Handpicked San Diego startups will go head-to-head in Southern California’s toughest pitch competition yet.
Join us for one of the toughest pitch competitions in Southern California! In partnership with J.P. Morgan, sixteen hand-selected startups from local colleges, universities, and startup ecosystems will compete in the Heavyweight Founders Fight Club and Lightweight Intercollegiate Pitch competition.
The winners will compete for prizes, and our all-star judging panel will crown the Founder Fight Club and Lightweight Champion.
Finalists have now been chosen for the Lightweight Intercollegiate and Founders Fight Club Pitch Competition. View them below!
Founders Fight Club Requirements:
Lightweight Intercollegiate Eligibility Criteria:
Check out this year’s San Diego Startup Week pitch competition finalists!
Timeline:
Competition Dates:
Tournament Structure:
This pitch competition will follow a Tournament-Style format. Candidates will compete one-on-one, with the winner advancing to the next round. Competitors will face off in three rounds. Each round will be timed and judged according to the tournament criteria.
Round 1: 30-second Elevator Pitch
Round 2: 2-minute Pitch Deck Demonstration
Round 3: Judge Q&A and Mic Drop, your opportunity to leave a lasting impression of your startup with the audience and judges.
Not only will competitors be pitching in front of expert judges with years of experience in startups, tech, business development, funding, etc. they will also be pitching in front of hundreds of community members, venture capitalists, angel investors, business professionals, and more. Gain support for your startup, connect with potential investors, and network with the startup community.
Competitor Benefits
If chosen to compete, competitors will receive the following benefits:
We want all founders to succeed when applying to compete at San Diego Startup Week. Our team curated a list of resources to help your application stand out and enhance your pitch.
Join us for the biggest startup event of the year: San Diego Startup Week! Learn from top notch speakers, discover the hottest topics in your area of expertise, pitch your startup idea in front of investors, join career development workshops and meet other startup enthusiasts!
