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My partner and I are considering applying to an accelerator program in NYC. The application asks for two pitch videos, one about the business and one about the team.

Just wondering what these videos tend to look like. Are they basically slide presentations? I have lined up interviews with a couple would-be customers who will talk about why a service like ours would be helpful and say that they would be willing to pay for it.Is there supposed to be music?

I have no idea what they are looking for, but I am essentially asking: how professional does this need to be?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

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2 Answers

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Like anything, your video needs to capture the investors attention. Quality of production is not as important as the message that gets across.

Think about it this way. What impresses you more? A slick ad or a friend recommending a product to you.

Make it feel like you are pitching directly to the investor just like you were in person. Keep it simple, show them what customer pain you solve and why you will win.

Personally, I would avoid big productions. It just seems like style of substance. That does not mean you make it look crappy -- just make it look like you thought about the content.

When it comes to your team video, show what you accomplished, why you can build the product and your passion for the project. An investor wants to see the passion.

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I'm guessing if you are applying to an incubator, you need the incubator more for the business related inputs rather than the technical ones. In that case, if you have a prototype ready, I would suggest give them a demo to look at. Even something rudimentary does work well to give incubator assessors a good brief about your product/service and shows that you are well on your way towards your goals.

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