PIE – Python Interactive Education Elevator Pitch

by Len Pelletier

9 comments

1 Ashley Jones { 12.01.09 at 4:54 pm }

Wow!! I watched the elevator pitch first and was so hooked I was excited to watch the full pitch! I love the way the show zooms in and out from section to section, it is very easy and fun to watch!

I love that Python is free and can be downloaded on any computer/system. It also seems so much easier (I could even do it!)

PIE is a great idea and I can already think of many of my students who would love to try it out! I also think the cost is very reasonable for schools.

Great pitch Len!! I am very impressed!

2 Jeff Laird { 12.01.09 at 9:08 pm }

Agreed, very impressive. Slick Prezi presentation grabs attention quickly – you have immediately identified a problem that exists for your target market (computer teachers) and presented a workable solution that will appeal to your market.

Nicely done.

Ps. I have just started my Python units with 11s and 12s (I do game design at the beginning of the year, but not Python – I might switch it up a little this year with your inspiration).

3 Byron Kask { 12.03.09 at 4:50 pm }

Len, I loved the elevator pitch. Like Jeff mentioned, you point out the problem with programming in a school setting and you promote a solution. The only issue that I see is that I don’t know of many programming classes left. I don’t think that there’s one in my district at all, although the electronics teacher does some programming for robotics. Nicely done though.

4 Cathy Jung { 12.03.09 at 5:41 pm }

Len

Wow…loved your elevator pitch. It was clear, clean and crisp…very nicely laid out. The music was up beat and added a fun aspect to the pitch. It drew me right in and made me want to watch the full pitch.

In your full pitch, your point on “python is big and here to stay” has impact and the examples of companies that use Python establishes it as solid. The idea of Pybotwar is fun and unique. The low cost of $30 Pybotwar and breakeven is 17 schools seems very reasonable and likely accomplishable. Your idea of the competition is a good way to spark further interest in the product and get your product out there. I think I’d invest.

Cathy

5 Cindy Leach { 12.03.09 at 6:34 pm }

Wow, great presentation Len! This Prezi tool is VERY impressive! Very interesting, great visuals, nice bite sized pieces of text. Good opening with the history of Python. The fact it can operate on any OS is very appealing. The comparison of Python code to Java and C++ was also very powerful. Equally impressive was Python’s existing customer base, all IT giants. Gaming development is becoming a bigger and bigger industry and you’re very correct in that simply coding is not all that appealing. Very nice tie in to your product, Ialso liked the fact that you were very detailed in what you need from me as the investor, the cost and exactly what it is for and why. $15,000 is actually not a huge investment and 17 schools to break even is more than manageable in my opinion. Excellent summary of points at then end, my only question for you as an EVA would be what my return on investment would be? How much on the dollar am I getting back or would there perhaps be share in the company offered? Just wondering as I am certain that if I had the money I would definitely invest in this company.

6 Bev { 12.04.09 at 4:30 pm }

Hi Len: Great pitch. I am very interested in having students create their own games. I am a math teacher and have absolutely no idea about programming but think may have some application in my math programs. Your pitch got me excited to learn more about Python and how I could use it. I stopped the presentation half way just to check and see if this was a real thing- Yay! As someone above mentioned- programming is not taught in many schools anymore- so where else could you market. What other curriculum fit is out there? – and how would you market this product?
I really liked your pitch and although I really like the music, I turned it off because I was so excited about the product that I wanted to concentrate on the text and it was distracting me.
Your comment about girls and Facebook- hmm I think that if girls are given a challenging and intelligent assignment to do- like create a game they will do it. They may not be interested in playing blow-up type games- but creating something like PyBot Wars might not be so gender specific- but that’s just my thoughts.
I am excited about your idea. Good work.
Bev

7 Jeff Laird { 12.05.09 at 10:15 am }

Hi Len,

I’ve come back for a more in-depth review. As a teacher who teaches with Python I think the proposal is very sound, engaging, and would offer something very attractive to new computer science teachers. Having been faced with the challenge 3 years ago of choosing which language to prepare my students with (I battled between Java, C, C++ for a long time – decided on Java and then pulled a last second switch to Python after a bit more research) I think your pitch would sway a lot of decision makers to at least give Python a try and check out your site.

The cost is a little bit of a concern for me and while I think you would definitely hit the break even mark, I think you could do a bit better. While $900 is very reasonable, it is also a large chunk of a yearly IT budget (I need to run my entire program – of which programming is only a small part on $2000) is a environment when a lot of computer classes are shrinking. With educational discounts, I purchased the Gamemaker platform I use for $12 per seat and I can get entry-level Adobe products for about $30. The Gamemaker is the best competition comparison I can think of and with it I get the programming environment and access to loads of free tutorials, and a large community of developers working together for support

Additionally, there seems to be a plan to further development with a social networking version – how do you maintain the income of funds?

I might consider a lower price for the product and aim at a higher number of adopters OR since the software is free and there are other python-based game shells out there (for free) – look at a yearly subscription to your site that would allow entry into the PyBot Wars competition and a platform for future social networking applications – this would allow for ongoing funding of development.

On the otherhand, if this is something you are doing anyway for your classes – the one-shot $15000 break even might be just what you are looking for as a profile booster.

A very sound pitch – market is out there, investment is reasonable, product looks pretty good; I’m in.

8 Barbara Mair { 12.05.09 at 9:01 pm }

Len,

I liked your pitch. I agree that we need to teach kids to program in a more exciting way. I liked your approach to making it it more relevant for today’s kids. I am skeptical about programming becoming mainstream for younger kids, unfortunately. I think that if you change your pitch to target after school activities it would appeal more to me as an investment possibility

9 dawinder mann { 12.05.09 at 9:52 pm }

Hi Len,

Wow… great elevator pitch. I have not used prezi before but after your elevator pitch I think I might have to introduce myself and my students to this great tool.

As a programming teacher myselft I enjoyed your ptich. It is great to see new programs out their that make a difficult subject matter interesting to students. I did not see your full pitch but would PIE be similar to gaming software like gamemaker and scratch? How large would the target market be? Im lucky I teach in a large high school where we have the opportunity to run full classes of Programming 11 and 12. But I understand many other smaller districts and highschools don’t have the numbers or teachers to run programs like this. Would there be a large enough market?

Take care,

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