The Pitch

1,421

Where startup founders raise millions and listeners can invest.Forget everything you think you know about the world of venture capital. Host Josh Muccio takes listeners behind closed-doors and into the room where deals are made.Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Recent Reviews
  • Et c'est parti.
    Like Shark Tank, Only Better
    I love that we get to hear an almost 30 minute conversation between the investors and the entrepreneur. Interesting companies and valuable learnings for those of us who love the startup world. However, I’ve stopped listening since the new format was introduced. Waiting months to hear the conclusion isn’t exciting- it’s unfulfilling.
  • Kurt from Seattle
    Great Show, Terrible Cliffhanger Format
    I’ve only listened for two seasons and love the show but the format this season is super annoying. They end on a cliffhanger to find out what happens and then (I think) we’re supposed to tune in months later for an update? Other than that the show is great and fun to hear how VCs think.
  • Timbomcgee
    New format blows
    Been a great show, followed since the beginning and then through gimlet. Now waiting for one final season conclusion is just a dumb idea lost this listener.
  • ECMWC
    New format is bad
    Used to like the show but not a fan of the cliffhangers in the latest season. The best part of the show was hearing the whole outcome in one episode. Hope the format will be fixed.
  • EmmyfromBoston
    Hi long time listener
    Love the show, but one of the beauties of it is getting full cycle from pitch to funding with the follow up story all in one episode … these Cliff Hangers are killing me lol
  • Tyler Sheinberg
    Great Show, Not A Great Pivot
    This started off as a great show, but is now losing its way. No longer do you get a follow up of what happens after the pitch.
  • JoeMo247
    Wait until Dec for episode conclusion?
    I’ve been a listener since the early Gimlet days, so it saddens me to have to post this, but who’s idea was it to make every S12 episode incomplete? You will have to wait until December to hear the conclusion of each episode. Talk about a memory context switch. I hate this shameless teaser stunt and sure hope it doesn’t catch on in the podcast world. #unsubscribe
  • Jem7672
    New format is awful
    Great podcast, great content but really dislike the new format saving the outcomes until the finale. Part of the sparkle of the Pitch was hearing a pitch all the way through and the outcome in the same episode. As a non business person this format provided insight to what made a pitch good or made it fizzle. It was inspiring, even made me want to buy products pitched. Now, there is little chance I will remember months old pitches during the finale. Having listened since the first season very disappointed the show decided to change the magic.
  • bglenden
    I hate the new format
    I suppose they must have market research or something for their new (2024) format, so I’m probably an outlier, but I hate saving the investment/due diligence outcome for a wrap-up show months in the future, where I will probably not remember details of the episode, none of which are so gripping that I want to keep them in my brain for the intervening months. I’ve listened to every season, but every episode of the new season just leaves me annoyed so I’ll probably unsubscribe.
  • BrucePreus
    Full pitch unedited
    Great episode listening to the full pitch, unedited! Totally great hearing all the details and makes the founder more impressive being able to handle all those questions that are non sequential, in real time. Good practice for founders to hear the line of questions in true, full speed. Also, since you you have 100+ episodes, and significant breaks between each season, you can do full length re-releases to engage audience between seasons. Or even during seasons when you need to extend out. Guy does this very well with “How I Built this”. Love the show! Glad you are back. Been with you since Season 1!
  • fadingcrane
    So good
    I just binged every single episode of this show in about 1 month. I was listening to it constantly and could not stop. Really great investors. Very educational. Makes me feel like so much more prepared in my own business ideas and endeavors. Would greatly recommend to anyone thinking about how to think about business or if you are going to be pitching business ideas to people, especially if they might invest. Josh’s jokes are sometimes pretty cringe but in an endearing way. Im sad that I caught up to the current episode and don’t have more to binge.
  • Nick McNulty
    Great to have this show back
    After a long break, it's wonderful to have The Pitch back in my podcast feed. The well developed pitches and the follow up interviews provide a cohesive look at start-up life, equal parts entertaining, insightful and motivational. I do have some constructive criticism. While certainly enthusiastic about the show, Josh can be a bit much at times (when he gets "super amped"), with his excitement feeling forced, his interview style gets a bit cutesy, and we don't need so much of the "narrator voice" interludes. And Jillian? PLEASE stop cutting off the entrepreneurs, the other investors, and the host. It really takes me out of what is otherwise a great podcast.
  • Atbrc
    Love listening with my 12 year old daughter
    My daughter has started a baking business and was on Food Network's Kids Baking Championship. Listening to these pitches is helping her understand why it is so important to know her numbers for when she wants to expand her current business or one she creates in the future. Thanks to all the founders out there!
