Entry is now open for the second edition of Elevator Pitch Contest, an enviable opportunity for start-up entrepreneurs to transform their business with a 3-minute pitch. Co-hosted by Lufthansa and TiE Delhi-NCR under the ambit of the Startup Expo event, the unique challenge adds further punch to the extremely popular launch edition, with an unprecedented Grand Prize covering the key building blocks of startup success. With entries open till 30 July 2019, the Contest provides start-ups the chance to win: Show
“Start-ups are an important growth engine powering India’s economic leadership. Lufthansa is privileged to be an enabler for these young new-age entrepreneurs by opening doors to a world of new opportunities,” said George Ettiyil, Senior Director Sales South Asia – Lufthansa Group. “The Elevator Pitch is a dream challenge for start-up founders. It is tailor-made to their needs, providing them access to investors, mentors, business experts and a seat at a global entrepreneurship program – exactly what they need for success,” added Geetika Dayal, Executive Director – TiE Delhi-NCR. Registration to the contest is free of cost and will remain open till July 30, 2019. Start-ups can apply online at www.lufthansastartupexpo.in. A distinguished jury comprising prominent business leaders across multiple domains will shortlist the applicants in a multistage selection process. The pitches will be evaluated on parameters such as product, USP, scalability, and market opportunity, besides others. Through focussed initiatives such as the Elevator Pitch Contest among many others, the Start-up Expo has become a key catalyst driving transformation and growth for Indian start-ups. The event will take place at Epicentre, Apparel House, in Gurgaon on September 28, 2019. The Start-up Expo is a high-visibility transformative platform which brings together all the essential ingredients needed to drive entrepreneurial growth under one roof and makes it accessible to emerging ventures – completely free of cost! The 2018 edition of the Start-up Expo saw 20,000 participants and 500 start-up exhibitors from 175 cities interact with 200+ mentors and experts, 100+ partners, and 75+ investors. Apart from facilitating more than 1,000 investor meetings, the one-day event gave entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their ventures, engage with investors and government stakeholders, attend knowledge-sharing sessions, and explore networking and business opportunities. The Start-up Expo 4 aims to build on that impressive reception and drive greater growth and scale for more high-potential ventures across the country. ... For many event organizers, potential sponsors are hard to find, and even harder to convert. But it doesn’t have to be so difficult. After all, you have something they want: the attention of their target audience. These five steps will help find sponsors for your event, win them over, and build long-lasting relationships. 1. Create a list of ideal sponsorsEvent sponsors want to reach people who are likely to become loyal customers. To do that, you need to partner with a product or service your attendees will want. Use your ticketing platform and knowledge of your base to match their interests with potential sponsors. Think about the needs of your attendees, list companies who meet those needs, and you’ll end up with a broad range of potential sponsors. This doesn’t mean you have to stick to the obvious companies. “Let’s say, for a sponsorship example, your event gathers heart surgeons for an annual summit,” says Chris Baylis, the president and CEO of The Sponsorship Collective “Pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers will be on your list. But what about car dealers? Or mortgage banks?” Before you approach companies to sponsor your event, contact them to ask who makes sponsorship decisions. It may be a marketing or PR manager, a dedicated sponsorship manager, or the owner of the company. Save this information for later but don’t reach out quite yet — you have a little more to do before making your pitch! Now that you’ve built your list, organize your list of prospects into a spreadsheet. Include the following columns to help you track sponsor outreach efforts:
2. How to craft a sponsorship proposalCompanies want a return on their investment. When crafting your sponsorship proposal, come prepared with data by including.
3. Connect with event sponsorsYou’ve done the background work to find them, now it’s time to approach each company for sponsorship. As you begin to reach out, follow these steps to put your best foot forward.
4. Design your event to attract sponsorsOnce a sponsor is interested, it’s time to craft a sponsorship package that reflects both the sponsor and your event’s brand. Sponsorship is a partnership between your event and your sponsors that requires dedicated attention.
“Our winery sponsors really help turn our GA space into what I would consider a VIP experience,” says Jason Scoggins, who manages sponsorships at BottleRock. “Winery sponsors are the perfect fit in terms of our brand and our experience.” 5. Build a long-term relationship to keep sponsorsSatisfy the needs of your sponsors so they come back to build exciting experiences attendees love. Use this list to strengthen your relationship with sponsors.
With thoughtful research and coordination are key to get event sponsors and keep them coming back for more. Want to learn more strategies to find sponsors for an event? The 2019 Guide to Event Sponsorship has the top trends and best practices needed to win sponsorship today.
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