August Division Showcases

Following the submission of your Round 2 Materials, we present nine showcases of each division's semifinalists as a way to share your businesses with a large public audience. These presentations will be short - 3 minutes and 3 slides for each team -- longer than an elevator pitch but much less than a standard pitch presentation. 

These events are a great opportunity to invite friends, family, community members, customers -- anyone you'd like to be aware of your prestigious accomplishment in the competition. 

Is it required? It's not required but highly encouraged. 

Who should present? It can be anyone you tag from your company: founder, CEO, or just the best speaker. You pick and let us know.

Can I have more than 3 slides? No. Only 3 slides are allowed. Learn to be succinct. We will have a slide in between each presenter with your company name and logo so you do not need to include an introduction slide in your deck. 

What information should I include? That's up to you. Some use this as an opportunity to find new customers. Others treat it like an investor pitch. You can also pitch directly to the judges. The audience will be varied and public so think of it as a chance to grow your identity. Look at some of the examples below. 

Will this impact making the finals? While these pitches are not officially included in the judging criteria, some judges will attend to watch your pitch. Think of it as another chance for them to get to know you/your company. 

What slide format should I use? You will send your slides to the MN Cup team so we can compile each division into a single deck.  We will likely use Power Point to compile the deck. Please do not use animations or other flash/video. It will be a "flat" presentation. We recommend sending your final slides as a PDF to ensure your formatting is retained. 

What kind of questions are asked? The post-presentation question is not intended to stump you but rather help you outline an interesting point. We open Q/A to the audience and each team will likely get 2-3 questions about their company.