Prepare a three-minute pitch
Use the course pitch outline for the rehearsal, revised deck, and Demo Day: problem and user; product or demo; evidence and what you learned; next step.
The allocation below is a starting point. Rehearse to fit the three-minute limit, including any demo and speaker handoffs. Demo Day then has two minutes of questions.
| Suggested time | What to cover |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:30 | Problem and user. Who has the problem, how they handle it today, and what you are building. |
| 0:30–1:15 | Product or demo. Show one concrete workflow, from the user's input to the result. |
| 1:15–2:30 | Evidence and learning. Use a few relevant user observations or measured results. Explain what worked, what failed, and what changed as a result. |
| 2:30–3:00 | Next step. State your current conclusion, the main remaining uncertainty, and the next decision or experiment. |
Before you present
- Rehearse aloud with a timer. Include the demo and transitions. If you run long, cut material rather than speaking faster.
- Make slides easy to read. One main point per slide, large text, and charts with labeled units and reporting periods. Start with the problem instead of a separate agenda slide.
- Prepare for a failed demo. Have screenshots or a short recording ready, and identify recorded results accurately.
- Check every claim. Distinguish measurements from assumptions, include failures, and anonymize user evidence. Negative results can support a useful conclusion.
- Practice questions. Be ready to explain your evals, user evidence, costs, limitations, and why you chose the next step. Say what you do not yet know.
Further reading: Y Combinator's A Guide to Demo Day Presentations, on presenting a clear story, simplifying slides, and practicing. For this course, follow the outline above and the course grading criteria.
Write a clear final report
Follow the final submission requirements. Organize the writeup around the decisions you made: the evidence you had, what you chose to do, what happened, and what you learned. Link the supporting work and distinguish observed results from future plans.