Candidates pitch for cash prize

Our June cohort put their pitch skills to the test recently; competing against each other to present initial ideas to their Strategic Partners.

With just two weeks to research, form teams and respond to market opportunities from partners, Beta Earth and Counterfactual Ventures, the group enjoyed an evening of pitching and networking.

Teams presented to the judging panel, which consistent of Beta Earth Co-founder Dr Irina Fedorenko-Aula, Zero Carbon Farms Co-founder Steven Dring, Counterfactual Ventures COO and Co-founder Huw Thomas, Falmouth University's Senior Investment Manager Alex Craven, Launchpad Course Leader Alex Hughes and Entrepreneurship Senior Lecturer Steve Cox.

With our joint collaboration we pitched our idea to change how alt protein is marketed and we were humbled with the best pitch!

Irina said: "At Beta Earth Venture Studio we see a lot of impact projects but this event was truly special. First, the students and the faculty at Launchpad were incredibly motivated and inspired to create something new. Secondly, the progress that the students made over the past two weeks of our engagement were astonishing. Starting from defining the problems and then developing the solutions to address them, allowed the students to accelerate their thinking.

"Finally, the pitches themselves have been impressive and really professional if one thinks that the students have only started working on them two weeks ago. We are looking forward to helping these ideas flourish and walking with the teams' side by side to create meaningful changes in the Cornish economy."

Ideas ranged from reengineered food and an alt-protein community platform to a farm to table initiative. Patrick Huang and Mike Morris from Team Tastro took home the £250 cash prize for the best pitch.

Patrick said: "After these first two weeks working on two design sprints at Launchpad, I was amazed by the insights from the VC partners, the Launchpad team, and the cohort. Because of the safe environment to explore new ideas, I was fortunate to have started a partnership with Mike built on trust and complementary expertise. With our joint collaboration we pitched our idea to change how alt protein is marketed and we were humbled with the best pitch!"

The teams will continue working with Beta Earth and Counterfactual to refine their ideas, with the opportunity for further future funding.

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