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Rochester Startups Take the Stage at Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale Feb. 19


ROCHESTER, N.Y. — More than 20 Rochester-based startups will take the stage Feb. 19 at NextCorps for the local round of the Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale, a global competition that gives early- and growth-stage founders a shot at international exposure and a trip to the Startup Grind Global Conference in April.


The event begins at 5:30 p.m. EST at NextCorps, 260 E. Main St., and will also be available virtually. Founders will compete across three categories Idea, Development and Traction, delivering three-minute pitches with up to three slides, followed by live questions and feedback from judges.


The local competition is part of a global series running from Feb. 16 through March 4, culminating in virtual semi-finals on Feb. 25 and global finals on March 4. Winners at the Rochester chapter level will receive digital perks, local recognition, a complimentary ticket to the Startup Grind Global Conference (April 27–29, 2026), and advancement to the next round.


“This is about giving Rochester founders a real platform,” said Michael Thaney, director of Startup Grind Rochester. “Pitch Battle Royale connects our local ecosystem to a global network of investors, operators and innovators. It raises the bar for founders here and puts Rochester startups on an international stage.”

Startups competing this represent a wide cross-section of industries, from AI and fintech to consumer products, health, energy and aerospace.


Among the founders pitching:



Each startup applied through PitchBattleRoyale.com and selected the stage that best matches its maturity: early validation (Idea), product build and launch (Development), or early revenue and scale (Traction, up to Series A).


The structure is intentionally fast-paced. Founders have three minutes to make their case, problem, solution, market opportunity and traction, before fielding live Q&A. Judges evaluate clarity, viability, differentiation and growth potential.


For Rochester’s innovation community, the event is both competition and convening.


Attendees can expect rapid-fire pitches, real-time critique and networking with founders, investors and ecosystem leaders. For early-stage founders, it offers disciplined practice under pressure. For later-stage companies, it is an opportunity to refine positioning and signal traction to a broader audience.


Startup Grind, one of the world’s largest startup communities, operates in hundreds of cities globally. The Pitch Battle Royale serves as a structured pipeline from local chapters to the global conference stage, where selected startups gain exhibition packages, additional cash prizes, certificates and international exposure.


As Rochester continues to invest in AI, advanced manufacturing, software, clean energy and next-generation health solutions, events like Pitch Battle Royale signal a maturing ecosystem, one that is increasingly connected to national and global capital networks.


“The energy in this community is real,” Thaney said. “We have founders building serious companies here. This competition gives them visibility, feedback and momentum at exactly the right time.”


Connected Know covers Rochester and Western New York business, tech, startups, and emerging industries.


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