Pitch Ready: Nail the Story and the Q&A

Oct 14, 2026 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Founders rarely lose a room during the pitch — they lose it in the ten minutes after. This session is a rehearsal, not a lecture: tighten the story down to what actually earns attention, then work through the questions that break most founders, including the AI-defensibility line of questioning investors now open with.

**What We’ll Cover**

* Structuring a ten-minute pitch that holds attention start to finish
* Opening lines, traction framing, and the ask
* Delivery mechanics: pacing, transitions, and cutting filler
* The questions founders consistently fumble — and how to prepare for them
* Building a Q&A battle sheet, including AI moat and defensibility answers
* Handling pushback, unknowns, and questions you can’t yet answer
* Live practice runs with recorded playback and direct feedback

**Who Should Attend**
Missouri founders with a working deck who are heading into investor meetings, a pitch event, or a program interview — and want reps before it counts.

**What You’ll Leave With**

* A tightened pitch narrative
* A Q&A battle sheet including AI defensibility
* A recorded, feedback-reviewed run

Part of the Show-Me Founders Series.

*This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.*