Launched in 2020 as part of our 100th Anniversary celebrations, the 100 Second Pitch returns in 2021 bigger and better.

Designed to develop your presentation and public speaking skills while also building confidence in virtual networking, the 100 Second Pitch competition gives you the opportunity to pitch your own business idea or a solution to a live brief focused on the circular economy provided by Artisan Roast.

Artisan Roast Founder Gustavo Pardo has seen an opportunity to build a business focused on recycling used coffee grounds. Gustavo will be available as a mentor and also a potential investor should the right idea be pitched.

Eligibility

The competititon is open to all current University of Edinburgh Business School undergraduates and postgraduates.

Format

The competition will take place over 4 days. There will be 2 skills sessions delivered by alumni, covering topics including pitching under pressure and how to approach a time-limited pitch.

Your final pitch will be submitted by video and if you are chosen as a finalist, you will present 'live' to our judges on 1 April 2021.

Prizes

This year there is a £5,000 prize fund that will be split among the winners, giving you the resource to take your idea to the next level.

The support doesn't stop there. Once our winners are announced, they will be invited to join our alumni-led, 6-month accelerator programme, which includes:

  • One-to-one mentoring
  • Monthly progress check-in sessions
  • Business plan development
  • Mock investor presentations

At the end of the accelerator programme, you will be able to access continued support from the team at Edinburgh Innovations.

Judges

  • Asanka Da Silva, Founder and CEO, Liver Health UK
  • Poonam Malik, Start Up Growth Exec and Mentor, Social Entrepreneur, and Non-executive Director
  • Shelly-Ann Gajadhar, Founder and CEO, Alphastute
  • John Beattie, Principal, Kyodo Innovation
  • Stephen Scurr, Founder and CEO, Orders Made Simple and Bonnie Burrito
  • Gurvinder Brah, Board of Trustees Member, ESU Scotland
  • George Mackintosh, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder, Papple Steading
  • Gustavo Pardo, Founder, Artisan Roast

Competition Schedule

Date Details
09:00, 1 February Registration Open
17:00, 19 March Deadline for Registration
By 17:00, 24 March Submit a 30-second video introductory overview of your business idea to andrew.h.bell@ed.ac.uk
17:00–18:00, 29 March Skills Session 1
17:00–18:00, 30 March Skills Session 2
By 15:00, 31 March Submit Final Video Pitch
17:00–19:00, 1 April Live Final

Registration

Registration opens on 1 February 2021 and signup is through Eventbrite.

Register on Eventbrite