THE INNOVATION PITCHFEST IS A UNIQUE ‘WORLD FIRST’ EVENT THAT WILL SHOWCASE AUSTRALIAN TALENT AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES!
Click here to read Press Release
The Inaugural Innovation Pitchfest February 2015 write up, click here.
Enter Innovation Pitchfest to:
Have access to world class manufacturing capabilities and expertise- Have your product sold in Tchibo stores in Germany and northern Europe
- Spend 4 days & 3 nights in Hong Kong with Tchibo Executives
- Promote your product and business to Australia & the world
- Work with Business experts to take your business to the next level
Have You:
- Designed and produced a product already sold in the Australian Market?
- Designed a product but want to manufacture more cost effectively?
- Designed a product but not sure where to start to manufacture?
REED GIFT FAIRS & LIFE INSTYLE EXHIBITORS CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE INNOVATION PITCHFEST
Non-exhibitors, please click here to enter Innovation Pitchfest.
Reed Exhibitions, Tchibo Germany & Nancy Georges, Magnolia Solutions are working together to:
- PROMOTE Australian products to the world
- OFFER Australian businesses manufacturing opportunity with an experienced international manufacturer; using high quality materials, leveraging manufacturing economies of scale, who is also a retailer in Germany and Northern Europe
- ATTRACT International buyers to Gift Fair and Life inStyle
WHO CAN ENTER:
- Reed Gift Fair and Life inStyle Exhibitors, August 2014 + February 2015 – eligible for first prize
- Designers, Inventors & non-exhibitors – enter the Innovation section
THE PRIZE:
THE WINNER (Exhibitors Only):
- Winning product submitted to the Tchibo Buying Team to be sold in their stores in Germany and Northern Europe
- Access to Tchibo’s world class Tchibo manufacturing plant, expertise and capabilities *
- Hong Kong trip with Tchibo, 4 days & 3 nights ~ to talk business, visit one of the busiest retail markets in the world and enjoy the sights & sounds of Hong Kong
* Winner may chose to utilise their existing manufacturing and not Tchibo’s.
THE RUNNER UP (Exhibitors Only):
- 4 Hour Power Meeting with Magnolia Solutions’ Nancy Georges, The Retail Miss Fix It, valued at $1210.00
INNOVATION AWARD (Non-Exhibitors Only):
- 4 Hour Power Meeting with Magnolia Solutions’ Nancy Georges, The Retail Miss Fix It, valued at $1210.00
- Course Credits – General Assembly
BENEFITS OF ENTERING:
- The winner isn’t the only business to benefit from the process, all Entrants will have access to the Tchibo manufacturing capability, fee free.
- Promotion online and in all press releases and media.
- Experience in the international market
WHEN:
Innovation Pitchfest will be during the Melbourne Life inStyle and Reed Gift Fairs, 1 – 5 August 2015.
Melbourne : 1 – 4 August : 10.00 am & 4.00 pm
WHAT IS A PITCHFEST?
Designers & Businesses ‘Pitch’ the features and benefits of their product in a series of Pitch rounds – each one eliminating Pitchers, ultimately ending with one Business standing!
JUDGES
- Christoph Honnefelder : Tchibo Director Products tchibo.de
- Bastian Grafe, Tchibo Director of Creative Sourcing & Co-operation tchibo.de
- Sally De Swart: Reed Exhibitions Australia Group Exhibition Director reedexhibitions.com.au
- Tara Dennis: Designer, Speaker taradennis.com
- Deb Bibby: Editor Real Living Magazine
- Nancy Georges: Magnolia Solutions, The Retail Miss Fix-it magnoliasolutions.com.au
SUBMISSIONS:
All businesses will be invited to submit their products or design innovation, either made or conceptual.
Product must be designed by the business.
We would love to see innovation and creativity in all submissions!!
CATEGORIES:
- Homewares
- Lifestyle
- Furniture
At this stage the PitchFest is not open for Fashion & Accessories.
THE CRITERIA:
The following will help you assess the viability of your submission. Consider the following:
- Design Innovation and Originality • Sales Success and Commercial Viability
- Unique to category • Presentation of Product and Packaging
- Customer Appeal and Value • Marketing and Merchandising Activity
- Innovation in Functionality • Quality of Manufacturing
KEY DATES:
10 July 2015: Submission Deadline.
17 July 2015: The Shortlist will be published
1 – 5 August 2015: Shortlisted businesses will then participate in 3 levels of Pitching before the winner is announced
“Tchibo is one of the biggest European retail companies operating in the field of consumer goods. With our unique business model of offering changing weekly collections of innovative, fashionable and creative products through our various sales channels we constantly surprise and delight our customers. To achieve this unique retail offering, we rely on our global network of partnering creative suppliers and innovators, from around the world. We very much appreciate the opportunity given by Reed and Magnolia Solutions to now step into the first collaboration with Australian Businesses and Creatives. We are more than excited and looking forward to sharing our expertise and experience the new product and concept ideas at the first ever Innovation Pitchfest in Sydney, Australia.”
Christoph Honnefelder , Director Products Tchibo
“We are delighted to be partnering with Tchibo to launch the first ever “Tchibo PitchFest” at Reed Gift Fairs. The opportunity to facilitate this event and connect a well-respected global retailer and manufacturer with innovative Australian wholesalers and promote Australian designed products to an international marketplace is very exciting. The “PitchFest” is a unique way to for a Retailer to source products at the Fairs and we look forward to wholesalers embracing this new initiative”
Sally de Swart | Group Director – Retail, Reed Exhibitions
“As a proud Australian and a former wholesaler and manufacturer, I am so excited to be creating this unique opportunity with two great organisations and their fabulous teams!! I have been looking for manufacturing solutions for Australian businesses, of every size, for many years and I believe that Tchibo will give Australian creatives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch their product to the world! The PitchFest seems a logical initiative to put together after spending time with Tchibo and knowing the objectives to think outside the square at Reed. No matter how innovative and strategic we are in Australia, our market and population is limited, we need international markets to ensure local success and longevity. I have enjoyed working with Sally and Katherine and their Reed Exhibitions’ team on innovations at Gift Fair and look forward to supporting businesses wherever this road will take us!”
Nancy Georges, The Retail Miss Fix-it, Magnolia Solutions
REED GIFT FAIRS & LIFE INSTYLE EXHIBITORS CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE INNOVATION PITCHFEST
Non-exhibitors, please click here to enter Innovation Pitchfest.
We have recorded Google Hangouts to share some info and insight into the event:
https://youtu.be/yelfu8k-NIA
https://youtu.be/sWdwLPRnRIo