As others have said, no, never pay. BUT, if I were you, I'd clarify with them that they are asking you to pay for a meeting. I've heard of people charging for p

As others have said, no, never pay. BUT, if I were you, I'd clarify with them that they are asking you to pay for a meeting. I've heard of people charging for pitch-events, but never for a meeting. I know of one angel group that charges a menial fee to start-ups to pitch and that money literally goes to the cost of renting the hosting facility, coffee, muffins, that kind of thing. I know that seems super strange, but that is how they do it. I think it's like $30/pitching company, and you have to get invited. I think they do 7 or 8 companies a month. At the same time, other events will charge $300+ to pitch VCs, and that is just somebody trying to make a profit. So I'd take the extra two minutes to clarify what you're paying for and why. Who knows what they'll come back with.