Stepping Up to the Hot Seat

Students make their pitch on the Hot Seat at the Summer Venture Program.
Listen

One by one on a Wednesday afternoon, Summer Venture Program (SVP) entrepreneurs took their place in front of a classroom of peers.

With a slideshow presentation behind them, the entrepreneurs pitched their products. Some shared personal stories to relate to the audience, while others disclosed powerful statistics to make their point more compelling.

This pitch practice featured a special guest: MassChallenge CEO Siobhan Dullea. She was there to listen and provide feedback as entrepreneurs prepared for the upcoming Summer Venture Showcase.

“They really appreciated her comments and advice, considering she has been so involved in the Boston startup ecosystem,” said Antonette Ho, associate director of entrepreneur programs for the Blank Center.

The Blank Center makes pitch practice a key component of SVP. First launched in 2010, the Hot Seat, a signature experience of SVP, is a chance for entrepreneurs to practice pitching and receive real-time feedback. All SVP participants go on the Hot Seat at least once during the summer.

Before taking the metaphorical stage, entrepreneurs must identify their role-playing audience, frequently as investors or customers.

After their pitch, the group provides the entrepreneur with feedback not on the business model, but how engaging and persuasive the entrepreneur was in their pitch. A group then works with the entrepreneur to fine tune their pitch ahead of the showcase.

Ho said the purpose of the Hot Seat is for participants to receive honest feedback.

“SVP is not for credit,” Ho said. “The exercise really helps them hone in on their skill set as a presenter and communicator.”

“Because there’s no grade attached to it, a lot of people when providing feedback are more honest.”

The Summer Venture Showcase is the culmination of the annual program. For 10 weeks, 13 teams of undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurs from Babson College, F.W. Olin College of Engineering, and Wellesley College have developed their ventures, from consumer products to services and tech, while receiving expert advice and access to top resources along the way.

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

More from Community »

Latest Stories

A woman points to a presentation in a meeting
Why Analytical Thinking Is the Cornerstone of Strategic Business Decisions Business decisions are rarely simple. Analytical thinking is critical for leaders to identify and navigate the options in front of an organization, so it’s important to develop analytical thinking skills in order to make smart decisions.
By
October 7, 2025

Posted in Insights

a row of electricity meters
The Price of Power: What’s Driving Rising Electricity Rates? Electricity rates have been steadily increasing. Ryan Davies, a Babson professor of finance, unpacks the many reasons for that, including the massive data centers popping up across the country.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
September 30, 2025

Posted in Insights

The Babson community and mascot celebrate at the Roger Babson statue last year
No. 2 Again: Wall Street Journal Ranks Babson the No. 2 Best College for the Second Year in a Row For the second year in a row, The Wall Street Journal ranked Babson as the No. 2 Best College in the United States, lauding the College for its impressive impact on student outcomes.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
September 29, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Insights, Outcomes