Cincy Inno took to Tokyo Kitty on April 17 for a night of eating, drinking, networking and of course, pitching.
The event? Our first-ever Open Mic Pitch Night, where local entrepreneurs took to the stage to share their ideas with both the community and area judges for feedback. The goal was to give presenters an opportunity to practice sharing their products and vision with a casual, attentive audience, while receiving constructive feedback to sharpen their pitch.
Our judges were Antony Seppi, business coach with HCDC, and Becca Peets, the assistant director for the Institute for Entrepreneurship at Miami University.
They lauded some presenters for having a good handle on their personal story, making their work easier for consumers to connect with, or the use of multi-media in their pitch. In some cases, construction came in the form of asking those on stage to better identify who their product or offering was for, or to more specifically consider how their product stacks up against its competition. Attendees were also encouraged to ask questions of their own.
The night had four presenters on the schedule. They included:
- Brian Gish, The Gish Pak
- Ramsey Deal, CEO of Uptrade; pitched a new design for hospital gowns
- Cody Blatt, ilixer
- Shamekko Early-Coleman, DVRS
Other pitchers were inspired by the initial four and took advantage of the stage, giving the audience impromptu presentations.
The Cincy Inno team wanted to take a quick moment to thank you, dear readers, for making the night as successful and enjoyable as it was, and for giving us the opportunity to put faces to names and hear your stories live and in person.
Have a great idea for a story about Queen City innovation, and the movers and shakers who are making change for the better? Drop us a line. We love to hear from readers, and welcome pitches and input.
Lastly, thanks to Tokyo Kitty, for being such gracious hosts.
