🚀 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 stages—Idea, Development, or Traction—for the chance to advance to the Semi Finals and Finals.

Learn more at PitchBattleRoyale.com

Whether you’re pitching or attending, expect high-energy competition, sharp ideas, and meaningful connections.

🧠 Who Should Apply?

Startups compete in the stage that best matches their progress:

• Idea Stage – Early concepts, validation, or pre-MVP

• Development Stage – Building, testing, or launching a product

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

Each startup delivers:

• A 3-minute pitch

• Up to 3 slides

• Live Q&A and feedback from judges
  

📌 All startup applications are submitted by 2/16 through:
👉 PitchBattleRoyale.com

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

🏆 What’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
  

🌍 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
  

📅 Competition Timeline

Rochester Competition

🗓 February 19, 2026

🕗 5:30PM EST
📍 NextCorps, 260 E Main St + Virtual

Semi-Finals (Virtual)

🗓 Wednesday, February 25, 2026
🕗 11:00 AM EST

Global Finals (Virtual)

🗓 Wednesday, March 4, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM PST (update to your local time zone)

🎤 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

🔗 How to Get Involved

👉 Startups

Walter McDonald | Orbit Phone orbitphone.net

Ian Stokes-Rees | Python Next https://pythonnext.com

Thomas Akers | Junk Free Skin www.jfskin.com

Kyla Brown | Closet OS https://closetos.app

Emmanuel Ahishakiye| Foundly https://www.foundlyhq.com

Lail Brown, Mary Schroth | Blackthrone AI https:///blackthrone.ai

Rick Galbo | Wayy Research wayyresearch.com

Burak Aksar | Spiky.ai

Jaime R. Sanchez | Behold Ventures, Inc. https://www.beholdventures.art/

Stephanie Rieben + Joe Hammill | Diadem Capital https://diademcapital.com/

Amy Gurske | sayhii, inc. www.sayhii.io

Leslie Woodward | Edenesque, Inc www.edenesque.com

Bill Testa | Frintz frintz.com

Sravya Jahagirdar | Uninest.shop https://uninest.shop/

Kaylon Paterson | Paterson Aerospace https://patersonaerospace.com

Emmanuel Ahishakiye | Foundly https://www.foundlyhq.com

Erik Oehler | Civic Dialog https://www.civic-dialog.com

Ebuka Mgbenka | MoneyPigeon https://www.moneypigeon.com

Joel Klein | 2XStrength https://2xstrengthtraining.com/

Vitali Karpeichyk | MindMuscle https://pigpug.co

Balan Kamatchi | ZYX+ www.zyxplus.com

Tom Seymour | Moka Energy http://www.mokaenergy.com

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

👉 Attendees

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

Give the startups feedback and pick an audience choice winner with our Pitch Pad app

⚔️ Ready to Enter the Arena?

Whether you’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.

👉 Apply at PitchBattleRoyale.com