Learning Unlimited – Venture Pitch Critique
Learning Unlimited
I would support a venture of this nature, but I am not convinced in supporting this specific one based on the elevator pitch.
Although I find the idea of a learning venture/collaboration between universities and high schools both important and a good idea to motivate learning, I found the elevator pitch lacked many important elements to convince me.
Message
The CEO of Learning Unlimited outlined the program and briefly described and gave selective examples of courses offered over the course of a weekend. However, I found that the images chosen and the learning subjects\workshops shown appeared more like a summer camp than an introduction to how stimulating and engaging learning can be or what higher learning can offer within universities and colleges.
I found that the message was not particularly passionate or persuasive and that the images chosen were of poor quality.
CEO & Team
The CEO does not particularly convey capability, confidence or experience. Focusing a bit more on volunteer teachers working in collaboration with various universities, in my opinion, would have added credibility and further demonstrated the venture’s success.
Concept
The venture concept is feasible, since it is possible to find volunteer teachers and get the collaboration of high schools and universities –
Marketability
Who profits from this venture? Is it a purely a ‘good deed’ intended to promote learning – or is it a business venture? This is unclear in the elevator pitch. The CEO describes this venture as a ‘College student movement’ – How does this movement spread or how is it funded?
Venture Plan
The venture plan is well outlined, providing a good idea of growth in the last year with an estimate for expansion in the next 5 years. However, I am not sure to whom this pitch is destined? Should this interest high school principals and teachers who then encourage students to enter their program? Is it destined to teachers so they volunteer or to universities so they lend their classrooms for the workshops?
All in all I tend to have a soft spot for any venture that promotes learning for learning sake, and find the idea presented by ‘Learning Unlimited’ has great potential. I think the elevator pitch should be spruced up and clearly think about who their audience is. Are they trying to address high-school students and teachers; or/and motivate college\university students to become volunteer teachers in the program; or/and promote the program to universities so they lend their facilities to accommodate this program. Perhaps an elevator pitch for each could be created . . .?
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David Vogt 11:52 am on May 26, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I agree with your criticism that this pitch is too self-absorbed, really preaching a movement rather than pitching a venture. Take note – this is a chronic problem for learning technology ventures pitched by educators, who often become so passionate about the learning potential that they don’t even discuss the venture mechanics, thereby losing investor interest. Investors really want to see passion in a pitch, but if that passion is misplaced it can be deadly.
David
mariefrancehetu 5:10 pm on May 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hello David,
This past week has been an interesting one as I embark on designing my own elevator pitch. By learning to be critical of the pitches I viewed I have noted many traps I could easily fall into. For example, there is a fine line between being passionate and self-absorbed. I also find that it appears extremely challenging to cover all the important points and get a clear message across, while remaining passionate.
This was a great exercise to really see what makes or breaks a pitch.