151 episodes

Where real startup founders pitch to real investors—for real money.
Forget everything you think you know about the world of venture capital. Host Josh Muccio takes listeners behind closed-doors and into the room where deals are made.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

The Pitch Pitch+

    • Business
    • 4.7 • 1.4K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

Where real startup founders pitch to real investors—for real money.
Forget everything you think you know about the world of venture capital. Host Josh Muccio takes listeners behind closed-doors and into the room where deals are made.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Handle: The Uncut Pitch

    Handle: The Uncut Pitch

    For our season 10 finale, we’re trying something crazy. We’re giving you a full pitch from start to finish with no editing whatsoever! Founder Chase Robbins presents his snack delivery business, Handle, to investors Paige Doherty, Neal Bloom, Elizabeth Yin, Mark Phillips and Charles Hudson. Will they back this college dropout who promises on-campus deliveries in 15-minutes or less? Or will they steer clear of a space that's seen billions of VC dollars go up in flames?
    You can also watch the Handle pitch on YouTube. To learn more about Chase's snack delivery startup and the investors featured on this episode, check out the Handle show page.
    Enjoying the podcast? Use this link to text a friend!
    Chapters:
    (0:00) Introduction and season finale announcement by Josh Muccio
    (1:30) Pitch by Chase Robbins, founder of Handle
    (3:22) Questions from investors about profitability, customer acquisition, and supplier base
    (9:43) Chase Robbins' plan for expansion and discussion on potential market size
    (13:54) Operational challenges, solutions, and current tests in the company
    (20:26) Discussion on delivery speed, customer retention, and the trust aspect in the business model
    (23:05) Neil Bloom's question about using delivery bots and future use of drones for delivery
    (25:20) Elizabeth Yin brings up the issue of student turnover and aging out of the demographic
    (34:53) Investors give their final thoughts and investment decisions
    (45:49) After The Pitch: Josh interviews Chase Robbins
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    • 59 min
    Locker: The Future of Online Shopping

    Locker: The Future of Online Shopping

    Online shopping was supposed to make things easier. But with so many options, it’s also made our shopping experience more fragmented than ever. Kristine Locker set out to fix that with her social shopping app Locker. However, her target demographic is a couple generations behind most VCs. Can Kristine convince investors she has the solution to a problem they don’t experience or will they abandon this startup in the cart?
    You can also watch the Locker pitch on YouTube. Today’s investors are Beck Bamberger, Al Bsharah, Jillian Manus, and Howie Diamond.
    To learn more about Kristine's retail tech startup and the investors featured on this episode, check out the Locker show page.
    Enjoying the podcast? Use this link to text a friend!
    Chapters:
    (0:00) Introduction from Josh Muccio and overview of the episode
    (2:21) Kristine Locker's pitch for Locker
    (5:47) Discussion on possible B2B opportunities and go-to-market strategy for Locker
    (9:15) Deep dive into the team behind Locker and their vision for the next five years
    (12:58) Investor decisions and overall thoughts on the business
    (15:45) Investors debrief after Kristine leaves the room
    (18:34) After The Pitch: Kristine Locker shares updates on funding opportunities and challenges
    (21:45) Discussion on the future of retail and online commerce
    (24:14) Kristine's plans for Locker moving forward
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 29 min
    ECGO: Turning Trash Into Treasure With AI

    ECGO: Turning Trash Into Treasure With AI

    Ever stood at the recycling bin wondering, “Is this cup really recyclable?'' Enter Nicole Toole, the founder of ECGO, an AI-powered app designed to tackle this confusion. With ECGO, you snap a photo of any item, and the app will tell you how to properly dispose of it. But as mind-blowingly awesome as this is, the investors wonder how much money can you really make from trash when you’re selling to universities. 
    You can also watch the ECGO pitch on YouTube. Today’s investors are Elizabeth Yin, Erica Wenger, Jillian Manus, Martin Tobias and Charles Hudson.
    To learn more about Nicole's recycling startup and the investors featured on this episode, check out the ECGO show page.
    Enjoying the podcast? Use this link to text a friend!
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 30 min
    Outlines: A Venture-Backed Shower Curtain?

    Outlines: A Venture-Backed Shower Curtain?

    Luke Barkley Young was tired of two things: companies that don’t take responsibility for products they put in the world and moldy shower liners. So he created Outlines, a circular subscription for all your home essentials. Their first product is a recyclable shower curtain. But it’s a rough environment out there for direct to consumer products. Will the VCs invest in Luke’s big vision for replenishables – or would that just be pouring money down the drain?
    You can also watch the Outlines pitch on YouTube. Today’s investors are Beck Bamberger, Al Bsharah, Jillian Manus, and Howie Diamond.
    If you would like to invest in Outlines, go to pitch.show/outlines
    To learn more about Luke's replenishment startup and the investors featured on this episode, check out the Outlines show page.
    Enjoying the podcast? Use this link to text a friend!
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 32 min
    Wist: The Killer Use Case for VR?

    Wist: The Killer Use Case for VR?

    Venture investors have spent the last decade searching for the killer use case for VR. Today’s founder, Andrew McHugh, thinks he’s found it with his startup, Wist. But days before Andrew gave his pitch, Apple sent shockwaves through the industry by announcing their new headset, the Vision Pro. Will investors be skittish about the tech giant entering the space? Or is it a sign that VR’s big moment has finally arrived?
    You can also watch the Wist pitch on YouTube. Today’s investors are Paige Doherty, Neal Bloom, Elizabeth Yin, Mark Phillips and Charles Hudson.
    If you would like to invest in Wist, go to pitch.show/wist
    To learn more about Andrew's augmented reality startup and the investors featured on this episode, check out the Wist show page.
    Enjoying the podcast? Use this link to text a friend!
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 40 min
    Wist Diligence Call With Cyan Banister

    Wist Diligence Call With Cyan Banister

    Cyan Banister is an early-stage investor in companies like Uber and SpaceX. She’s also the lead investor in Wist - Andrew McHugh’s startup featured on episode 122. In this diligence call we talk about Long Journey Ventures, the challenges of investing in AR/VR, why memories are so valuable, and what Cyan looks for in a founder.

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
1.4K Ratings

1.4K Ratings

BrucePreus ,

Full pitch unedited

Great episode listening to the full pitch, unedited! Totally great hearing all the details and makes the founder more impressive being able to handle all those questions that are non sequential, in real time. Good practice for founders to hear the line of questions in true, full speed.

Also, since you you have 100+ episodes, and significant breaks between each season, you can do full length re-releases to engage audience between seasons. Or even during seasons when you need to extend out.

Guy does this very well with “How I Built this”. Love the show! Glad you are back. Been with you since Season 1!

fadingcrane ,

So good

I just binged every single episode of this show in about 1 month. I was listening to it constantly and could not stop. Really great investors. Very educational. Makes me feel like so much more prepared in my own business ideas and endeavors. Would greatly recommend to anyone thinking about how to think about business or if you are going to be pitching business ideas to people, especially if they might invest. Josh’s jokes are sometimes pretty cringe but in an endearing way.

Im sad that I caught up to the current episode and don’t have more to binge.

Atbrc ,

Love listening with my 12 year old daughter

My daughter has started a baking business and was on Food Network's Kids Baking Championship. Listening to these pitches is helping her understand why it is so important to know her numbers for when she wants to expand her current business or one she creates in the future. Thanks to all the founders out there!

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