Thinking of joining TNW 2024’s Pitch Battle? Here’s what’s in it for startups

We’re just months away from TNW Conference 2024 (ahem, Europe’s leading tech festival). Now, if you’re a startup, you may be thinking of attending to meet some investors and fresh new hires, get your name out there, and get inspired.

But why be a spectator when you can be part of the show?

We caught up with Isabell Trinh, Communications Specialist at Nostics and winner of TNW 2023’s Pitch Battle Competition, to find out what they got out of the experience.

At the time Nostics, a medical diagnostics startup aimed at bringing rapid testing for infectious diseases to medical professionals, was gaining traction in the diagnostics field and looking to start building out their first application. The team decided entering the Pitch Battle would be a chance to put their solution under the spotlight.

While Trinh had given presentations about the company in the past, this was a new experience. “It was my first pitch battle so it was a bit nerve-wracking.”

The question is, is it worth being in the hot seat? Here’s what she had to say.

Perfecting your pitch

Despite her initial nerves, Trinh soon realized the audience was not filled with scary people who wanted her to fail. “Everyone’s curious and excited to hear about new ideas and looking to feel inspired,” she says.

It was also a great opportunity to hear how other startups are pitching their companies and pick up some pointers. For example, despite getting the top spot, Trinh says she feels her opening line could have been better after hearing from some of her fellow contestants.

The best opening lines really put you into the situation. Instead of introducing the company, some of the contestants dove straight into explaining the problem.

That’s why joining a Pitch Battle is a great experience to learn from. “If you find something doesn’t resonate with the audience, then your pitch needs to change,” Trinh says.

Reaching different audiences

Second, it was a great opportunity to pitch to a wider audience. As a diagnostic platform, Nostics has a unique balance to strike.

Although clinicians are the main users of their tool, as Trinh explained, the ultimate impact of the platform will be on patients and the general public.

We want to provide faster diagnostics that empower healthcare professionals to make informed treatment decisions with the hope of promoting responsible use of antibiotics and curbing the rising antimicrobial resistance threatening to disable our healthcare system in the future.

Consumer perspectives will be even more important as the company works towards its first application: detecting UTIs, one of the most common bacterial infections.

“For us, it was great to pitch to an audience that isn’t as scientific as one you would see at a medical diagnostics conference. While the product will be used by healthcare professionals, the patients are the ones that benefit, so it was cool to hear people’s thoughts and questions about the platform,” Trinh explained.

Generating buzz

The great thing about being center stage is that, rather than chasing down contacts and pitching your business over and over in one-to-one conversations, you just need to pitch your company once… and people will come to you.

“After the Pitch Battle, we had a lot of people come to our booth to ask more about the technology and how our product works,” Trinh says.

One common question Pitch Battle competitors were asked onstage was what kind of investment they’re looking for at the moment, making it a great opportunity to get your name out there to the right investors Trinh said.

And it wasn’t just users and investors, they also met teams facing similar challenges.

It’s always great to connect with other startups in similar fields and see what they’re doing.

The next steps for Nostics

In the months since Nostic’s big win at the Pitch Battle, the team has been busy growing the business and developing exciting new capabilities:

“We opened offices in Cambridge and Boston, we became a B Corp and we’ve also focused on further developing our platform. We wanted to make it more affordable and usable but also expandable and adaptable to different types of pathogens.” Trinh shared.

They’re now fundraising for their series A to help bring these exciting new possibilities to the healthcare facilities that can benefit from them most.

If you’re interested in meeting the team and learning more about their groundbreaking solution, Nostics will be back to claim their free winner’s booth at TNW Conference 2024.

For those of you still unsure about entering the Pitch Battle, Trinh shared one last piece of advice:

Overall I had a very positive experience. I don’t think people should be intimidated. It’s a great opportunity to test your pitch with an audience of investors, consumers, and fellow startups and it can only make you better at giving pitches. So I think it’s a valuable thing to do even if you don’t make it.

Inspired by Nostics’ incredible journey from Pitch Battle winner to thriving startup? Showcase your own groundbreaking idea, reach diverse audiences, generate connections, boost visibility, and win media coverage by participating in Pitch Battle at TNW Conference 2024! Applications are officially open, make sure to get your spot! Visit our website to learn more: https://tnw.to/startups and pitch your way to success!