Here Comes the Pitch

Students brought their big ideas to the table at this year’s Elevator Pitch Competition

“When can I buy one?” Jeremy Gall '96, CEO at Breezeway, inquired after Jack McConnell ’24 gave his 60-second pitch for Katch, an innovative package lockbox.

With a chuckle, McConnell began to outline his product’s introduction to the market. His confident and professional pitch won him first prize and $600 at the annual Elevator Pitch Competition hosted by Start @ Shea, the student executive board of the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center of Entrepreneurship. 

McConnell was one of 10 students selected out of 26 total participants to advance to the final in-person presentations. After going virtual last year, the competition returned in full force with a lively and responsive audience, plenty of refreshments, and even an intermission performance from Boston College a cappella group The Heightsmen. 

The finalists were each given 60 seconds to pitch an original product idea, followed by a 60-second question and answer session from a panel of five judges composed of Boston College alumni (see photo below). They offered up knowledgeable questions to each presenter, asking things like “how do you plan to monetize this?” and “who are your competitors?” The fast-paced nature had everyone in the Heights Room on the edge of their seats and at the end of the evening, cash prizes were awarded to the top three finishers and the crowd-favorite awardee, voted on by the audience via QR code.