  • Dcmasih
    Love this show
    Not a business person but I still find this show super interesting, and the stories that come after the pitch make it feel more personal
  • SophieSSH
    Updated review
    There are aspects that I both like and dislike about the new format. I like the input from the investors and I think many people would find it valuable. I also like that it differs from Shark Tank in that there is more help given not tied to money, just investors that want founders to succeed. The parts I don’t like are that the pitches don’t really explain the companies that well and also I don’t like the host. Im not sure if it’s the editing or what but most of the time I don’t fully understand what the company even does. It would be much more helpful for people who are interested ir there was an intro that explains exactly what the company does, who it’s customers are and if it’s profitable or not. Second the host talks like he’s a kid just listening to adult conversations. The pitch has been going for many years. At this point Josh should be able to provide some valuable feedback to the pitches himself instead of fan girling on every founder. Please be more professional!
  • BooneLady
    So Happy To See You Back
    I am so impressed with the way you bought your podcast back from Spotify and are reinvigorating it in a new way going forward. Like many listeners, I really missed The Pitch and I’m excited it is back and even better!
  • TeddyMP
    Why is Vox doing Dollar Store Shark Tank?
    I have absolutely no interest in this crap, especially from a news organization.
  • Will 1648
    Good listen, annoying background music
    Please stop with the too loud overdramatic background music during the pitches, it’s so distracting and just makes it hard to listen to.
  • 2Radar
    No minority shows
    This Is a great show however, it shows a lack of opportunity for black start up businesses. This is just a continuation of capitalism and not really given opportunities to black owed business. It’s hard to believe that no black on businesses apply for the show.
  • Dan3875
    Good content but hate the narration breaks
    No need to literally just recap what was said intermittently throughout the episodes, it’s repetitive and loses my interest
  • CupOfJoe2012
    Can’t wait for Wednesdays!
    I can’t express how excited I am that The Pitch is coming back! This more than almost anything makes me feel like things are finally returning to normal since 2020.
  • Ballalallaa
    Super excited that you’re back soon
    Re-listening to old pitches is nice but getting new ones is even better. Good luck!
  • pjreiman
    Glad you are back!
    Like others, this show was part of what has inspired me to become an entrepreneur. It provides examples, business insights, strategic advice… a lot of wisdom packed into every episode. Excited for the new season.
  • DL12358252528393
    Finally!
    So happy to hear the pitch is coming back — I really missed it!!!
  • Lola Luffnaigle
    Love it!
    One of the best business/entrepreneur-oriented shows out there. So entertaining and educational :)
  • wheel house the robo man
    Really good
    I would love to hear more food startups to.
  • pierceBD
    Stop the Morgan investor parts
    Honestly, I would give five stars but the Morgan and Morgan parts between episodes are absolutely annoying.... I skip through every time. On a side note! I would love the opportunity to pitch my start-up for n the show!
  • Dan52847
    Solid podcast
    Love the podcast, but there’s been so much emphasis lately on entrepreneurial “diversity”. Please get back to business and away from victim hood and identity politics. Everyone that isn’t a “white male” gets coddled, as a person of color I must say it’s a little patronizing at this point.
  • Shniklfritz
    Great podcast!
    Always both entertaining and informative, highly recommend!
  • JCRMV
    Another great podcast from Gimlet
    Really enjoy the structure of this. It’s exceeded expectations. Very helpful being a fly on the wall and hearing the pitches and entrepreneurs that get cash, and comparing them to the ones who don’t.
  • heyaoqing
    Love the pitch but the latest story is off
    If the founder Kevin can afford his two kids go to private high school this year, then why he can’t afford a developer to turn on the pay wall following apples requirements.
  • miss cgh
    Where’s the $?
    Great show, concise episodes with varied companies and founders. But it seems like the investors never actually go for it! It’s frustrating
  • DexterEV17
    The podcast that got me hooked on podcasts
    Absolutely love The Pitch. If you enjoy Shark Tank, you will definitely like this show. I love the check ins, both at the end of the episode and in later episodes. I never miss an episode.
  • E.IV
    Great for the Biz mind
    If your remotely interested in learning more about or starting a business, this is the podcast for you! This team casts a wide net around the start-up experience, from before the pitch room (concept stage) to after revenue generation, they truly uncover all of the various nuances companies face along their journey.
  • Sylvezine
    Every episode is fantastic
    The Pitch is one of my favorite podcasts. I love the authentic view of the entrepreneur, VCs, and the pitch. It’s everything you hope for watching tv shows like Shark Tank, but without the taint of network tv.
