Future Learning Finland
A national-scaled intrapreneurial venture:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/2nb94TnWWXM[/youtube]
Posted in: Pitch Pool-
David Vogt
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ETEC 522 – May 2012
Ventures in Learning Technology
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Danielle 7:47 am on May 26, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Future Learning Finland
No, I would not invest in Future Learning Finland based solely on this elevator pitch and without doing market research as well as seeing their business plan.
CEO and Team
While it is difficult to catch what the presenter is saying as the sound quality is not great, and while the presenter lacks passion and enthusiasm, the involvement of the private and public sector makes the venture attractive. There are also also 72 member organizations connected to this venture which adds to its credibility.
Venture and Concept
I was not 100% sure what was being marketed but my initial guess was that they were offering a learning management system that specializes in ICT learning, learning environments, vocational training, teacher training, and results management. After having Googled the company, it seems they are a national education export programme aimed at gathering Finnish expertise in the fields mentioned above. I am not sure how original this is as many education consultancy companies offer all of these services that are marketed to international educational clients. They will need to create more interest and awareness of the importance of involving both the public and private sector (of Finland) in order to capture the interest of potential clients.
Marketability
I lack expertise in the edtech marketplace but I do not think it would be unfair to say that Finland is not an education technology hotspot. In their pitch, they would need to clearly indicate how learning technologies and expertise from Finland are unique and therefore give them the competitive edge.
Venture Plan
As this is an elevator pitch, it is difficult to say whether Future Learning Finland knows what success looks like. As there are already 72 member organizations that would have most likely already invested in Future Learning Finland’s plan, they have obviously been able to convince the local market. While I quite like the plan, I am not sure how I feel about the CEO and I am not sure how ready the world is for Finland. It would be too risky at this time and II would need more time to investigate this venture.
Claire Burgoyne 12:54 pm on May 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
No, I would not invest in Future Learning Finland at this point. Very simply put, this pitch lacks passion and a concise overview of what is being pitched. The presentation is dull as the presenter displays no enthusiasm. That, coupled with an overwhelming amount of content in the background powerpoint presentation, led to a presentation that was uncomfortable to watch. While the pitch describes a high level of competency and clearly states what Future Learning Finland is looking for, it is not clear what is being marketed.
An enthusiastic presentation of the level of competency and a statement of what is being sought combined with a concise definition of what is being marketed, what gap or problem was presented that initiated this venture, who the competition is, and what Future Learning Finland has to offer that the competitors do not would be more likely to gain support from an EVA.
Danielle 4:39 pm on May 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Claire,
Nice analysis! I agree that it was uncomfortable to watch. The presenter seemed nervous, perhaps at having to give the pitch in English. A “stellar” pitch takes practice unless one has a knack for it.
It is difficult to judge this particular pitch out of context. It appears to take place at a conference where perhaps similar venture concepts were being presented. This could be the reason for the lack of detail on what exactly she is trying to pitch.
Danielle
Claire Burgoyne 9:28 pm on May 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
(I posted this earlier but in the wrong place)
I agree that the presenter seemed uncomfortable. I got the impression that the PowerPoint in the background was meant to do the job of filling in the gaps of the spoken presentation. It’s hard to know if my assumption is correct though as the text was small and blurry.
As you said in your initial post, time to investigate this venture more thoroughly is needed. That’s not the position to leave an EVA in.
Claire Burgoyne 8:53 pm on May 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
I agree that the presenter seemed uncomfortable. I got the impression that the PowerPoint in the background was meant to do the job of filling in the gaps of the spoken presentation. It’s hard to know if my assumption is correct though as the text was small and blurry.
As you said in your initial post, time to investigate this venture more thoroughly is needed. That’s not the position to leave an EVA in.