On one of the StartUp Buses headed to SXSW 2012, this bumpy video was shot by Thomas Mulready from CoolCleveland.com. This video was uploaded 5 hours ago. The bus is probably still on the road. The bus is loaded with people with ideas they hope to pitch, contacts they hope to make. The next Zuckerberg could be right in one of those seats.
The two young people highlighted in this video are looking to do something different. It seems like every idea out there is bent on getting money or information out of people. Share more about yourself. Help us market to you. These two want to give back.
Tara Sturm (@akronwriter) from Cleveland State University wants to build a web and mobile app that helps consumers make decisions about the local impact of their purchases. It would help keep money local.
Nick Tippman from Bloomington, Indiana wants to build a way to crowdfund donations to causes, individuals who need help, etc. You would be able to check up on how your funding made people’s lives better.
As Mulready points out, there are three main aspects to a pitch.
Notions about monetizing any idea is necessary in our culture if it is to attract investors. Trouble is sometimes the minds that are best-suited for the creative activity to come up with need-filling (or need-creating) apps are not the same minds that know how to monetize. The other problem is, not all things that should be done are to be done for profit. Sometimes we should just take care of people.
I hope these two find someone to partner with them and get their ideas launched.