Team: Thomas Hsu (Stern B.S. ’23), Winn Hsu (Tandon B.S. ’24), Mark Lee (Tandon B.S. ’24), Tobi Adeyefa (Tandon B.S. ’24)
About the Venture: MetroMesh Media is creating a new category in out-of-home (OOH) advertising by turning delivery riders into hyper-local, mobile ad platforms. The core insight is simple: advertisers know where they want to be—inside pedestrian zones, residential buildings, and commercial interiors—but traditional OOH media cannot reach these locations. MMM solves this problem by embedding programmatic ad displays onto delivery bags, unlocking visibility in places no other ad can go.
Author: By Jessica Hsu, Marketing & Branding @ MetroMesh Media, Inc.
A compelling pitch, much like a well-crafted play, needs to follow a structured arc to captivate, engage, and convince the audience. Your pitch is a performance, and you are the greatest showman — every element flows seamlessly, drawing the audience in, building up tensions, and ultimately delivering a powerful resolution.
Before we break down the structure, set the stage with this 1-minute clip: our Co-Founder, Winn Hsu, winning over the audience at the 11th NYU-Yale Pitchoff: Watch here.
In this moment, MetroMesh CEO Winn Hsu demonstrates the power of live storytelling. Rather than rely on slides, he shows the solution in action—a working product that directly addresses a problem the audience has just become invested in. The impact is immediate: phones go up, attention locks in. This wasn’t an ad tech crowd, but a diverse audience instantly immersed in the story of digital out-of-home innovation. They didn’t just understand the problem—they were eager to see the solution.
Let’s break down how Winn structured his pitch. While it may not follow a traditional format, it adheres to the golden principles of effective storytelling.
In any compelling pitch, the exposition serves as the foundation. Use this moment to introduce your company, mission, and the context behind your venture. Focus on clarity over detail—your goal is to quickly establish relevance and credibility. Start with a strong presence, build rapport with your audience, and clearly articulate the problem space. Paint a vivid picture of the environment in which your product operates, and create a natural lead-in to the core problem.
The complication introduces the central challenge your business solves. It’s not enough to state the problem—make it matter. Demonstrate why the issue is urgent, persistent, and costly. Help your audience understand the real-world consequences of inaction. A compelling complication builds tension and primes your audience to seek resolution. If you make them care about the problem, they’ll be eager to hear your solution.
This section is where you shift from problem to progress. Present your solution with confidence and precision. Highlight how your business directly addresses the complication with tangible actions and results. Support your claims with real-world validation—early traction, customer feedback, pilot data, or case studies. The goal is to show that your solution is not theoretical; it’s tested, effective, and ready to scale.
This is the moment to demonstrate breakthrough. Whether it’s a product demo, user success story, or striking market validation, your audience must see that your solution creates impact. This is where attention peaks—make it visual, compelling, and direct. Your audience should walk away knowing your solution not only works, but wins.
End with conviction. Tie the narrative back to your mission and future vision. What happens next? How can the audience be a part of it? Finish before energy dips—leave them energized and aligned, not overloaded. A well-paced, confident ending keeps your venture top of mind long after your final word.
Conclusion
A successful pitch is all about structure. By carefully crafting each stage—Exposition, Complication, Development, Climax, and Dénouement—you create a memorable experience that captivates your audience. A great pitch is a performance where the problem resonates, the solution is clear, and the next steps are obvious. Like a well-made play, a well-crafted pitch keeps your audience engaged, leaving them eager to be part of your story.
Learn More about MetroMesh
Watch more: MetroMesh Media at The Feedback Loop: Innovating DOOH Advertising | Full Pitch & Feedback
Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metromeshmedia/?viewAsMember=true
Learn more: Go where no ad has gone before with MetroMesh Media (concept video)
Explore Advertising Solution: https://www.metromeshmedia.com/advertisers
