It is all part of our plan to get the best startups at #Echelon2019

Don’t need to be convinced? Apply to TOP100 here for your chance to be crowned the top startup at #Echelon2019

Pitching competitions tend to be different feathers from the same bird. The host gathers an audience of community members, investors are nominated as judges and about a dozen companies take turns pitching their companies.

The problem with this setup is two-fold.

First, a lot of people are just politely waiting for the after-event networking. Phones are open, gazes are long and sometimes eyes are drooping. It is not the ideal environment to spark inspiration.

More importantly, this is not how the industry works. There is no audience when pitching for real investment, real customers and real partnerships. Public pitching is conveying the marketing strategy of the company, which is fine, but it never gets beyond the PR-approved angle.

We want the TOP100 startups to get the most out of their pitches, and this means revealing crucial company information, answering probing questions from investors and breaking down the math behind the thesis.

This is why we are making our TOP100 pitching competitions a private affair

We hope private pitching allows startups to get the most out of their TOP100 experience. They get to meet valuable stakeholders, but then while waiting they can chat with other startups and get work done.

The other hope is that, by not seeing the other pitches, startups get less caught-up in what the other people are doing and can focus on themselves.

This year, THE TOP100 pitching competition will be a no-distraction affair where the region’s best young Founders make their case to the people who matter most.

But don’t think we forgot about the networking and evening activities!

Echelon Roadshow will happen a few hours after the pitches in every city. During this event, we will bring together the local community, engage in fantastic conversation with thought leaders and create a friendly environment to meet peers (and hopefully future business partners).

Excited to see your company as a TOP100 startup at #Echelon2019? Apply here!

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