The Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange for Black Founders is an incubation program that provides resources and mentoring to startups led by Black founders. As part of American Underground’s signature diversity-focused programs, the final day of the program includes a pitch competition in front of investors, media, and the entrepreneurial community. In this portfolio piece, I’ll explain how I creatively approached the problem of making this competition more memorable and entertaining.

Creating the Fake Pitch

To keep the crowd engaged and entertained, I decided to insert a fake, comedic pitch into the competition. The first step was to come up with a ridiculous company name and product. I decided on ChairPants, a company that made a pair of jeans with attachments that served as a seating apparatus. Once I had the idea, I wrote a ridiculous pitch and designed a slideshow presentation that showed images of the product that I created in Photoshop.

Introducing the Fake Pitch

To make the presentation more effective, I discreetly placed my presentation right in the middle of the other presenters without telling the contestants or the audience. As a result, much of the crowd assumed the pitch was real at the beginning. People began recognizing the pitch was fake at different times, and by the end, most people were laughing and applauding.

Outcome

The fake pitch was a hit, and it helped make the event more memorable and entertaining. By introducing an element of surprise and humor, I was able to create a more engaging and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Overall, this creative approach to a pitch competition demonstrated my ability to think outside the box and use humor to engage and entertain audiences.