Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale: Rochester

Feb 19, 10:30โ€ฏPMโ€‰โ€“โ€‰Feb 20, 12:30โ€ฏAM (UTC)

Rochester

NextCorps, 260 East Main Street, Rochester, 14604

๐Ÿš€ What Is Pitch Battle Royale?The Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale brings founders from around the world together to pi...

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About this event

๐Ÿš€ What Is Pitch Battle Royale?

The Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale brings founders from around the world together to pitch their startups, receive expert feedback, and compete for cash prizes, recognition, and advancement to the global stage. The competition runs from February 16-March 4, 2026.


Local Startup Grind chapters host the first round of competition, where startups battle it out in one of three stagesโ€”Idea, Development, or Tractionโ€”for the chance to advance to the Semi Finals and Finals.

Learn more at PitchBattleRoyale.com

Whether youโ€™re pitching or attending, expect high-energy competition, sharp ideas, and meaningful connections.

๐Ÿง  Who Should Apply?

Startups compete in the stage that best matches their progress:

  • Idea Stage โ€“ Early concepts, validation, or pre-MVP

  • Development Stage โ€“ Building, testing, or launching a product

  • Traction Stage โ€“ Users, revenue, pilots, or early scale (up to Series A)

Each startup delivers:

  • A 2-minute pitch

  • Up to 3 slides

  • Live Q&A and feedback from judges

๐Ÿ“Œ All startup applications are submitted through:
๐Ÿ‘‰ PitchBattleRoyale.com

 (Full rules, eligibility, and judging criteria available there.)

๐Ÿ† Whatโ€™s at Stake?

Local Chapter Prizes

Each stage winner at the local level receives:

  • Cash prizes

  • Digital swag

  • Local recognition

  • Complimentary Ticket to SG Conference April 27-29, 2026

  • Advancement to the Semi-Finals

๐ŸŒ Global Competition Prizes

Startups advancing beyond the local level compete for:

  • Additional cash prizes

  • Certificates, medals, and plaques

  • Startup Grind exhibition packages

  • Global exposure across the Startup Grind ecosystem

๐Ÿ“… Competition Timeline


Rochester Competition

๐Ÿ—“ February 19, 2026

๐Ÿ•— 5:30PM EST
๐Ÿ“ NextCorps, 260 E Main St + Virtual

Semi-Finals (Virtual)

๐Ÿ—“ Wednesday, February 25, 2026
๐Ÿ•— 11:00 AM EST

Global Finals (Virtual)

๐Ÿ—“ Wednesday, March 4, 2026
๐Ÿ•— 8:00 AM PST (update to your local time zone)

๐ŸŽค Attend the Event

Attendees can expect:

  • Fast-paced startup pitches

  • Live judging and feedback

  • Networking with founders and leaders

  • A front-row seat to the next wave of innovation

๐Ÿ”— How to Get Involved

๐Ÿ‘‰ Startups

Apply to compete at PitchBattleRoyale.com
(All competition details, rules, and eligibility live there.)

๐Ÿ‘‰ Attendees

Register to attend through this page and come cheer on your local founders.

โš”๏ธ Ready to Enter the Arena?

Whether youโ€™re pitching your startup or showing up to support the ecosystem, Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale is where founders battle, ideas shine, and the next big companies take their first step onto the global stage.


๐Ÿ‘‰ Apply at PitchBattleRoyale.com

When

When

February 19โ€‰โ€“โ€‰20, 2026
10:30 PM โ€“ 12:30 AM (UTC)

Organizers

  • Michael Thaney

    Startup Grind

    Director

  • Joshua Batres

    CivicPulse

    Community Outreach Lead

  • Dustin Doucette

    MillerKnoll

    Software Portfolio Manager

  • Carolyn Spencer

    CoPivot

    Founder Relations

  • Ananth Prajval Tallavajhula

    SchoolQuizz

    Community Manager

  • Eric Leinberg

    InfoPreserve Inc.

    Founder @ InfoPreserve

  • Nate Thomas

    Advisor

  • Rose Cooper

    Marketing Intern

  • Kayte Malik

    Team Member

Partners

Grow NY logo

Grow NY

NextCorps logo

NextCorps

RocGrowth logo

RocGrowth

About Startup Grind

This is Startup Grind. We are the worldโ€™s largest startup community.

Our Mission

To give startups everywhere the education and opportunities they need to build, grow, and scale their companies.

Our Values

We believe in making friends, not contacts. We believe in giving first, not taking. We believe in helping others before helping yourself.

Tools & Discounts for Startups

Take advantage of resources and offers provided by organizations we know and love, designed to help you navigate the startup journey.

Global Conference

Our annual flagship event in Silicon Valley brings together thousands of startup teams, investors and organizations from all over the world.

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This membership gives you free access to networking, events, mentorship, office hours, and other exclusive opportunities curated by Startup Grind HQ.