The Road to Klamath: Lab 2 Market Workshop

The finals are fast approaching and student teams are busily finishing up their prototypes—while simultaneously navigating year-end finals and other demands on their time.

But for three days in May teams met in Portland for a workshop to better prepare them for the June 29 finals.

Lab 2 Market included sessions on the golden rules of presentations, developing an elevator pitch, understanding the lifecycle of inventions and applying sustainability to the invention process, market segmentation, and some more pitch prep.

Students were coached and briefed on venture capital funding and tracking startup metrics. They posed during photo shoots. They had working lunches and working dinners. In short, they lived like entrepreneurs.

Students had the chance to work with marketing expert Cathey Armillas, organizer and coach for TEDx Portland. Cathey coached students on the unbreakable rules of presentations, how to capture the essence of their companies in six words, and other things to keep in mind as they refine the way they will present their inventions to the public.

For a taste of Cathey's magic, check out her use of improv as an example of the many ways to convey facts and emotion in a presentation.