W13: Venture Forum

Post your Assignment #3 using the “Venture Forum” Category.

Your post should contain the Elevator Pitch and Venture Pitch, or direct links to them, and must be posted by the end of Week 12. If you are unclear about the specific details of these pitches, please review the assignment description in the Assignments as well as the information about pitches in Stage 2. Once the Elevator Pitch posts are in place, the Venture Forum can begin. These student-generated pitches will serve as our shared forum of prospective venture concepts.

Here’s how the Venture Forum will work during Week 13:

  1. You will be assigned a random set of ten (10) ventures to review by your instructor. The random distribution will ensure that each venture is reviewed by many different evaluators and against a variety of comparative backgrounds.
  2. Conduct yourself in the role of a professional EVA who will be making recommendations for the funding of several new ventures based on the market studies, analytical strategies and success criteria covered in ETEC 522. For each of the venture pitches in your set, review at least the Elevator Pitch for each venture and select the three (3) ventures that seem most strategic for investment.
  3. For the seven (7) ventures you do not select for deeper review in your set, use the star ratings to rate this venture in terms of your opinion about its readiness to move forward.  Then, use the comment field to provide some brief feedback in terms of strengths and weaknesses of the Pitch – what would need to change for your to be excited about it?  Begin your feedback with the word “FEEDBACK” to distinguish it from the Reviews which will also take place here.  Such feedback is a professional courtesy and success strategy for all venture analysts, even when you believe a venture is flawed or not market-ready.
  4. For the three (3) selected ventures, examine all of the Venture Pitch materials provided and then use the comment field to provide your detailed critical analysis (no more than 300 words total).  This analysis should begin with the word “REVIEW” and conclude with a recommendation (or not) for funding, possibly with qualifications regarding changes that might be required before a full positive recommendation could be made.  Also provide your professional rating of these ventures.
  5. Complete all of your responses before the final day of class. Your input, together with those of your peers, will provide valuable feedback to all of the prospective ventures.