For 15 years, Startup Grind has been the leading global community for people building, working with, and investing in startups, with the Startup Grind Conference in Silicon Valley serving as the cornerstone of our community.

Now, we're thrilled to introduce Startup Mania 2—a new event in Austin designed to bring together top seed and Series A founders in a March Madness-style competition in an octagon. Not your typical pitch contest—where high-energy competition meets startup culture. Founders will battle it out in a pitch-off for the Championship title belt and a cash prize.

Apply now to be selected as one of the 64 competing startups, or get your Startup Mania tickets as an attendee, investor or partner.

Join us and be at the center of this groundbreaking event, featuring panel sessions, VC quickfire pitch tables, private lunches, workshops, roundtables, a startup concert, an after-party, and much more.

Presented by Startup Grind, and with the support of several other partners, we want to discover, connect, and boost the next companies changing the world through the power of our community. By sharing resources, providing access to new opportunities and showcasing the best startups in front of the thriving Austin Tech Ecosystem, and VCs from all around the world.

With the support of: CodeLaunch Accelerator, Midwest House, Ganas Ventures, Milia, Sisu Powerhouse, Cogent Bank, Golden Circle, Unifi Ventures, Startup Hypeman, Geek Ventures, Austin Connections, Product Ventures, Intros AI, The CUT, Datasent, Digital Executive, Rayo Capital Group, MassChallenge, Winner Capital, Flying with Founders, Exit Quotient Ventures, Ecuador Tech Week, and many more. 👏🏽

Ticket Tiers

📅 Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026 - Early Bird

❌ $99 Early Bird Attendee Tickets — Sold Out

❌ $199 Early Bird Investor Passes — Sold Out

📅 Jan 2, 2026 – Feb 1, 2026 - New Year Discount

✅ $169 Attendee Tickets — Available

✅ $269 Investor Passes — Available

✅ $299 Startup Passes — Apply Now

✅ $2,999 Featured Partner Passes — Available

⏰ Prices increase on Feb 2 — secure your spot now.

📅 Feb 2, 2026 – Mar 11, 2026 - Regular

🎟️ $269 Attendee Tickets — Coming Soon

🎟️ $299 Investor Passes — Coming Soon

🎟️ $2,999 Feature Partner Passes — Coming Soon

How can we help? Join our WhatsApp Group, follow us on LinkedIn and be part of the SG Austin community.

Let’s build meaningful relationships together! We’re bringing high-quality startups, investors, accelerators, and unparalleled content to create an unforgettable community experience. We hope you'll join us! #keepgrinding

Sponsor Feature: Fast-Track Your Product + Win $50K

CodeLaunch is recruiting U.S., Canada, and LATAM startups for 2026. Get free product development (no equity), pitch live to investors, and compete for $50K at the World Championship in Dallas. Startup Grind founders get priority review. Apply by Feb 1.