Business growth centre announces Fast Pitch 2009

News Release

The Icehouse business growth centre announces Fast Pitch 2009

29 September 2009

The ICEHOUSE business growth centre has kicked off its Fast Pitch 2009 competition for entrepreneurs. The real life Dragon’s Den scenario invites people to put their business ideas to a panel of judges and offers prizes which include three months in the ICE Accelerator business incubator for the winner.

The Icehouse CEO Andy Hamilton says the success of the inaugural Fast Pitch in 2008 makes it a “must do” for start-ups and entrepreneurs. “It is a great opportunity for budding business people to get advice from business leaders and for finalists to pitch their ideas in front of an audience and a panel of judges.

“Last year’s entrants were from a broad range of industries and showed the sort of talent New Zealand has. Our goal is for Fast Pitch to be widely recognised as an event which inspires people to take the ideas that have been simmering in their heads and put them into action,” says Hamilton.

Fast Pitch will run over three evenings 8th, 15th and 27th October at the University of Auckland’s School of Business. Contestants will receive expert advice on business pitching, learning what investors look for in businesses and how pitching well has helped other businesses grow rapidly.

The final on 27 October will have 10 finalists competing for the main prize and other categories including: Best Intellectual Property Idea, Best Funding Opportunity for Investors, Best Presentation Skills and People’s Choice award.

2008 Fast Pitch winner Todd Wackrow of mobile marketing company
PocketVouchers said of the event, “It was incredibly useful. There was just so much expertise available. You get to tap into The Icehouse’s angel investor network, take your shot and get fantastic feedback.

“I was already doing well in sales but this took me up a notch in my presentation skills and gave me connections and strategies I didn’t know about before. The improvement in our sales process helped us increase the conversions of pitches by 40%.”

Since 2001 The Icehouse has worked directly with 65 start-up companies and over 2,000 established companies. The Icehouse’s growing network of advisers, angel investors and coaches has helped companies secure almost $35 million in investment.

Prize details on the Icehouse website.

FAST Pitch 2009 costs only $85 to enter. Registrations can be made online at www.theicehouse.co.nz. Full details of the business mentors and schedule are also on the website.

Registrations: http://theicehouse.co.nz/Accelerator/AcceleratorEvents/AcceleratorEventsFASTPitch/tabid/213/Default.aspx

About The ICEHOUSE

The ICEHOUSE is a business growth centre that includes: business growth programmes for SMEs; a business incubator for start-ups; and New Zealand’s largest group of Angel Investors. It is a collaborative partnership between The University of Auckland Business School, The Boston Consulting Group, Telecom and Gen-i, BNZ, Ernst & Young, HP, Microsoft and Minter Ellison Rudd Watts Lawyers. It was established in 2001 in recognition of the importance of SMEs to the New Zealand economy.

The ICEHOUSE’s purpose is to take responsibility for delivering 350 of the 3000 firms needed to get New Zealand into the top half of the OECD by 2013. We work with a range of SMEs, from start-ups to established multi-million dollar enterprises. Our vision is to be the place for turning entrepreneurial companies into international successes. Our mission is get alongside people who want to transform their companies, helping to grow both their talent & our country’s prosperity.

Over 2,000 entrepreneurs and business owners have already experienced The ICEHOUSE growth difference – new expertise and skills, valuable global network connections and investment pathways.

ENDS

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