Startup Grind NYC

Join Startup Grind New York City for the first ever Startup Grind All-Star Pitch Battle — the premier worldwide competition for early-stage startups. Apply here!

We’re searching for the Startup of the Year in every city across the Startup Grind global community. Local winners will go head-to-head with the top startups in their industries on a global stage, pitching in front of Silicon Valley VCs for a chance to claim the title of All-Star Champion, and win prizes along the way.

In the New York City battle, 20 startups will take the stage in front of fellow founders and investors. The winner earns the title of New York's Rising Startup of the Year!

Think you've got what it takes? Submit your application to pitch here!

The winner advances to the global semi-finals, grouped by industry. Each industry winner in the virtual semi-finals advances to the finals where they pitch at the virtual Startup Grind Global AI Summit. The ultimate winner secures a free exhibitor spot at the 2026 Startup Grind Conference, complete with VIP access, and investor matchmaking.

As an attendee you'll have an opportunity to follow up with each founder, whether it's to invest, become a customer, form a partnership, or provide a service.

🚀 Local event format: 1 minute pitch, 1 single slide. What happens next?

One winner per city progresses to the Semi-Finals.
Virtual Semi-Finals by Industry – September 24 (Virtual: RSVP as an attendee for free)
Virtual Finals at the Startup Grind AI Summit – October 1, in front of 5,000+ tech attendees and VCs. Including prizes, 1:1 investor meetings, a full exhibition package to SG Conference 2026, and more.

Early-stage investors will attend and judge, as well as corporate partners, and a ton of founders, so plenty of pitching and networking to be done throughout the afternoon!

Read more and see FAQs here.

Register to attend the Semi-Finals (categories below) and the Finals.

Software and AI Semi-Finals
Consumer Tech & Media Semi-Finals
Deep Tech, Climate & Frontier Semi-Finals

Hosted in collaboration with The Yard coworking community, this event offers a platform for startups to share ideas, gather feedback, and connect with fellow founders.

📅 Date: Thursday, September 18th
🕓 Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
📍 Venue: The Yard: Herald Square
🎫 Tickets: Only $5 (includes happy hour refreshments)
📑 Founders: Sign up here to pitch!

Begin with happy hour drinks while mingling with fellow founders and members of The Yard. The spotlight soon shifts to top emerging startups who will take the stage to pitch their visions.

AGENDA

5:30 PM: Happy Hour with Pitching Founders
6:00 PM: Startup Pitches - 1 minute each
7:00 PM: All-Star Winner Announced!

Agenda

5:30 PM: Happy Hour at The Yard

6:00 PM: Startup Pitches

7:00 PM: Winner Announced

---

Hosted By

Joshua Ness, Director, Startup Grind

Joshua Ness is Executive Director at Startup Grind NYC and Director of Emerging Technologies with IEEE. He provides opportunities and access for startups to build and scale their companies. He advises new entrants in tech-driven sectors from startup to scale-up, and provides guidance on enterprise partnerships and venture opportunities. He is an international technology development specialist with Fulbright in the field of AI in public sectors, and a Professor of Technology at City University of New York.

Tova Feldheim, Cofounder

I am a strategic advisor and marketing expert with 20+ years in B2B SaaS, brand building, and customer discovery. Specializing in aligning human behavior with technology to build products that resonate and marketing that converts. I've worked with enterprise clients and early-stage startups alike to refine messaging, strengthen go-to-market efforts, and accelerate growth

Paul GUILLARD, Chief of Staff / BizOps / Project Manager / BD

I moved to NYC in April 24. I am currently coaching and advising early-stage founders on ideation, Business Model x Ideal Customer Profile x MVP, GTM and Fundraising.
Received my authorization to work in Nov so now also looking for a full time job as BizOps / Chief of Staff / Strategic Project Management for B2B SMB or Series A+
Before that, an Engineering Degree and 2 years of SMBs consulting in France, 10 years in APAC doing Strategic Project Management, Sales and BD; and 4 years in Spain for an MBA at IESE (consistently ranked Top10 in the world by FT) and working on some startups.

Prianka Ball,

Currently working in data at a early stage startup. Ex founder and looking for my next startup building adventure.

Daniel Silver, Owner

Creative, Thoughtful and Results-Driven Product Marketing Strategist Focused on Building, Launching and Optimizing New and Existing Products Across Their Life Cycle.

Rebecca Liang,

Ex-founder | Ex-VC | 5 yrs @ Startup Grind Shanghai

Community over Competition

Shanghai → Hong Kong → Singapore → New York

Madison Simon,

I've spent the past 8 years working closely with startups in revenue-focused roles, and I genuinely love being in the trenches with bold, compassionate founders tackling real-world problems. There's nothing more energizing than teaming up with people who think differently, move fast, and build with heart. I believe being genuine, knowledgeable, and deliberate in business relationships is essential.

