The Pitch

Where startup founders raise millions and listeners can invest.

Host Josh Muccio takes listeners behind closed-doors and into the room where deals are made.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Entrepreneurship
Technology
Investing
126
‘It Was a Disaster’
After a failed pitch on our show back in 2017, Industrial Organic founder Amanda Weeks was ready for redemption. And she found it, to the tune of $4.2 million. Now she’s back — with a lot to say about how much she and her business have grown.
37 min
127
#56 Shark Tank vs. The Pitch
Zahra Kassam has been on the road in a major way, pitching her startup, Monti Kids. A few months before our show, she pitched on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” Today we find out: Did she win over any investors in her two very public pitches? And how do our investors compare to pitching the sharks?
41 min
128
#55 A New Spin on VR
Tom Impallomeni is here to pitch Tribe XR, a VR app that teaches people to DJ. He’s got a vision for using virtual reality to teach creative skills — but the investors are skeptical. Can Tom convince them he’s putting the right spin on VR?
36 min
129
#54 Is Selling in Walmart a Good Thing?
Debbie Wei Mullin is pitching her pour-over Vietnamese coffee startup, Copper Cow Coffee. The company is already doing well on Walmart’s shelves. But does she have what it takes to take the brand online?
34 min
130
Is the ICO Gold Rush Over?
After a frustrating round of fundraising for her company PopCom, Dawn Dickson decided that VC was broken. She opted to take a different route: an initial coin offering, or ICO. But then her best-laid plans got all mucked up ... by Uncle Sam.
33 min
131
#53 Investors Get Feisty at Our Philly Pitch-off
This week, The Pitch is live from The Wharton School at the University of Philadelphia. Three of Philly’s most promising young startups take the stage in front of Phil Nadel, Jillian Manus and a packed house for a live pitch competition.
37 min
132
After the Pitch: Sudden Coffee
Back in 2016, Sudden Coffee founders Joshua Zloof and Kalle Freese tried to sell the investors on their premium instant coffee. Two years later, we checked back in with Joshua and found that Sudden Coffee is still working out some kinks in the business: trying to find the right customers and nailing the flavor.
35 min
133
#52 Fitbit … for Dogs
Susan Sierota wants to help dog owners keep their furry friends healthy with her pet-tech startup, Waggit. Can she convince the four investors that her smart collar will win best in show?
26 min
134
#51 This Bot Can Fight Your ATM Fees
Founder Paul Kesserwani says we’re all losing way too much money to fees — credit card fees, bank fees, ATM fees. Can he convince investors that there’s major money to be made in the fee-fighting business?
31 min
135
#50 Ticket Scalpers, Beware! Blockchain Is Comi...
Why should you care about blockchain if you’re not a huge cryptocurrency nerd? Bandwagon founder Harold Hughes says it can help you score better seats to see your favorite team. Can he convince investors his startup isn’t just a part of the blockchain bubble?
30 min
136
#49 Nuts Can Kill. Are Seeds the Answer?
Blake Sorensen has a deathly nut allergy — one that's led to some harrowing trips to the ER. So he started a company, Blake’s Seed Based, to make snacks safe for people like him. Will the investors get on board with his mission?
31 min
137
#48 Will This Space Startup Make It off the Gro...
Vanessa Clark and William Kowalski want to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft for moving satellites around in orbit. Will their sci-fi ambitions be too much for investors to stomach?
31 min
138
#47 Can This Tiny Gadget Keep Kids in College?
The college dropout rate is high, and schools are paying the price... to the tune of billions of dollars every year. Marquett Burton says his education startup can help solve the problem. Will the investors agree?
28 min
139
#46 Never Get Lost Again
Somewear founder James Kubik thinks going off the grid shouldn’t have to mean going out of cell phone range. That’s why he created a device that turns smartphones into satellite communication hubs. Can he convince investors to join him on the trail?
26 min
140
#45 Whatever Happened to Virtual Reality?
It can be tough to get investors excited about VR, which has attracted tons of hype—without much payoff. Can entrepreneur Sophia Dominguez convince investors that VR’s time has finally come?
34 min
141
#44 Is This Sports App the Next OpenTable?
Finnish entrepreneur Topias Soininen says his startup will revolutionize the way people book tennis courts. But first, the investors have to figure out exactly what it is he’s pitching.
30 min
142
#43 Get This Party Startup in Here
Entrepreneur Julie Roth Novack says her party planning platform is exactly what event professionals have been missing. And it all hinges on a secret ingredient—something Julie calls "marketing gold".
24 min
143
#42 How Much Do You Trust Your Barista?
Cody Candee believes his company, Bounce, is the key to freeing us from the stuff we lug around all day. But can he convince investors that his temporary storage solution isn’t a liability disaster waiting to happen?
32 min
144
#41 Can This Startup Help Retailers Take on Ama...
Chelsie Lee wants to help online retailers keep up with Amazon's fast shipping options, but it might not be easy with the retail Goliath breathing down her neck.
34 min
145
#40 Three Startups Enter. Only One Will Leave.
At The Pitch’s first-ever live show, three startups face off. But can the investors agree on which company should take home the prize?
48 min
146
#39 This Pitch is Damn Near Perfect
Stefan Loble wows the room with his near perfect pitch for Bluffworks, a company that makes travel-business attire. But is his compelling story enough to get investors to sign on?
41 min
147
#38 A Beauty Industry Veteran Goes Rogue
Tina Hedges believes the future of beauty is all-natural, organic products. But the investors aren’t sure what to make of her food-grade products for your face.
27 min
148
#37 Can Tech Solve America’s Drug Crisis?
Founder David Sarabia’s experience with drug addiction inspired him to build an app, called inRecovery. It’s meant to help people who are in rehab. But can he get the rehab centers on board?
28 min
149
#36 When Two Startups Love Each Other Very Much...
Things get messy in the pitch room when Margot reveals that her company comes with a little extra baggage.
30 min
150
#35 The Proof Is in the Pudding
Max Pouvreau has built gourmet pudding company Petit Pot with his Michelin star background and scrappy customer acquisition. Now he wants VC backing to take it to the next level—and potentially a big acquisition.
29 min