This summer has witnessed 4 FarmHacks taking place: an on-farm hackathon, working on technology challenges framed by the farmer, the results of which are judged by the farmer.
Source Institute has supported FarmHack with a bootcamp. On this day we facilitated fixer sessions with domain experts, and worked together with the teams on their pitches. This way we can create more sustainable outcomes from hackathons, ensuring that teams can proceed on their concepts if they want to progress.
#The current opportunity
In closing this first cycle of FarmHack events, the FarmHack teams now have the opportunity to take the stage at Agri Meets Design on October 26th. This is part of the Dutch Design Week, one of the largest design exhibitions in the world. Teams have the opportunity to reach out to the audience with their ask, and get introductions to new, great people that can help them move forward.
We’ve already gathered some great tips for building a pitch during the bootcamp like:
- provide context, and details that help the audience understand what you’re asking with your pitch
- make sure you know your audience, and understand how to strike a chord with them
- don’t forget to put in the ask!
- if you use numbers, make sure that you limit them to a few that really stick
- make it personal: it’s about you, and your drive
- capture the imagination of your audience. Describe problems you address with your business that people, can almost see, feel, and touch
- show your progress. Back it up with credible facts
- use pauzes in your presentation. That helps you to think, and to get a sense of the room, and the make you look smart!
#Getting help with the pitches
With this discussion thread we would like to offer teams a last opportunity to pull in support, before they hit the stage. FarmHack teams that have some questions about their pitches, or would like us to reflect on their content, can do so in this discussion string. Hit reply, and send us your issues, and questions! You can do it in written form, by uploading your slides via slideshare, or maybe a youtube video of your pitch 
Once you have created your input, we’ll be sure to respond! This forum has some great minds attached to it concerning agriculture, and technology innovation, for instance with the entrepreneurs from the Africa Prize. We’ll also be pulling in some new networks from New Zealand, and the United States to go through the questions and material that the pitching teams provide, and the questions you have about your pitches. You might never know what great new connections could come through this!