  • hdgakalxuhqjatwbwbw
    Fellow entrepreneurial and creative people....
    This show was made for you. I work in education, but have always been interested in the the path of entrepreneurship. I really enjoy listening to this podcast. I do wish it offered more episodes with female guests.
  • ::::::::::::::::::::::)
    Great Podcast
    This is one of the few podcasts I enjoy listening to. It’s fun to hear new ideas and how investors react. The host is great and it’s an all around great podcast. After hearing an ad on Spotify, I had to listen and it was a great decision!
  • Tree506
    Pitch...Perfect for budding entrepreneurs
    This podcast is perfect to help entrepreneurs avoid some of the pitfalls when dealing with VC. I love that in the discussions the VC gives alternative ways to raise funds and suggestion(on product improvement or marketing, pricing etc.) if the company is too earlier.
  • ~ K B ~
    No One Ever Invests
    Aside from every once and a while an investor putting in $25k, they always “pass” on the entrepreneurs. Otherwise a solid show, but what’s the point if they don’t put their money where their mouth is?!
  • lilliemitchell
    Love it!
    So entertaining and informative
  • dannosky
    Good, except for the host
    The interaction between the entrepreneurs delivering their pitch and the investors is extremely interesting to listen to but the snarky comments made by the host really detract from any otherwise solid show.
  • jKraus23
    Great for any entrepreneur
    The behind the scenes recap separates this from the rest as we get to hear what happens after the initial commitments and the diligence process. Not every deal goes through from that first pitch or sometimes investors get even more excited and put in larger amounts. I like the approach of the Pitch!
  • baitandswitch?
    Boring
    This show is so manipulative and boring. Like Shark Tank only more overly melodramatic if that is possible
  • Alex Pedersen
    Really thought provoking
    I learn a lot from this show about entrepreneurship
  • ENumer8
    Mixed messages about female founders
    UPDATE: "Got Goals? Grab a Cru" is a great episode; the (minority female) founder nails it. Here's a review I wrote about an earlier episode that sent a chilling message to female founders: This show was great until the last installment "I Want Bro Money Too" (#75). The founder was unusually abrasive and evasive, saying things like "You either believe in it, or don't" and "We expect that this is going to be growing exponentially". Unsurprisingly, the investors did not fund the startup. The host Josh Muccio did a follow-up talk months later where the founder admitted to not having received funding and... blaming sexual discrimination for her failure. That, in spite of the fact that she said "I go to a lot of events that only have [...] investors that are specifically looking for female founded companies" and "I was able to kind of cut through a lot of clutter because I was a woman". She admits to there being structural advantages to being a woman, yet blames her failure to raise funds on misogyny (she doesn't think investors are applying the same metrics when evaluating companies founded by men and women, without citing evidence). She says "Screw this VC fake world that's not doing what they're supposed to do". Mr Muccio who relies on the VCs to run this show piles on: "about half the population is getting 2.2% of all investment dollars. That just doesn't add up." Half of the population is building startups? That's a strawman argument -- the only valid metric is the percentage of men vs women receiving funding. The episode is encouraging young women to give up being entrepreneurs, telling them that they will never succeed because the cards are stacked against them. The show has previously shown many successful women; there was no need to promote someone who can't answer questions related to what they're building, sticks to their pitch, fails to get funding, and then blames sexual discrimination.
  • Kileyjst
    Great for pitchers and non pitchers
    I’ve listened to every episode of this podcast. Sad to see it go. Even if you aren’t looking to get money for your business, it’s informative and exciting to listen to these business owners pitch their ideas and see just what they go through.
  • Aye Are Kay
    Don’t go...
    While downloading this week’s episode, I saw that this is the first episode for the final season. No! Don’t go! I really enjoy The Pitch! What can we do to get you to change your mind? #sigh. This makes me so sad.
  • Wannabe Investor
    Please add some video or images
    I love this show! Great feedback and a fun listen. Wish there were some images or video to go along with it, so one can see the presentation. I love making my own predictions and whether I would’ve invested if I were a billionaire too😂
  • AbbyLane design
    I enjoy this every time a new one comes out!
    Great show
  • Nick Rishwain
    A favorite of mine.
    I cannot recall if I’ve provided a 5 star review previously. But here it is. I work and speak with startup founders weekly. The investors provide excellent analysis of these businesses. On top of that, they are kind and supportive towards the founders. It is a very positive and informative show. Love listening every week. Just wish there were twice as many episodes.
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