The 20% Project Elevator Pitch

One of the elements of my mid-year exam this month is going to be the 20% Project Elevator Pitch. The term comes from the notion that an innovator with a great idea might find herself in an elevator with a powerful investor. She has a very short period of time to convince this investor to buy into her idea. She needs to deliver an elevator pitch.

For this assignment, I am asking my students to prepare a pitch about their 20% Project in 30 seconds. Throughout the exam, I will pull students outside and ask them to deliver their pitch to me. I’m following the model established by a cheesy video I found on YouTube explaining an elevator pitch.

Sean Wise is a business journalist for The Globe and Mail in Toronto and the host of Canada's version of Shark Tank. According to Wise, good elevator pitches have two parts: the pain statement and value proposition. First the individual lays out a problem that needs to be solved. Then she establishes how her idea is going to solve it.

Wise also states that elevator pitches should also be succinct, easy to understand, greed inducing, and irrefutable. I prefer “good inducing” for this project. I tell my students that they should deliver their pitch in a way that compels me to pull out my wallet and write a check to support their project. I’ll be leaving my checkbook at home that day just in case some of them are that good.

On the road to see @jonathancoulton and @paulandstorm in sf. Getting our dork rock on tonight.

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A couple friends and I sat through 20 mins of Tron. We're moving to The Fighter.

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Normally this time on a Tuesday I'm in a staff meeting. #alpinemeadows

Winter storm watch now a warning. Time to pack the snorkel. #powpow

Subaru packed and ready to lead the storm into Tahoe tomorrow. Who else is going to be up there?

Statement as of 3:28 AM PST on December 16, 2010 ... Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon... A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. * Timing: snow will begin Friday morning and continue through Sunday afternoon. Periods of very heavy snow are possible Friday night and Saturday evening into Sunday. * Snow accumulations: 15 to 30 inches are possible at lake level with 3 to 6 feet above 7000 feet. Higher amounts may occur along the Sierra crest and along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. * Winds: southwest 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are possible in the lower elevations Saturday and Sunday. Ridge gusts of 100 mph or more are likely. * Snow levels: start below lake level Friday... may briefly rise to 7000 feet Saturday... then drop below lake level by Sunday morning. * Impacts: heavy snow and gusty winds may cause dangerous whiteout conditions over mountain passes in wind prone areas. Significant travel delays and Road closures are possible over Interstate 80... highways 50... 88... 89 and the over The Mount rose Summit. Precautionary/preparedness actions... There is a potential for significant snow accumulations that may create hazardous winter driving conditions. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts at weather.Gov/Reno or listen to NOAA Weather Radio.

Do you love photography and the Space Shuttle? Of course you do. Watch this.