For the Baja SAE Business Presentation event, our team needed to act as a mock manufacturing company pitching a vehicle program to industry judges acting as investors. My role focused on ensuring the proposal was realistic, financially defensible, and tightly aligned to customer requirements.
The Challenge
The competition required a complete response to a formal RFP under technical and business constraints. Success depended on presenting a plan that was not only competitive, but also credible under detailed questioning about cost, production, and market fit.
Strategic Contribution
- RFP alignment: Mapped design choices, production targets, and pricing logic directly to stated customer requirements.
- Feasibility validation: Audited workflow and cost assumptions to keep projections realistic and defensible.
- Business coherence: Ensured technical claims and financial model told one consistent story.
Pitch Delivery
- Coordinated and delivered a structured virtual proposal over Zoom.
- Built a clear narrative around value proposition, market fit, and operating model.
- Prepared supporting rationale for judge follow-up and challenge questions.
Impact
- Earned the highest business presentation score in team history as of the 2024-2025 season.
- Received strong judge feedback for practical customer focus and financial realism.
- Helped establish the foundation that supported the team reaching finals during the 2025-2026 competition cycle.