How and where pitch your startup in San Francisco
In the space of a week, the team at Sarafan Technology Inc. presented its product at four different events in Silicon Valley. We are happy to share our experiences from events that the company regularly attends in the region and explains the advantages of attending such.
In March, we traveled to New York and San Francisco to meet potential partners and simultaneously introduce our new video recognition product. The key goal was to receive valuable feedback, therefore, we sought events at which we’d be able to pitch in front of an informed audience in the San Francisco area.
Pitching in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley offers every kind of start-up event under the sun. There is a variety of events with different thresholds and requirements. Events may be open to all, may have restrictions in terms of product development or may turn out to be industry specific. The choices are limitless. After searching for “pitch competition” and “pitch contest” on platforms Eventbrite and Meetup we attended the following events. Each was known to have met regularly and gathered a significant audience. Some charged admission fees, whereas to others entry was free.
1. Y- Combinator Chat & Pitch to Roomful of Investors
The event is open to both those who have ideas and those who have ready products from any industry. The competition is divided into three parts. The first part features tips and advice from an in-house business coach, the second, main part involves pitching and finally, a networking session where each participant has 30 seconds to introduce himself (herself).
The Pitch:
Each start-up has three minutes to present their product in front of potential investors and members of the business accelerator. Pitching takes place in a “Shark Tank” style which means that you can’t use a pre-prepared presentation. Therefore, it’s a good idea to think about how you’ll present the product and to plan your body language before-hand.
Who’d like this?
Someone who is looking to improve their pitching skills or looking to set up an office in Y-Combinator will find this much to their liking. Our experience has shown us that the networking event is slightly too diverse and that investors give good feedback but aren’t willing to invest.
How to apply?
The event takes place twice a month. The next one takes place on the 3rd of May and anyone, who purchases the Pitching Entrepreneur ticket can attend.
Admission Fee: 97 USD.
2. Pitch Force.
Pitch Force is a competition for start-ups with an existing and working product. It’s open to all industries and each start-up is paired up with a mentor who helps them to prepare.
The Pitch:
Spoiler alert! Compared to other events this was the most interesting experience that we had across the pond. The competition in itself comprised of three stages. Firstly, each start-up is given a separate stand which bystanders can vote for in the form of an “investment ballot”. Startups with the most ballots qualify for the semi-finals, where they are given a minute each to pitch their product. Four successful semi-finalists enter the last stage where they are given a final 5 minutes to pitch in front of a bigger audience. Due to the fact that we accumulated the most “investment ballots” we were fast-tracked to the final, which we won.
Who’d like this?
This event is for those who like to compete and look for thorough feedback from investors. Each project receives detailed insights from the jury and further advice.
How to apply?
Pitch Force organizes 3–4 competitions a month in San Francisco and Menlo Park. The next competition takes place on the 9th of May. There is no pre-selection.
Admission Fee: 80 USD.
3. Disruptive Startup Summit
DSS is a huge start-up event which is organized by One Traction Fund. Apart from the competition the Summit also features exhibitions from One Traction’s corporate partners. Unfortunately, in practical terms, the event is rather unfruitful as there are too many people for a networking session and there’s no chance to talk to the promoted speakers.
The Pitch:
The pitches are organized in a pipeline queue and on average there are about 60 pitches a day. Each start-up gets only one minute and as with Pitching Silicon Valley, these one-minute presentations are given without power points. Therefore, in a breath, you need to prepare to give as much information as possible.
Who’d like this?
This event is great for those who want to attain a better understanding of their competitors.
How to apply?
One Traction is organized in large US cities, other global centers, including Paris and Zurich and Tokyo.
Admission fee: Attendance is free, however, there is a recruitment process beforehand.
4. Foreign Startups Mixer n Pitch
This event is a relatively small gathering of non-US startups which feature free-of-charge stands and pitches. It’s sponsored by large US companies which organize the food and launch PR campaigns. For example, during the event, we participated in an interview with AMO CRM.
The Pitch
Each project has three minutes to present their idea and it’s incredibly easy. You may help yourself with PowerPoint, there’s no jury and most of the audience are other startups. As there is no jury, a big disadvantage is that you won’t get any feedback.
Who’d like this?
This event is great for those who are starting their startup journey and are yet to make their debut on the big stage.
How to apply?
The event takes place twice a month. The next one will be held on the 13th of May. To take part, you must register over Eventbrite or on the website and email the organizers.
Admission fee: Free
Closing Remarks
Silicon Valley is a great place to present as there is a good chance of finding investors and receiving product feedback. On the flip side, it’s not great for getting in touch with corporate clients and potential customers. It’s also not the only place as there are many other startup centers beyond Silicon Valley. Locations include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.
