P.I.T.C.H Programme
The PITCH programme aims to teach cultural and creative business practitioners how to present their business proposals and market their businesses to potential investors. The programme enables cultural practitioners to define their product and create and/or improve their financial documents. It provides a platform and safe learning environment for creative product owners and developers to test and develop their selling skills to investors.
The PITCH programme was created in response to findings which indicated that investors are often approached by cultural industries practitioners who lacked the key skills required to promote (pitch) their products or services to secure funding. This often resulted in several cultural businesses losing investment opportunities, which could have had a positive impact on the development of their business and the cultural industries in general.
In response to these concerns the PITCH programme was designed to bring the potential investor and the creators of the products together much earlier in the production process. The private sector has played an integral role in collaborating with the Cultural Industry Development Authority in executing this project, acting as accessors of the investment potential of cultural practitioners and providing much need financial support and advice.
The P.I.T.C.H. Programme has had four editions since its inception in November 2015.
The expected results from the implementation of the PITCH programme are:
- An increase in the investment opportunities for cultural practitioners
- An increase in the growth of cultural entrepreneurs who have secure funding
- The growth of sustainable cultural enterprises that are export ready
USD 15,000
P.I.T.C.H. has grown and improved over the last 4 months. Using the feedback from the evaluation forms from 1st and 2nd edition, the 3rd edition of the programme PITCH was expanded to include an extra day for financials (financial planning, etc) as well as a day dedicated to PITCH practice before meeting the assessors. These revisions proved highly beneficial as the assessors noted that this was the most prepared and well informed cohort they had seen and this translated to increased interest from investors. To this end, it has been concluded that given the success of the participants, funding should continue for the PITCH programme.