Developing Persuasive Pitch Decks for Internal Hackathons
Designed for Product engineers and designers participating in internal hackathons who need to communicate project ideas effectively to cross-functional judging panels. to spark real collaboration and high-energy learning.
A 90-minute hybrid workshop hosted just before a company-wide hackathon. Attendees are skilled at building, but struggle to frame the 'why' and 'impact' in their pitches—often defaulting to technical jargon. The session needs to energize participants, build confidence, and tackle anxiety about presenting to senior leaders.
Pitch Deck Decoder Game
Participants are shown three radically different examples of hackathon pitch decks (real or anonymized). They quickly jot down what grabs their attention first and what sticks with them. Then, reveal the actual outcomes: which project won, which flopped, and why the decks influenced decision-makers.
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Why this works
This activity taps curiosity and primes learners to spot structural patterns and emotional hooks, breaking initial assumptions about what makes a deck persuasive.
Jargon Jailbreak
Invite participants to rewrite a technical slide from a real hackathon deck using only simple, vivid language that a non-expert could understand. Then reveal how jargon-heavy slides often match low scores—and discuss why clarity trumps complexity.
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Why this works
Exposes a common misconception: more detail and complexity isn’t always better. By confronting the belief directly, participants learn the power of accessible language.
Quickfire Tagline Challenge
Host a rapid-fire round where every team writes a one-sentence tagline for their hackathon project, using sticky notes or chat. Facilitator reads them aloud—participants vote for the most compelling, with feedback focused on why it worked.
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Why this works
Creates low-pressure participation and quick wins. Everyone gets to see what resonates, without fear of formal critique.
Pitch Deck Carousel
Divide participants into small groups. Each group gets 5 minutes to create a mini pitch deck (4 slides: problem, solution, impact, ask). Then, groups rotate and present to another team, who role-play as judges, offering energetic, in-the-moment feedback.
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Why this works
Activates the room through rapid collaboration and playful competition, simulating the real hackathon pitch energy and urgency.
Real Judge’s Hot Seat
Bring in a real hackathon judge (or play the role) and pose a classic dilemma: two pitches with identical technical merit, but one uses a vivid story and the other sticks to data. The judge explains why they give the edge and what pulled them in emotionally.
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Why this works
Anchors learning in real-world stakes: how authentic decision-makers weigh storytelling versus facts. Sparks empathy and insight for judges' perspectives.
Personal Pitch Postcards
Participants reflect on a time they convinced someone internally to support an idea. They jot a postcard to their future selves: what worked, what didn’t, and how they’ll channel that experience in their hackathon pitch.
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Why this works
Connects learning to personal history, encouraging active reflection and ownership. Builds confidence through meaningful, individual insight.
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