Research shows that in many types of sequential competitions, the order of competitors can have a significant effect on judges’ evaluations. In some music and sports competitions, for example, competitors who go last have an advantage, while in sales or persuasive argumentation, studies have shown that going first is advantageous. But what effect does competitor order have for startup pitch contests?
In Pitch Contests, Going First Is a Disadvantage
In a series of four competitions, researchers found that the first two contestants were consistently rated lower.
September 01, 2020
Summary.
Many early-stage startups acquire funding through contests in which founders take turns pitching their companies before a panel of investors. Based on observations of a series of four pitch competitions, the authors determined that the first two contestants were consistently rated lower than later pitches, even when controlling for potential compounding factors such as race or gender. Based on this counterintuitive finding, the authors suggest that founders should try to avoid pitching first, and that investors should do their best to limit the impact of these order effect biases by proactively reconsidering their earlier evaluations.
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