Chandler Innovations, the city’s business incubation, and entrepreneurial development program is offering its Pitch Power program to teach tech-focused startups how to attract investment dollars by elevating their presentations and stimulating the interest of investors.

“AZ Startups raised 400 million dollars in Q3 of 2019,” said Diana White, CEO of Chandler Innovations. “Pitch Power helps entrepreneurs compose an effective presentation so they can have a meaningful conversation with the people who can ultimately fund their business.”

The intensive 7-week program, which begins on April 7th, is open to startups in the state that will be ready to pitch to investors within the next 18 months. Applicants must have a business plan, a draft three-year financial forecast including income and cash flow statements; some preliminary market research and target audience information; and a goal of how much money they are trying to raise.

The program is sponsored by the City of Chandler, which gives scholarships to seven entrepreneurs to attend. Clients of Chandler Innovations or other Chandler-based startups are given priority status. “As a Community of Innovation Chandler works diligently to foster a business climate where entrepreneurs and startups thrive,” said Mayor Kevin Hartke. “The Pitch Power program is an important part of this ecosystem, providing startups and early-stage founders with the opportunity to educate themselves on how to better position their business when seeking growth capital.”

The application deadline is March 9th, 2020.

Tom Fulcher, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Chandler Innovations, is the facilitator of the program. With a career ranging from growing his own businesses to leading projects and divisions at internationally known companies like Colgate-Palmolive and Heinz, he has unique insights into how new companies can put their best foot forward when presenting to seed, angel and venture capital investors.

“As a coach and mentor, it is rewarding and exciting to share practical and real-world best practices with companies in the Pitch Power program,” said Fulcher.

By working with Fulcher and the Chandler Innovations team, participants learn the ten key components of any great pitch and how to assemble them into a ten-minute presentation. Uniquely, the program also offers participants a chance to hear first-hand experiences from some of Arizona’s most active investors and entrepreneurs, and to get feedback from these experts about their pitches.

During the program, the startups meet weekly for about three to four hours with the Innovations team to discuss pitch concepts, learn what investors care about, and refine their talking points. They incorporate these into their “pitch deck,” a brief presentation that not only discusses their business concept and its potential market but also introduces the business team, their strategy to be competitive in the marketplace and anticipated revenues.

For more information about Pitch Power, visit https://www.innovationsincubator.com/pitch-power.html