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$40 one-time Never expires Credited toward membership

Starter — your first real session

A structured prep call before, live pitch slot during, and structured feedback from investors and operators after. Everything you need to experience the format — and $40 that counts toward membership when you're ready.

Exponanta session

Your first two Exponanta sessions cost nothing and require no application. Come and see how the format works, meet the members, and decide if the chapter is right for your business.

88%
of people trust referrals from people they know
Source: Nielsen Study, 2021

What's included in Starter

Starter is not a trial — it is a structured onboarding experience. You get a real prep call, a real pitch slot in front of a live room, and real feedback. The $40 is not a deposit; it is credited in full toward your Member subscription if you join within 12 months.

Structured prep session — before your pitch

A 30-minute call with the session host before your pitch slot. You work through your looking-for declaration, sharpen your 6-minute presentation, and understand what the room will ask. Members who skip prep get weaker feedback.

One pitch slot — 6 min presentation, 14 min feedback

You present for 6 minutes to a live room of investors, operators, and service providers. The room then gives structured feedback for 14 minutes. Not applause — real critique that sharpens your pitch and surfaces warm introductions on the spot.

Live feedback from investors and operators

The feedback panel includes whoever holds category seats in the room — typically VCs, corporate innovation leads, and senior operators in your vertical. One session of this replaces months of cold outreach for feedback that matters.

$40 credited toward Member — never expires

Your $40 Starter fee is credited in full when you subscribe as a Member ($120 for 6 months). You pay $80 to activate. The credit never expires — use it when you are ready. There is no pressure to upgrade immediately after the pitch session.

Everything in Guest — included

Starter includes the two free guest visits. If you have already attended as a Guest, your Starter begins with the prep session and pitch slot — no need to re-attend as an observer.

The value at $40

One hour of structured feedback from a VC or corporate innovation lead typically costs $200–500 as a coaching session. A conference badge where you might speak to an investor costs $400–2,000. Starter delivers a structured prep call, a live pitch slot, and 14 minutes of real feedback for $40 — and the $40 counts toward membership.

Pitch slot
1
Feedback time
14 min
Prep call
30 min
Member credit
$40

What comes after Starter

Prep session — sharpen your presentation

30-minute call with the session host. Your looking-for declaration, your 6-minute pitch, what questions to expect. Happens before your pitch slot session.

Pitch slot — present to the live room

6 minutes to present your business. 14 minutes of structured feedback from the room. Warm introductions surface during the referral round that follows.

Decide — join as Member or return as Guest

After your pitch session you know if the chapter is the right room. Apply for Member ($120 / 6 months, $40 already credited → pay $80). Or continue attending as a Guest — one visit per month — with no pressure.

Questions about Starter

No. Starter includes the two free guest visits. You can buy Starter directly and attend your first two sessions as a Guest before booking your prep call and pitch slot. If you have already attended as a Guest, your Starter begins with the prep session immediately.

The Starter credit never expires. There is no deadline to upgrade to Member. When you are ready — whether that is one week or one year after your pitch session — you apply for membership and pay $80 (the $120 Member fee minus your $40 credit).

The Starter package includes a pitch slot specifically — a 6-minute presentation with 14 minutes of structured feedback. The challenge brief (for corporate operators) and case study (for agencies and service providers) are available to Members and Partners in their spotlight slots. If you are an operator or service provider, the pitch slot format still applies at the Starter level and can be adapted to your business type.

You can still complete the Starter package — attend guest visits and do your prep and pitch — even if your category seat is currently occupied. The pitch slot is open to Starter participants regardless of seat availability. The category seat exclusivity applies when you become a Member. If your seat is full at that point, you join the waitlist or apply to a different vertical chapter.

Yes. The Starter prep session and pitch slot are mandatory onboarding for all Members. This ensures every member in the room has experienced the format from the presenter's perspective — which directly improves the quality of feedback the room gives to future presenters. You cannot join as a Member without completing Starter.