APPLICATION TO PITCH

Why should you apply to pitch?

The three companies that win the Fast Pitch Competition will be invited to make a funding presentation at a regularly scheduled Tech Coast Angels screening session.

All applicants that apply have a chance to get their pitch in front of Tech Coast Angels members on the Fast Pitch screening committee, even if you don’t win or get selected to pitch at the event. Tech Coast Angels is Southern California’s number one source of early-stage capital. Since the group's founding in 1997, members have invested more than $104 million of their personal capital in more than 160 early-stage ventures, coupled with more than $1 billion from co-investors. More than 300 TCA investors in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Santa Barbara/Westlake and the Inland Empire, mentor and coach the entrepreneurs they fund, serve on their boards, provide them contacts and assist with team building, strategic planning and subsequent fund raising.

Pitching at the Fast Pitch events allows you to introduce your company to an audience of hundreds of mover and shakers in Southern California, including venture capitalists, other angel investors and funding sources, and influential opinion-leaders in Southern California, such as investment bankers, accounting firms, law firms, banks and executive recruiters.

Do you qualify? The Fast Pitch competition is open to all entrepreneurs leading Southern California-based companies who are seeking investors. It is not limited to companies that are pre-revenue or that are in the information technology or life sciences industries. In addition to investing in companies in these two sectors, Tech Coast Angels has also invested in many others, including consumer branded products, food, beverage and services. Our primary focus is on finding investment opportunities that promise quick, significant growth in shareholder value and a plausible exit strategy for liquidity.

Not sure it's for you? Read here our suggestions for delivering great pitches.

Application and selection rules/process:
Step 1 – Please fill out the online application by CLICKING HERE
Step 2 – If your application is approved you may be contacted to participate in a pre-screening conference call.
Step 3 – Twenty-two companies are selected to compete for the 8-10 finalist positions. To become a finalist or alternate, you MUST ATTEND the two scheduled coaching sessions.

You must submit the application online by clicking on the link above. No postal mail, faxes or emails will be accepted. Communicating directly with the competition’s judges or organizing committee, or Tech Coast Angels members at large is not considered submitting an application

It's free to submit an application but you must also register to attend the competition. Registration gives you full access to the entire event program.

Judging and winning

Pitches can be no more than 90 seconds, including any self-introductions and remarks. During the competition, on the 91st second, your pitch WILL BE CUT OFF. The microphone will be turned off. After your pitch, the judges will make comments about your presentation and ask questions. You will be allowed to provide brief answers.

The competition's judges will score each pitch immediately after their questions.

Scoring is on a 1-10 scale (1-lowest, 10=highest) for each of two criteria: funding opportunity and presentation quality. There will be three winners - for Best Investment Opportunity, Best Presentation, and Best Audience's Pick. Fast Pitch winners will automatically be invited to a Full Screening by Tech Coast Angels to present their company in a detailed discussion for potential Angel Funding.  The fourth- and fifth- runner ups will receive a feedback mentorship from the TCA.

Judges are asked to:
1. Suggest improvements candidly, but constructively
2. Cut in with their comments if a presenter rambles during the Q&A portion
3. Be concise and considerate of the other judges
4. Publicly disagree with other judges in the interest of healthy controversy