BTEC Level 3 Unit 19 Pitching for a New Business Assignment Brief 2026

Unit in Brief

Learners study the practical skills and acquire the knowledge needed to undertake the necessary preparation and steps to set up and pitch for funding for a micro-business.

Unit Introduction

Entrepreneurs explore potential business opportunities, select viable business ideas, prepare appropriate business plans and pitch these to potential investors. This unit will teach you how  to carry out these steps which are critical to the development of new businesses.

In this unit, you will investigate a potential micro-business idea and outline a business plan.  You will present your business plan to potential investors with a view to securing appropriate funding. It is important that you are able to recognise what should be included in a pitch and  how the process of idea formulation, selection, planning and presentation should be managed in order to secure funding.

This unit will develop the skills needed if you decide to set up your own business, or if you want to work in or study further a sector or area that needs entrepreneurial or innovative skills.

Learning Aims

In this unit you will:

A Explore potential ideas for a micro-business start-up B Develop a business plan for a viable micro-business start-up CCarry out a pitch for funding for the chosen micro-business.

Summary of Unit

 Content

Learning aim A: Explore potential ideas for a micro-business start-up

A1 Exploration of ideas for a micro-business start-up

• Idea generation for new products, services and/or market for business opportunities.
• Decision matrix: generation of selection criteria and scoring for business opportunities.

A2 Models for business opportunities

• Business activity: primary, secondary or tertiary sector of activity.
• Processes: manufacturing, outsourcing, sourcing, channels to market.
• Organisational form: structure, roles and responsibilities.

A3 Factors to be considered when setting up a micro-business

• Capability and core competencies.
• Time constraints.
• Financial constraints.
• Potential stakeholder influences.
• Access to physical resources.
• Availability of IT.
• Environmental influences.
• Internal risks.
• External risks.

Learning aim B: Develop a business plan for a viable micro-business start-up

B1 Market analysis and planning

• Target market definition.
• Secondary and primary research.
• Business environment: Porter and PESTLE.
• Marketing mix.
• Unique selling points (USPs).

B2 Legal aspects

• Business legal form and liability insurance.
• Consumer protection legislation.
• Employment legislation.
• Health and safety legislation.
• General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
• Environmental protection legislation.

B3 Financial aspects

• Pricing policy.
• Sales forecasts.
• Projected costs: set-up, fixed and variable costs.
• Break-even forecast.
• Cash flow forecast.
• Forecast opening and closing statement of financial position, capital structure to show investment necessary from potential investors.
• Forecast income statement for trading period.

B4 Evaluation

• Marketing mix SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis.
• Financial forecasts, including liquidity analysis, profitability analysis, sensitivity analysis.

Learning aim C: Carry out a pitch for funding for the chosen micro-business

C1 Documents and materials for pitch to audience

• Appropriate documents and materials that are detailed, appropriate, and relate to individual business proposal.
• Documentation to support funding investment.
• Evidence of exploration of potential questions and answers from potential investors, including risk, expectations for return, share ownership and voting rights, percentage of shareholding and control.

C2 Professional presentation skills demonstrated in the pitch

• Presentation, behaviour and conduct of presenter, e.g. attire, attitude, business-like skills, suitable for audience, well prepared.
• Negotiation and communication skills.

C3 Review and evaluation of the pitch

• Receive feedback on the business content of the pitch, analyse feedback and make amendments accordingly.

Assessment Criteria

Essential information for Assignments

The recommended structure of assessment is shown in the unit summary along with suitable forms of evidence. Section 6 gives information on setting assignments and there is further information on our website.

There is a maximum number of two summative assignments for this unit. The relationship of the learning aims and criteria is:

Learning aim: A (A.P1, A.P2, A.M1, A.D1)

Learning aims: B and C (B.P3, B.P4, C.P5, C.P6, B.M2, C.M3, B.D2, C.D3)

Further information for teachers and assessors

Resource requirements

For this unit, learners will need access to a range of current business information on websites and from printed resources.

Essential information for assessment decisions

Learning aim A

For distinction standard, learners will evaluate a range of internal and external factors for the small business start-up, along with how they can be a risk to the new business (at least four factors and four risks will be evaluated).

For merit standard, learners will analyse the factors, ensuring there is a good range and noting that some factors and risks will affect some types of business and not others.

For pass standard, learners will research a new business and the model outlined. Details of the activity and its processes, and the business form will be evidenced in the portfolio. At least four factors will be explained. If learners work in groups to research and explore, work must be submitted individually in a professional portfolio. As this is for a micro-business, the choice of business should be a small entity that does not require more than four employees to start it up.

Learning aims B and C

Professional business language will be used and data must be realistic for the business. Learners will be encouraged to create their own plan template for the business plan. If learners work in groups, the group size should not exceed four. An individual plan is required in the portfolio.

Learners will need to pitch their plan to an informed audience, ideally a panel of local business people, staff and peers. It should be organised formally as if in the workplace. Witness statements will be produced and included in the learner’s portfolio.

For distinction standard, learners will show clear justification of the plan, giving reasons for all of its elements. A SWOT and sensitivity analysis will be used, together with a ratio analysis to give an evaluation of predicted success. Learners will present their plan individually. They will have used initiative and creativity in their pitch presentation, demonstrating a high standard of individual technical ability, attention to detail, innovation and precision.

For merit standard, learners will show the range of financial statements and the marketing mix will be analysed, clearly demonstrating how sales figures were arrived at. All costs will be realistic for the size of the business. Learners will need to present a professional, individual pitch and analyse the feedback from the panel and viability issues.

For pass standard, learners will design a coherent plan, comprising key sections, including legal and financial, supported with research. Learners will present their plan individually and will be able to answer questions on their plan asked by the panel.

Links to other Units

This unit links to:

• Unit 4: Managing an Event
• Unit 9: Team Building in Business
• Unit 14: Investigating Customer Service.

Employer Involvement

This unit would benefit from employer involvement in the form of:

• guest speakers from small businesses
• participation in audience assessment of presentations
• work experience
• business materials as exemplars
• support from local business staff as mentors.