A slang term used to describe the quick delivery of a presentation outlining an idea for a product, service or project. The name comes from the notion that the pitch should be succinct enough to be delivered to another party while riding an escalator. An escalator pitch should last no more than 60 seconds.
Entrepreneurs use escalator pitches to convince venture capital firms to invest in their ideas. Because there are many business opportunities from which to choose, an entrepreneur has to be able to clearly and effectively explain an idea if an opportunity presents itself with a potential investor.