a business idea you’ve been thinking about for a long time, but don’t know where to start?

Come to LaunchManchester, an event designed to take ideas and turn them into action.

LaunchManchester is a pitch contest that’s a fusion of competition and learning experience, designed to get would-be entrepreneurs thinking about their ideas, and to simulate the process and competitiveness entrepreneurs go through when they pitch their businesses.

And for those who are eager to go forward with their idea, LaunchManchester offers a unique opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs and innovators who can help the idea grow into a company.

(See the end for a guide for making your pitch!).

Developers, designers, engineers, makers, non-profit/social enterprise innovators, artists, inventors and people with new ideas are all welcome to attend!

How does it work?

At LaunchManchester, entrepreneurs pitch their ideas at the beginning of the event to a supportive group of entrepreneurs and innovators, get feedback from the audience and mentors, and pitch their ideas again at the end of the event.

Here’s the specifics:

1. The event starts with a call for initial pitches, where participants sign up to pitch their idea. Each person has 60 seconds to pitch (strictly enforced with an obnoxious stopwatch!).

2. After all pitches are done, pitchers float around the audience to meet with our designated mentors, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds (technology, sales, finance, and nonprofit). These mentors provide feedback about the pitch and the business idea.

3. At the end of the event, the entrepreneurs come up and pitch again. The judges will be listening this time! After the pitches, the winners are determined!

Prizes:

Prizes are awarded to top 3 pitchers.

Here’s a guide for pitching your company: (don’t feel bad if your idea doesn’t fall within all of this! Some of these guides are for more developed companies).

1. Forbes infographic ( http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericaswallow/2012/06/27/elevator-pitch/ )

2. How to Pitch your Startup Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/abfrasier/how-to-pitch-your-startup

3. StartupWeekend article: http://dhaka.startupweekend.org/2012/12/13/tips-for-the-ideabaaj-how-to-pitch-a-startup-idea-in-60-seconds/