Business aside - I enjoy scuba diving, sailing, painting, cars, and all things going on at www.thegirlswhogather.com.

---

Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Gold

Codewalla (https://www.codewalla.com/startup-grind-offer)
Codewalla is a small product development studio dedicated to helping startup founders launch products quickly. As founders ourselves, we understand the challenges of traditional development: high costs, long timelines, and risks. We are a CTO-led studio of developers, designers, and project managers dedicated to building exceptional products. With expertise in startups, SaaS, fintech, and more, we bring creativity and experience to every project.

Partners

The Yard (https://theyard.com/)
The Yard is a coworking space at the intersection of innovation, creativity, design, & play -- with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Philly, and DC -- with a variety of shared and private workspace options.

Carta (http://carta.com)
Carta is transforming how private capital operates. We connect founders, investors, and limited partners through software purpose-built for private capital. Trusted by 65,000+ companies in 160+ countries, Carta’s platform of software and services lays the groundwork so you can build, invest, and scale with confidence. Carta’s Fund Administration platform supports 9,000+ funds and SPVs, representing nearly $185B in assets under management.

---

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-new-york-city-presents-startup-grind-all-stars-pitch-night/.

We're putting the "happy" back in "happy hour" -- without the eye-rolls of formal presentations, high-stakes pitches, or waiting to get approved. 🙄

Because networking events should be fun, especially on a Friday.

Join Startup Grind on Friday, September 26th at Shades of Green near Union Square for Founder Drinks Roundtable. We'll chat and laugh and maybe even solve for AGI (or at least be convinced that we have).

Look for the Startup Grind table signs.

 Whether you're an early-stage startup, a seasoned entrepreneur, or someone passionate about innovation, the Founder Drinks Roundtable provides a relaxed and inclusive environment to foster connections and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit.

Agenda

5:00 PM: Happy Hour

Come and go as you please. Look for Startup Grind table signs toward the back.

---

Hosted By

Joshua Ness, Director, Startup Grind

Joshua Ness is Executive Director at Startup Grind NYC and Director of Emerging Technologies with IEEE. He provides opportunities and access for startups to build and scale their companies. He advises new entrants in tech-driven sectors from startup to scale-up, and provides guidance on enterprise partnerships and venture opportunities. He is an international technology development specialist with Fulbright in the field of AI in public sectors, and a Professor of Technology at City University of New York.

Tova Feldheim, Cofounder

I am a strategic advisor and marketing expert with 20+ years in B2B SaaS, brand building, and customer discovery. Specializing in aligning human behavior with technology to build products that resonate and marketing that converts. I've worked with enterprise clients and early-stage startups alike to refine messaging, strengthen go-to-market efforts, and accelerate growth

Paul GUILLARD, Chief of Staff / BizOps / Project Manager / BD

I moved to NYC in April 24. I am currently coaching and advising early-stage founders on ideation, Business Model x Ideal Customer Profile x MVP, GTM and Fundraising.
Received my authorization to work in Nov so now also looking for a full time job as BizOps / Chief of Staff / Strategic Project Management for B2B SMB or Series A+
Before that, an Engineering Degree and 2 years of SMBs consulting in France, 10 years in APAC doing Strategic Project Management, Sales and BD; and 4 years in Spain for an MBA at IESE (consistently ranked Top10 in the world by FT) and working on some startups.

Prianka Ball,

Currently working in data at a early stage startup. Ex founder and looking for my next startup building adventure.

Daniel Silver, Owner

Creative, Thoughtful and Results-Driven Product Marketing Strategist Focused on Building, Launching and Optimizing New and Existing Products Across Their Life Cycle.

Rebecca Liang,

Ex-founder | Ex-VC | 5 yrs @ Startup Grind Shanghai

Community over Competition

Shanghai → Hong Kong → Singapore → New York

Madison Simon,

I've spent the past 8 years working closely with startups in revenue-focused roles, and I genuinely love being in the trenches with bold, compassionate founders tackling real-world problems. There's nothing more energizing than teaming up with people who think differently, move fast, and build with heart. I believe being genuine, knowledgeable, and deliberate in business relationships is essential.

Business aside - I enjoy scuba diving, sailing, painting, cars, and all things going on at www.thegirlswhogather.com.

---

Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Gold

Codewalla (https://www.codewalla.com/startup-grind-offer)
Codewalla is a small product development studio dedicated to helping startup founders launch products quickly. As founders ourselves, we understand the challenges of traditional development: high costs, long timelines, and risks. We are a CTO-led studio of developers, designers, and project managers dedicated to building exceptional products. With expertise in startups, SaaS, fintech, and more, we bring creativity and experience to every project.

