Investors of the final pitch on the role of entrepreneurial mentoring and financial investment on a green startup’s business growth

Abstract

Televised Business Pitches, such as Dragons' Den and Shark Tank, have gained popularity as entrepreneurs present their ideas to investors in hopes of securing funding. However, the focus of these shows is primarily on the pitching process itself. For this study, it examines the impact of these shows on its participants, specifically assessing their effectiveness in obtaining financial funding and mentoring and their influence on business growth. By analyzing the episodes and conducting semi-structured interviews with four technology startup ventures featured on the local show The Final Pitch, we collected relevant data. We utilized tables to summarize and tabulate the evidence, integrating identified themes into a cross-case report. Results reveal that The Final Pitch was effective in providing funding and mentorship opportunities for green business startups. However, the received mentoring was only a partial contributor to the businesses' longevity and growth. Meanwhile, the funding alleviated financial constraints and facilitated the realization of ideas and green business expansion. Moreover, newly emergent themes also came out such as signaling, an area that can be explored in future research. In conclusion, Televised Business Pitches offer valuable platforms to startups for acquiring financial support and mentorship.