Startup Grind Pitch Battle Royale: San Diego

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 2-minute pitch
• Up to 3 slides
• Live Q&A and feedback from judges

📌 All startup applications are submitted through:
👉 PitchBattleRoyale.com

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
• Complimentary Ticket to Startup Mania in Austin on March 11, 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
San Diego Competition
🗓 February 19, 2026
🕗 6:00-8:00 PM
📍 UCSD, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0446, La Jolla, CA 92093

The Basement at UC San Diego is an innovation and entrepreneurship hub open to students from all disciplines who want to explore ideas and develop them into impactful ventures. The Basement provides mentorship, connections with serial entrepreneurs and industry experts, funding opportunities, hands-on workshops, and collaborative spaces that support every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. Through its two flagship programs, The Basement fosters creativity, community, and a spirit of innovation:

• Blackstone LaunchPad supports students actively building early-stage ventures by providing mentorship, guidance, and resources to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.
• Innovating for X (i4X) brings together multidisciplinary teams to tackle real-world challenges from corporate, government, and nonprofit partners— gaining workforce-ready experience while developing disruptive solutions.

To learn more:
Website: https://thebasement.ucsd.edu/
Follow Us: Instagram: @ucsdbasement and LinkedIn: The Basement at UC San Diego

Semi-Finals (Virtual)
🗓 Wednesday, February 25, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM PST
Global Finals (Virtual)
🗓 Wednesday, March 4, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM PST

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
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.

Ready to Enter the Area?
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