Pitching ideas to investors is a crucial skill for entrepreneurship students to obtain. The Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln hosted an investment pitch reenactment to allow students to witness a successful pitch. Following the reenactment, local investors led a discussion about what makes up a successful business pitch.
Nick Emanuel, president of CropMetrics, reenacted his successful pitch made to a panel of investors including Bart Dillashaw from Nebraska Angels; Dan Hoffman and Brock Smith from Invest Nebraska; and Chuck Norris from Nelnet Capital.
Emanuel makes his pitch
“This was a great opportunity to share my experiences with students and help them to learn from my challenges and successes,” Emanuel said. “I thought it would be helpful for them to see a live example of a pitch.”
After Emanuel’s pitch, students played the role of potential investors and asked him questions about his business plan. Then the panel of investors sought additional information from him they would want to know prior to investing. The event concluded with a question and answer session between Emanuel, the panel and students.
Dr. Samuel Nelson, the interim director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of practice in management, organized this event to show students how to apply concepts they are learning in his class to real life.
Hanson asks question to investor
“It reinforces material we learn in class and allows students to witness the type of questions investment angels ask,” Nelson said. “We are lucky to have such a helpful community that is willing to provide their time, insight and assistance.”
Daniel Hanson, a senior management major from Lincoln, attended the event as a student in Nelson’s Business Plan Development and Decision Making (MNGT 423) class.
“As college students, we’re usually surrounded by other students, and that’s who we go to for advice,” Hanson said. “It’s invaluable to hear people with actual experience tell you how they failed and what they learned from that, because that’s not a perspective I can get from people my age.”
Published: April 19, 2016