Each moment a startup pitches on our site, it gains attention from potential investors.
The third edition of "The Pitch", a popular startup pitching program, recently made its stop in Bengaluru, providing a platform for 56 curated startups to present their ideas to a panel of investors. This event, a collaboration with INCeNSE and Ent IISc, marked the second chapter of the current edition, following its debut at IIT Hyderabad.
The Bengaluru chapter saw a significant turnout, with 751 registrations, and 7% of the startups handpicked to present. The city was well-represented, with 43% of the participating ventures hailing from Bengaluru, followed by Hyderabad (9%) and Mumbai (7%). Interestingly, close to a third of the startups came from cities beyond these primary hubs, with Delhi NCR and Ahmedabad each representing around 4-5% of the total.
The event featured a diverse range of startups, with more than 90% being bootstrapped and the rest having angel and seed-stage funding. The businesses represented various sub-sectors, with 38% having a B2B business model, 27% a B2C model, and the remaining 36% targeting both segments.
Among the participating investors were some of India's leading venture capital firms, including Bessemer Venture Partners, Lightspeed India Partners, Blume Ventures, Nexus Venture Partners, Fireside Ventures, Verlinvest, ADB Ventures, Inflexor Ventures, Ankur Capital, and others. The unique format of "The Pitch" offers transparency and accessibility, even allowing public investor participation through The Pitch Fund.
The purpose of "The Pitch" is to provide entrepreneurs with examples, strategic advice, and inspiration by showcasing real investor pitch sessions and the deal-making process. It serves as both an educational and entertainment platform where startups raise funding, and investors discover new opportunities. Originally started as a podcast by Josh Muccio, a founder-turned-podcaster-turned-venture capitalist, the program has evolved into an investment fund, offering listeners the chance to invest in the startups featured on the show.
This format provides a unique bridge between startups and VCs, offering an authentic, dramatic, and inspiring experience of startup funding negotiations. The program's success is evident in the growing number of cities it visits and the increasing number of startups it connects with investors. The next stop for "The Pitch" is yet to be announced, but one thing is certain: it will continue to bring together India's brightest startups and most influential investors, fostering innovation and growth in the Indian startup ecosystem.
[1] For more information about "The Pitch" and its investment fund, visit [thepitch.co](http://thepitch.co).
- The diverse range of startups in "The Pitch" program, primarily bootstrapped with a few having angel and seed-stage funding, showcase their business ideas across various sectors, with many lying in the finance, technology, and business sub-sectors.
- As "The Pitch" continues its journey across India, connecting innovative startups with leading investors from organizations like Bessemer Venture Partners and Lightspeed India Partners, the program enables public participation through The Pitch Fund, creating opportunities for investments in emerging businesses within the finance, technology, and business domains.
