What an incredible week, San Diego!
After five days of entrepreneurship, innovation, collaboration, and community, San Diego Startup Week 2026 came together for one final celebration at San Diego State University’s Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.
Day 5 put the spotlight on emerging founders, ambitious ideas, and the entrepreneurial talent shaping the future of our region.
From startup pitch competitions and founder conversations to mentoring and the official closing celebration, the final day captured what San Diego Startup Week is all about: bringing people together to turn ideas into opportunities.
To everyone who joined us throughout the week, thank you for making San Diego Startup Week 2026 special!
Celebrating Founders and the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Day 5 featured an exciting lineup of programming designed to inspire and support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
One of the day’s featured sessions was a Launch Moment with Tiffany Gil, Founder and CEO of Shezza, highlighting the entrepreneurial journey and the vision behind building a business.
Additional programming included:
- Deconstruct Your Launch Workshop: You Validated It. Now Can You Launch It?
- Grow Fast, Stay Secure: Cybersecurity for Startups
- 1:1 Mentoring Powered by SDSU
- San Diego Startup Expo
These sessions created opportunities for founders to gain practical insights, connect with mentors, and discover resources to support their next steps.
Bringing Startup Ideas to the Stage
Two of the most anticipated events of Day 5 were the Lightweight Intercollegiate Pitch Competition and the Heavyweight Founders Fight Club Pitch Competition.
The Lightweight Intercollegiate Pitch Competition gave emerging student entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their startup ideas and demonstrate their entrepreneurial potential. Congratulations to Donovan Traub of Portfolio.AI Corp, Winner of the Lightweight Intercollegiate Pitch Competition!
Watch the Full Lightweight Intercollegiate Pitch Competition
Watch the Full Heavyweight Founders Fight Club Competition
The Heavyweight Founders Fight Club Pitch Competition brought founders to the stage to pitch their businesses, share their visions, and showcase their potential for growth. Congratulations to Susan Buckwalter Hartman of Recoup Beverage Inc., Winner of Founders Fight Club!
Both competitions highlighted the ambition, creativity, and determination of entrepreneurs willing to take their ideas to the next level.
Congratulations to every founder and finalist who participated! Bringing an idea to the stage takes preparation, courage, and a belief in what’s possible.
One Last Celebration for San Diego’s Startup Community
The week concluded with the SDSW Official Closing Celebration & Expo, bringing together the community for one final opportunity to connect, celebrate, and reflect on the experiences shared throughout the week.
From our kickoff in Carlsbad to the final day at SDSU, San Diego Startup Week 2026 celebrated the founders, innovators, and organizations helping move our entrepreneurial ecosystem forward.
Each day offered opportunities to learn, build connections, discover resources, and support the people turning ideas into businesses.
A Huge Thank You to Everyone Who Made SDSW2026 Possible!
To our speakers, keynote guests, and mentors, thank you for sharing your experiences, expertise, and insights with the next generation of entrepreneurs.
To our founders, startup teams, and pitch competition participants, thank you for bringing your innovative ideas, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit to San Diego Startup Week.
To our exhibitors, thank you for showcasing the products, technologies, and businesses that demonstrate the strength of San Diego’s innovation community.
To our sponsors and community partners, thank you for supporting our mission and investing in the future of entrepreneurship across the region.
To our venue hosts, including the City of Carlsbad, Mintz, UC San Diego, Cooley LLP, and San Diego State University, thank you for welcoming the community and helping bring Startup Week to life.
And to our volunteers and organizing team, thank you for the dedication, preparation, and countless hours that made this week possible.
Most importantly, to every attendee who joined us throughout the five days: thank you for showing up, making connections, sharing your experiences, and supporting San Diego’s startup ecosystem.
This Is Just the Beginning!
San Diego Startup Week 2026 may have come to a close, but the ideas, relationships, and opportunities created throughout the week are just getting started.
At Startup San Diego, our mission to connect, educate, and inspire entrepreneurs continues year-round.
We look forward to seeing the partnerships formed during Startup Week grow into new opportunities, the ideas shared turn into businesses, and the founders we celebrated reach their next milestones.
Thank you, San Diego, for being part of an unforgettable week. Here’s to the builders, dreamers, and innovators shaping what comes next!
Where Startups Take Off.
Stay connected with Startup San Diego at startupsd.org and explore Startup Week at sandiegostartupweek.org.
