Lean pitching involves applying Lean Startup and customer development principles to reduce waste in pitches. Pre-pitch research includes reviewing social media, past investments, blogs, and determining if the pitch will be to an individual or group. The business model canvas helps structure the pitch. Key questions identify the most important factors for investors. An effective pitch is short, simple, and memorable, focusing on what, how, and why. High concept pitches use familiar concepts to quickly convey the idea. Post-pitch reflection identifies surprises, lessons learned, directions to test, and risks. Resources for improving pitching skills are provided.

1. Lean Pitching
Reduce waste by applying LS & CustDev principles to
your pitch!
Aaron Eden @aaroneden
Director – Gangplank Tucson

2. Why Lean?
 Reduce waste
 Pull vs. push

3. Pre-Pitch Research
 Social Media (LinkedIn, AngelList, Twitter)
 https://angel.co/curtis-gunn
 Past investments
 Blog
 Individual vs. Group?

4. Business Model Canvas

6. Pre-Pitch Questions
 What is most important for you?
 Team, customer, problem, solution, market size?

7. Elevator Pitch
• Short, Simple, Memorable:
“What, How, Why.”
“Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to
list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the
world.”
“Waze is a free, community-based traffic and navigation app.”
“Kickstarter is a new way to fund and follow creativity.”
Smile. You are pitching to learn & have fun.

8. Hollywood High Concept Pitch
• “It’s Jaws in space!”
(Alien)
• “A bus with a bomb”
• “A serial killer who
murders based on the
7 deadly sins”
(Se7en)

9. Document Results
• What was surprising?
• What did you learn?
• What possible directions can you
test?
• What risks did they identify?

11. Resources
 www.businessmodelalchemy.com
 www.500startups.com
 www.aaroneden.com

12. Get Pitching!
Aaron Eden
http://www.aaroneden.com
@aaroneden