Partner

The Yard (https://theyard.com/)
The Yard is a coworking space at the intersection of innovation, creativity, design, & play -- with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Philly, and DC -- with a variety of shared and private workspace options.

---

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-new-york-city-presents-founder-drinks-roundtable-a-startup-grind-happy-hour/.

What if a nonprofit could scale like a startup, measure like an investor, and still lead with humanity?

Kerry Brodie’s journey from public policy to founding Emma’s Torch is a masterclass in modern, mission-driven entrepreneurship. She took a simple idea — using food to empower refugees — and built it into a data-informed, multi-city enterprise by applying a founder's mindset to a social cause.

This isn’t just a fireside chat; it’s a deep dive into the strategic choices that allowed Kerry to grow from a small pop-up to a successful, repeatable model. 

If you're building a business with a mission, this is the playbook you need to learn.

What You'll Learn

Scaling the Mission: How to grow from one location to multiple cities and a new, custom-built campus without losing the core community and support that made the first café work.
The Nonprofit-as-Startup Playbook: The lessons learned from running a social enterprise with the agility of a startup — balancing fundraising, earned revenue, and a scrappy growth mindset.
Measuring What Matters: How to build an impact framework that captures both financial ROI and human transformation, moving beyond simple metrics to prove long-term value.

Who Should Attend

Social entrepreneurs and founders of mission-driven businesses.
Nonprofit leaders looking to build more scalable, business-like models.
Anyone interested in the practicalities of scaling an organization with both a human and financial bottom line. 👈

Tickets for this event include food and drinks, as well as exclusive access to this visionary founder. You'll also meet dozens of other high-performing entrepreneurs who are creating their next big thing. Seriously, it's some of the best founder networking in the city.

Getting a ticket guarantees admission. No waitlisting.

This event is hosted in collaboration with Carta. Issue equity and SAFEs, track ownership, and manage your cap table with Carta's free cap table software for startup founders.

📈 Sign up for Carta Launch today

Agenda

6:00 PM: Founder Networking w/ Food & Drinks

7:00 PM: Fireside Chat w/ Kerry Brodie

8:00 PM: Meet the Speaker

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Speaker

Kerry Brodie - Emma's Torch (Founder)

Kerry Brodie is the founder and Executive Director of Emma’s Torch. Since its launch in 2016, Emma’s Torch has opened multiple locations in New York City and has recently expanded operations to Washington, DC.
Kerry’s passion for sustainable business models has played an important role in Emma’s Torch’s growth. She believes in being mission-driven and data-informed. Her interest in phil…

Hosted By

Joshua Ness, Director, Startup Grind

Joshua Ness is Executive Director at Startup Grind NYC and Director of Emerging Technologies with IEEE. He provides opportunities and access for startups to build and scale their companies. He advises new entrants in tech-driven sectors from startup to scale-up, and provides guidance on enterprise partnerships and venture opportunities. He is an international technology development specialist with Fulbright in the field of AI in public sectors, and a Professor of Technology at City University of New York.

Tova Feldheim, Cofounder

I am a strategic advisor and marketing expert with 20+ years in B2B SaaS, brand building, and customer discovery. Specializing in aligning human behavior with technology to build products that resonate and marketing that converts. I've worked with enterprise clients and early-stage startups alike to refine messaging, strengthen go-to-market efforts, and accelerate growth

Paul GUILLARD, Chief of Staff / BizOps / Project Manager / BD

I moved to NYC in April 24. I am currently coaching and advising early-stage founders on ideation, Business Model x Ideal Customer Profile x MVP, GTM and Fundraising.
Received my authorization to work in Nov so now also looking for a full time job as BizOps / Chief of Staff / Strategic Project Management for B2B SMB or Series A+
Before that, an Engineering Degree and 2 years of SMBs consulting in France, 10 years in APAC doing Strategic Project Management, Sales and BD; and 4 years in Spain for an MBA at IESE (consistently ranked Top10 in the world by FT) and working on some startups.

Prianka Ball,

Currently working in data at a early stage startup. Ex founder and looking for my next startup building adventure.

Daniel Silver, Owner

Creative, Thoughtful and Results-Driven Product Marketing Strategist Focused on Building, Launching and Optimizing New and Existing Products Across Their Life Cycle.

Rebecca Liang,

Ex-founder | Ex-VC | 5 yrs @ Startup Grind Shanghai

Community over Competition

Shanghai → Hong Kong → Singapore → New York

Madison Simon,

I've spent the past 8 years working closely with startups in revenue-focused roles, and I genuinely love being in the trenches with bold, compassionate founders tackling real-world problems. There's nothing more energizing than teaming up with people who think differently, move fast, and build with heart. I believe being genuine, knowledgeable, and deliberate in business relationships is essential.

