Fast Pitch Business Competition
Do you have a groundbreaking business idea? Or are you working on a venture that needs an extra boost? This is your chance to shine!
Help us spread the word!
The basics:
Who
Residents & businesses in and around Outagamie and Winnebago Counties.
Other pitch contests in the series are held across Northeast Wisconsin.
Check them out here!
When
Application Period:
October 1 – 31
Event Date:
November 11th, 2025
5:00pm – 8:00 pm
Where
Event Location:
The Bordini Center
Fox Valley Technical College
5 N. Systems Drive
Appleton, WI 54914
Prizes await!
1st Place
$1,000
2nd Place
$500
Winners will advance to the NEW Launch Alliance Regional Pitch in Green Bay
for even more opportunities!
Pitch 101 – Tips To Prep For Your Pitch
Start working on your 4-minute pitch! Here are some valuable resources that will help you along the way.
Prep Pitch Workshop
Gain more confidence and skills by attending our prep pitch workshop:
Thursday, November 6, 6:00-7:30 pm
FVTC Bordini Center, 5 N Systems Dr, Appleton, WI 54914 (Main Room)
The workshops will cover:
– How to successfully pitch your idea in 4 minutes
– How to set up your slide deck
– What the judges will be scoring and looking for
– Q&A and opportunities for more pitch coaching
Pitch Resources
- What is your business about? Use the Business Model Canvas for an outline. (https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-business-model-canvas)
- Check videos like this one to get valuable pointers: Ryan Kauth: Perfect Your Pitch
- Judges Scoring Criteria available here: startupwi.org/new-north
- Fast Pitch information here https://go.wisc.edu/fastpitch and here startupwi.org/new-north.
- Visit startupwi.org/new-north for neighboring communities’ pitch competitions! Startup Week Wisconsin is November 10-14. Check out more business events here https://www.startupwi.org/
Pitch Deck Tips
Don’t know where to start? Here are some helpful for setting up your presentation.
| Slide 1 Opening | – Company logo – Contact information – One-sentence overview: “What do we do?” |
| Slide 2 Traction | – Lead with your strongest Proof of progress – Examples: sales, testimonials, patents, letters of intent |
| Slide 3 Problem | – Clearly define the problem you are having – Use compelling data, impact metrics, or stories |
| Slide 4 Solution | -Introduce yourself and your product or surface – Explain how it solves the identified problem |
| Slide 5 Show it | – Include mockups, screenshots, or product visuals – Help the audience visualize your solution |
| Slide 6 Revenue Model | – Explain how your business makes money – Include pricing, sales channels, or monetization strategy |
| Slide 7 Traction (Reinforced) | – Share milestones, customer growth, or revenue – Reaffirm credibility and momentum |
| Slide 8 Market | – Use a bottom-up market approach; TAM-SAM-SOM* – Show realistic market captures and customer targets |
| Slide 9 Marketing Strategy | – Outline how you’ll reach and retain customers – Include channels (e.g., social media, PR, referrals) – Optional: share your marketing budget |
| Slide 10 Team | – Highlight your core team and their strengths – Explain why you’re the right people to execute the vision |
| Slide 11 The Ask | – Specify funding or resources needed – Describe how it will help achieve milestones |
| Slide 12 Conclusion | – Recap key points – Reinforce why your business should win |
| Slide 13 Closing Slide | – Logo and contact info – Clear call to action: What do you want the audience to do? |
| Slide 14 Appendix Slides | – Prepare for Q&A with optional slides: – Competition – Use of funds – Intellectual property – Financial history and projections – Product roadmap – Advisory board |
Modified from Pitching with Confidence, by Amy Pietsch, Venture Center, FVTC, 2024.
* TAM (Total Addressable Market), SAM (Serviceable Available Market), and SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market). → read more: https://www.salesforce.com/blog/tam-sam-som/
Sponsors: New North, NEW Launch Alliance, and WBD.
Partners: UW-Madison Extension for Outagamie & Winnebago counties, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Development Center at UW-Oshkosh, the Venture Center of Fox Valley Technical College, and Fox Valley Technical College.
