Innovation's expansion on campus is evident in pitch off

Iowa State's innovation brand is on display during the Papajohn Center for Entrepreneurship's fall and spring pitch-off competitions. Each year, incrementally more students from all seven colleges take part to propose their solutions to local and global issues.

Now, in its ninth year, the college-by-college pitch competition gives participants 90 seconds to pitch an idea to a panel of judges for cash prizes in one of two categories: new idea or existing business idea. The first- and second-place finishers in each category from every college earn cash prizes and advance to the finals. The fall competition -- which doesn't separate participants by college -- has grown from one day to seven to meet demand. This spring, colleges will compete Feb. 16-25 with the finale on March 2 (2-5 p.m., Student Innovation Center).

"The focus on entrepreneurship and innovation grows every year, and there are more classes that do pitches as part of the curriculum," said Megan Sweere, CYstarters and Student Ventures program director. "We have seen it grow to the point where classes will host a first-round competition in their classroom with finalists advancing to the college pitch competitions."

Sweere hosts pitch workshops and weekly office hours to help students find and develop an idea or polish one they have worked with for years. But she said students are now working through those ideas in classes and other spaces across campus.

"With that expansion, we have seen more than 150 students participate in each of the past three years during the two-week college pitch-offs in the spring," she said.

Sweere said Iowa State's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship also is evident in the growing number of prospective students who come to the center during campus visits with an interest in programs such as CYstarters, an 11‑week summer accelerator program designed to help students build and grow their startup ideas.

Unique competition

The 90-second pitch competition is not unique to Iowa State, but the fact that every college takes part is the envy of many. When President emerita Wendy Wintersteen made innovation and entrepreneurship an emphasis at Iowa State, it received buy-in not always easy to come by.

"When we go to conferences as an entrepreneurship center, the pitch competition is something a lot of other schools want to replicate," Sweere said. "You may have colleges where entrepreneurship seems to make more sense, but Iowa State really pushed to make it for everyone. The focus across campus allows students who never would have crossed paths except for this opportunity to come together with their different backgrounds and help each other. That interdisciplinary approach helps students realize they are not in it alone and often leads to creative solutions."

Age and ideas are not limiting factors for students to get involved.

"The first week of classes the past few years, I have had freshmen coming to me and working on their ideas or business because it was a driving factor why they came to Iowa State," Sweere said.

Faculty support

Sweere said every college has a handful or more of faculty who see pitch competitions as useful tools for students.

"Without that, I don't think we reach students because that is the one place they have to go," she said. "They are in class, and if the professors are advocating for it, that helps us expand the reach across campus."

Center programs and events director Jean Walsh shares program information with more than 300 classes across campus that have an element of entrepreneurship. Center staff then visit 100-200 classes early each semester to inform students of opportunities. Walsh said each year more arms go up when she asks if students are aware of specific programs, and she sees students pull out their laptop or phone to start registering during her visit.

"This semester, we had a Design faculty member request us and wants us to come each semester," Walsh said. "He followed up with an email introducing me to more faculty in industrial design. Most of their classes would not necessarily touch anything entrepreneurship, but they have already committed to pulling their classes together and having us come visit."

Tools for a lifetime

During pitch workshops, Sweere helps students think through three key elements of a pitch: the problem they are solving, their customer and the solution. Whether students win or not, they gain skills that will serve them well in any career: public speaking and explaining ideas succinctly. Students who pitch also learn to take comments from judges and others as constructive criticism that will help them either improve an idea or pivot in another direction.

"The great thing is our judges are always constructive with their feedback, and many are open to talking with students after competitions to help them," Sweere said. "Students also are often really good at supporting one another because they realize how uncomfortable it can be."