As ‘Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch” airs nationwide, its producer shares what he’s learned watching founders vie for life-changing investment.

This fall, our investment show, Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch, airs on more than 30 TV stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, CW) across the country — and it’s an accomplishment 10 years in the making. Started as a web series in 2016, this show is not only a testament to the startup mindset, but it is a sign that people love and are moved by stories of innovation, creativity, and tenacity. Over the past six seasons I’ve produced the show, I’ve been blown away by the energy and passion I’ve witnessed from both our contestants and our audience.

For those who don’t know the premise of the show, three angel investors sit on the top floor of a building where founders have just 60 seconds to pitch in an elevator on their way up. They have to state their mission, traction, revenues, and their ask before the clock runs out.

If they’re not able to win over the investors in those 60 seconds or if they totally freak out (which happens from time to time), the founder gets sent back down to the ground floor empty-handed.

But if the founder nails the pitch, the elevator doors open and they step into the boardroom to try to seal a deal. There are rapid-fire questions, financial rundowns and demos of products ranging from snacks to apps to hardware to category-defying ideas. If the entrepreneurs are able to dazzle the investors, negotiations and bidding wars begin, with offers ranging from $25,000 to $1 million flying around the room.

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