12 must-haves in the perfect 2-minute pitch

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” So said Rudyard Kipling, and with his exceedingly good phrase in mind, I spent an intoxicating evening in the company of the most recent Wayra cohort.

In case you don’t know, Wayra is the accelerator programme which invests in, houses and connects technology start-ups across 14 countries. Because hundreds of hopefuls apply, the selected groups tend to be made up of highly ambitious, energetic individuals.

Sitting in the Wayra Academy, just off Tottenham Court Road, I am reminded of some of the 150 companies I’ve travelled with over the years, on overseas trade missions. From San Francisco to São Paulo, Bangalore to Boston, one of the greatest challenges facing founders has been their two minute pitch.

To be concise and not vague, confident without seeming arrogant, determined yet open-minded. Whether pitching to potential investors, partners or team members, it’s a tough job, and someone’s got to do it.

Having listened to hundreds of pitches, and given a fair few myself, these are my top tips. They are purely personal opinions, rather than golden rules. A few thoughts which I’d share with anyone who has to give a short, sharp pitch or presentation about their organisation;

The rest of this post can be found over on StartUps.co.uk