Pitch perfect: Does content of an entrepreneurial pitch even matter?

Mojca Svetek  |  24 April 2024

Pitching a business idea is no easy feat. Entrepreneurs are usually given only about 5 to 10 minutes to convince investors that the opportunity they identified is worth exploiting and that their team is the right one to exploit the opportunity. We explore why some pitches win investors’ hearts and wallets, while others fall flat.

Tune in to find out:

  • What investors really look for in a pitch;
  • How can entrepreneurs use nonverbal communication to win over investors;
  • Why entrepreneurs should not be tempted to neglect pitch content.

Research articles:

  • Clark, C. (2008). The impact of entrepreneurs’ oral ‘pitch’presentation skills on business angels’ initial screening investment decisions. Venture capital, 10(3), 257-279.
  • Clarke, J. S., Cornelissen, J. P., & Healey, M. P. (2019). Actions speak louder than words: How figurative language and gesturing in entrepreneurial pitches influences investment judgments. Academy of Management Journal, 62(2), 335-360.
  • Clingingsmith, D., & Shane, S. (2018). Training aspiring entrepreneurs to pitch experienced investors: Evidence from a field experiment in the United States. Management Science, 64(11), 5164-5179.
  • de Villiers Scheepers, M. J., Barnes, R., & Garrett, L. K. (2021). Decoding the nascent entrepreneurial pitch. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 27(8), 1936-1957.
  • Fernandez-Vazquez, J. S., & Alvarez-Delgado, R. C. (2020). The interaction between rational arguments and emotional appeals in the entrepreneurial pitch. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 26(3), 503-520.
  • Mason, C., Botelho, T., & Zygmunt, J. (2017). Why business angels reject investment opportunities: Is it personal? International Small Business Journal, 35(5), 519-534.
  • Parhankangas, A., & Ehrlich, M. (2014). How entrepreneurs seduce business angels: An impression management approach. Journal of Business Venturing, 29(4), 543-564.
  • Teague, B., Gorton, M. D., & Liu, Y. (2020). Different pitches for different stages of entrepreneurial development: the practice of pitching to business angels. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 32(3-4), 334-352.
  • Tsay, C. J. (2021). Visuals dominate investor decisions about entrepreneurial pitches. Academy of Management Discoveries, 7(3), 343-366.
  • Warnick, B. J., Davis, B. C., Allison, T. H., & Anglin, A. H. (2021). Express yourself: Facial expression of happiness, anger, fear, and sadness in funding pitches. Journal of Business Venturing, 36(4), 106109.