01-04-0-2016: Calendar Reminder: "Buy her flowers"

Today's preliminary business-pitch session with FCP201 students was memorable. The title refers to a certain student's suggestion for Band 9 (a healthcare-lifestyle, mobile app company) to add value to their main product: a wearable, hormonal sensor for women having difficulties conceiving. It was one of those "you had to be there moments", but his idea was to provide a "his" (as a complement to "hers") Band, which would monitor his partner's hormone levels, wirelessly and, when the good new arrives, prompt him to acknowledge the joyful response, in the time honoured way, by sending flowers! Who says romance is dead, in the digital app world of undergraduates?This year's companies included an outreach business, targeting primary school children and their teachers, with inspirational Science projects (Science Ignites) and a related company producing "glow-in-the-dark" lilies, as a vehicle for funding an educational activity to persuade school children of the value of GMOs (Glowses). We had a couple of references to the mythology: Hebe, the Greek Goddess of Youth, and the Macrobian tribe, who legend has it, ejoyed unusual longevity. Both companies (FDDC and Macrobian), were promoting their products that would distract the grim reaper, and provide an improved quality of life to boot.By now the audience were thoroughly engaged and the Q&A session was difficult to squeeze in as the teams were quizzed thoroughly, from both technical and business perspectives. It was relaxed and informal, but at the same time the enthusiasm and professionalism was there for all to see. Thanks to all the teams for a fascinating insight into how you respond to a not-insignificant-challenge for the first time! We (Emma and Liz and me) all acknowledged the engagement and we are in for a treat when the final pitches are firmed up after the Easter Vacation. I will post some more specific feedback in the next post, which will hopefully help you all improve for the final pitch.