Inside the Excitement Of the Mkazipreneur- NSSF Hi-Innovator WAW3 A Day at the Pitch Day
Pitch Day. It’s the moment entrepreneurs and innovators prepare for with a blend of excitement and nerves. The room buzzes with energy, ideas, and ambition. It's a day where dreams are articulated, hopes are pinned, and potential is evaluated.
The morning of Pitch Day dawns with an air of anticipation. Entrepreneurs arrived early with their products,presentations and passion, converge on the venue. They were dressed to impress in there company uniforms
As the event kicks off, the room fills with a diverse array of entrepreneurs from different industries :Education,nutrition,beauty and wellness to mention but a few each presenter brings a unique vision to the table. The organizers, investors, and mentors take their seats, ready to be wowed by the next big idea.
Our investment committee was well experienced and selected from their various fields
The bell rings and pitches begin, each presenter taking to the stage with a mix of confidence and apprehension. It's a make-or-break moment, where months of hard work culminate in a few minutes of spotlight. Some speakers deliver their pitches with practiced precision, while others rely on raw passion to carry their message across. Two separate room were put up to accommodate the 14 pitches for the day
One by one, the projects unfold before the audience. There are nods of approval, murmurs of intrigue. The judges, with their keen eyes and discerning minds, listen intently, probing for potential, feasibility, and scalability. All the pitchers had seven minutes to make their presentations and seven minutes
All the entrepreneurs were determined with just minutes on the clock to wrap their entire business in 7 minutes.
The bell rings and the Pitch presentations end.
As the day draws to a close, the mood in the rooms shifts. The tension of the morning dies down and now it was time for the Investment Committee to debrief and make their decision. The time finally comes and its time to make the big Announcement, anticipation wails the room , people clutching the edges of their seats until,hearts beating fast and then the announcement is made 14 businesses walked in to pitch and only 9 were chosen and will be funded with 75 million Uganda shillings each
As Mkazipreneur had 11 business that were brought forward and 8 were chosen.
A special congrats to the winners of the funding
Yet, Pitch Day is not just about ideas; it's also about people. Behind every pitch lies a story of perseverance, resilience, and determination. The entrepreneurs share their journeys, Every entrepreneur who pitched was welcomed back from their pitching room with applauds from their fellow entrepreneurs, like a heart warming family.
In the end, Pitch Day is more than just a showcase of ideas; it's a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. It's a reminder that in a world filled with challenges, there are also endless opportunities waiting to be seized. And as I reflect on the day's events, I can't help but feel inspired by the creativity, passion, and ambition that I've witnessed firsthand. Who knows what groundbreaking innovations the next Pitch Day will unveil. Next.
A special thank you to Master Card Foundation, NSSF - Hi-Innovator, Our fellow hub Partners Women In Technology (WITU), Start Hub Africa ,Outbox and the Mkazipreneur team for your coordination.
