PITCH SLAM: YOUR BREWERY IN THE INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Brewbound Live Pitch Slam: presented by Craft Brew Alliance
is a showcase for entrepreneurs looking to expand beyond the tap room.
Meet the Industry, Then Pitch 'Em!
It is all about the journey. Fifteen semi-finalists begin the competition with a half-day of education and one-on-one conversations with respected beer industry veterans. The half-day session culminates in an opening round of tight, concise pitches. Five brewers will advance to the finals on Day 2, where they will take the main stage and be challenged to make a lasting impression in four minutes. Judges will also have three minutes to ask additional questions, while sampling two chosen brews
Compete Against the Next Breakout Brands
We have expanded our competition to include new products across the brewing industry. The reimagined Startup Brewery Challenge welcomes adult beverage types that do not necessarily fit into the beer category, such as cider, hard water and alcoholic kombucha. Respected industry veterans -- including brewers, distributors, retailers, investors, marketers, and consultants -- will judge.
Get Industry Exposure
Exposure begins when participants are announced as semi-finalists on Brewbound.com. It continues during the event when engaged attendees and thousands of live stream viewers watch the pitches with anticipation.
During the competition, participants will receive actionable advice from an expert panel of judges, experience pitching in a high-stakes environment, and gain two days of valuable industry exposure. In addition to a paid trip for two to Craft Brew Alliance for strategy sessions, and a free registration for Brewbound Live Winter 2019, the Pitch Slam winner will also receive additional exposure via a free Brewbound industry awareness advertising package valued at $10,000.
Build Industry Awareness, Knowledge, Connections
Education to Kickstart the Challenge
The day before the main event, 15 semi-finalists will take part in a half-day educational session that is designed to help early-stage companies overcome the challenges and pitfalls that many startup brewing companies encounter. In addition to meeting one-on-one with experts and judges, the session will also feature an opening round of concise pitches that will determine the 5 finalists.
Finals on the Main Stage
Five finalists will be selected by a panel of expert judges to present on the Brewbound Live main stage on Day 2 of the conference. Participants will each have just four minutes to deliver their pitches, followed by three-minute Q&A sessions with the judges. Participants will provide two different brews, one to be tasted prior to the competition and one during, that the judges will evaluate. The winner will receive the title of Brewbound Pitch Slam Champion and the grand prize.
The Grand Prize
The champion will win an all-inclusive trip for two to Portland, Oregon, for a multi-day strategy and education experience with Craft Brew Alliance executives and brewers. In addition, the winner will receive an industry awareness advertising package with Brewbound and free registration to Brewbound Live Winter 2019.
Prioritize Attending, This is a Commitment
The Pitch Slam challenge offers a unique opportunity to pitch your brand and make a mark on the brewing industry. Please consider that this competition requires considerable time and effort, and should be taken as a serious endeavor. Applicants must be dedicated to crafting their best pitch. While there are no costs associated with applying, participants must be registered attendees of the conference.
Pitching creates opportunities to have conversations with experts who can help answer your questions and partners who can help grow your business, but you can also find these opportunities through savvy networking at Brewbound Live. The conference content is focused on trends, challenges, and “what’s next” for the brewing industry.
Outside of the competition, there is ample time to network with industry players and discuss your business. Our editorial and marketing teams will also meet with as many breweries as possible at the event. We want to share your stories with our audience and the Pitch Slam is just one of the many ways to get involved.
If you commit to pitching, we ask you to make a short, smart-phone quality video to show us who you are. There are presentation guidelines and deadlines. You will need to prepare ahead of the challenge and be open to receiving instant feedback -- both positive and critical -- from the judges and the audience. Many of the judges will be available for feedback after the competition and are happy to maintain relationships with participants.
Pitching might mean you miss some valuable on-stage insights or a great conversation. There are trade-offs that will make the experience different than attending without pitching. It is worth the time and effort, but a lot of work goes into crafting the winning pitch.
Past Champions
Winning Pitches
Respected Industry Members Judge the Competition
The Pitch Slam 10 Application is CLOSED. Apply for the Next Competition.
The application is now available for Pitch Slam 11 at Brewbound Live Winter 2019 on November 27th and 28th in Santa Monica, California. If you are interested in applying, please send us a short note below. A member of the Brewbound team will respond promptly with answers to your questions and/or access to the application.
This form is from an event that has already taken place and is no longer accepting submissions.