For teachers and facilitators
A free browser game that teaches pitching. Students invent a business on the spot and pitch it in 60 seconds for Funny and Fundable points. No account, no install, no cost, nothing collected from students. One screen at the front of the room is all you need.
Free. We email you the link to play — no student accounts, nothing to install.
Do the arithmetic before you plan the period: one round is 1 minute for every team to invent at once, then 1 minute per team to pitch. With five teams that is roughly 6 to 7 minutes a round once you add scoring.
| You have | Run this | Win condition |
|---|---|---|
| 10-15 minutes | One round | Highest score that round. A warm-up or a bell-ringer. |
| A class period 40-50 min | Three rounds | First team to 3 points. This is the normal classroom game and it fits comfortably. |
| 60-90 minutes | Four rounds, brainstorm → pitch → score → rotate | First team to 5. The full version, the way SideHustle Labs runs it. |
A standard class period is a completely normal way to play — pick first-to-3 and you are done inside the bell. The 60-90 minute version is not a requirement, it is what you use when you have a long block and want four full rotations.
The mechanic never changes. What changes is the clock, the scaffolding, and how strictly you judge Fundable.
| Level | Time to invent | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Upper elementary Grades 4-5 |
2-3 min | Judge Funny generously and treat Fundable as "would anyone want this?" Give teams a sentence starter: "Our business helps ___ by ___." Keep pitches to 30 seconds. |
| Middle school Grades 6-8 |
90 sec | Introduce "who is the customer?" as the Fundable test. Rotate the Investor role so every student judges once. |
| High school / CTE Grades 9-12 |
60 sec | Full rules. Require a price and a customer in every pitch. Strong fit for career-readiness, business, marketing, and CTE pathways. |
| College / university | 60 sec | Add a constraint each round: name a competitor, state unit economics, or defend the idea against one objection. Works as a lecture warm-up or an idea-generation session before a real pitch assignment. |
| Adult / professional | 60 sec | Play it straight. Judge Fundable hard. It doubles as pitch practice for anyone who has to sell an idea. |
Students practise public speaking, rapid problem framing, and defending an idea under time pressure. The Funny/Fundable split gives you two distinct things to talk about afterwards: delivery and substance.
It needs no prep and no subject expertise, so it works as an icebreaker, an end-of-unit release valve, or a plan you can leave for a substitute. The printable rules cover the whole game on one page.
Because the businesses are invented and deliberately absurd, there is no wrong answer to be embarrassed about. Students who will not present their own idea will happily pitch a ridiculous one. Teams also give reluctant speakers cover.
It has been run with 400 students at once. Above roughly 30, have teams pitch at their own tables and send one winner to the front, rather than pitching every team to the whole room.
Share your screen for the cards and the die. Use breakout rooms for the 1-minute invent phase, then bring everyone back for pitches. Timing is unchanged. Nothing needs to be installed on student devices.
Enter your email and we will send you the link to play, plus the printable rules.
Using it in your classroom and want to tell us how it went, or ask something not covered here? Email team@playsidehustle.com.