Business aside - I enjoy scuba diving, sailing, painting, cars, and all things going on at www.thegirlswhogather.com.

---

Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Strategic

Codewalla (https://www.codewalla.com/startup-grind-offer)
Codewalla is a small product development studio dedicated to helping startup founders launch products quickly. As founders ourselves, we understand the challenges of traditional development: high costs, long timelines, and risks. We are a CTO-led studio of developers, designers, and project managers dedicated to building exceptional products. With expertise in startups, SaaS, fintech, and more, we bring creativity and experience to every project.

Partners

The Yard (https://theyard.com/)
The Yard is a coworking space at the intersection of innovation, creativity, design, & play -- with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Philly, and DC -- with a variety of shared and private workspace options.

Carta (http://carta.com)
Carta is transforming how private capital operates. We connect founders, investors, and limited partners through software purpose-built for private capital. Trusted by 65,000+ companies in 160+ countries, Carta’s platform of software and services lays the groundwork so you can build, invest, and scale with confidence. Carta’s Fund Administration platform supports 9,000+ funds and SPVs, representing nearly $185B in assets under management.

---

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-new-york-city-presents-a-recipe-for-impact-building-a-business-that-changes-lives-feat-kerry-brodie/.

Remember when pitching was fun? No battles or competitions, no celebrity VCs, no make-or-break stress.

We're bringing back low-pressure pitch events for early-stage startups that just need to get their ideas out into the world and hear constructive feedback from fellow founders in the trenches. So join us for an afternoon of innovation, networking, and camaraderie with Pitches and Pints. 🍻

This is your chance to see the newest startups coming out of the NYC ecosystem. You're getting a first look at fresh ideas, sometimes even before VCs have seen them!

Hosted in collaboration with The Yard coworking community, this event offers a platform for startups to share ideas, gather feedback, and connect with fellow founders.

📅 Date: Thursday, October 16th
🕓 Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
📍 Venue: The Yard: Herald Square
🎫 Tickets: Only $5 (includes happy hour refreshments)
📑 Founders: Sign up here to pitch at an upcoming event

Begin with happy hour drinks while mingling with fellow founders and members of The Yard. The spotlight soon shifts to five emerging startups who will take the stage to pitch their visions.

AGENDA

5:30 PM: Happy Hour at The Yard
6:00 PM: Startup Pitches and Audience Q&A
7:00 PM: Networking with Founders

This is not a competition -- it's an opportunity for founders to showcase their projects, exchange insights, and receive constructive feedback from founder peers.

Whether you're a startup enthusiast, an industry professional, or a curious mind, Pitches and Pints will be an engaging and inspiring afternoon to celebrate entrepreneurship, foster connections, and toast the spirit of innovation.

PITCH FORMAT

Pitch - 5 minutes
Audience Q&A - 5 minutes
Pitch deck is required

Agenda

5:30 PM: Happy Hour at The Yard

6:00 PM: Startup Pitches and Audience Q&A

7:00 PM: Networking with Founders

---

Hosted By

Joshua Ness, Director, Startup Grind

Joshua Ness is Executive Director at Startup Grind NYC and Director of Emerging Technologies with IEEE. He provides opportunities and access for startups to build and scale their companies. He advises new entrants in tech-driven sectors from startup to scale-up, and provides guidance on enterprise partnerships and venture opportunities. He is an international technology development specialist with Fulbright in the field of AI in public sectors, and a Professor of Technology at City University of New York.

Tova Feldheim, Cofounder

I am a strategic advisor and marketing expert with 20+ years in B2B SaaS, brand building, and customer discovery. Specializing in aligning human behavior with technology to build products that resonate and marketing that converts. I've worked with enterprise clients and early-stage startups alike to refine messaging, strengthen go-to-market efforts, and accelerate growth

Paul GUILLARD, Chief of Staff / BizOps / Project Manager / BD

I moved to NYC in April 24. I am currently coaching and advising early-stage founders on ideation, Business Model x Ideal Customer Profile x MVP, GTM and Fundraising.
Received my authorization to work in Nov so now also looking for a full time job as BizOps / Chief of Staff / Strategic Project Management for B2B SMB or Series A+
Before that, an Engineering Degree and 2 years of SMBs consulting in France, 10 years in APAC doing Strategic Project Management, Sales and BD; and 4 years in Spain for an MBA at IESE (consistently ranked Top10 in the world by FT) and working on some startups.

Prianka Ball,

Currently working in data at a early stage startup. Ex founder and looking for my next startup building adventure.

Daniel Silver, Owner

Creative, Thoughtful and Results-Driven Product Marketing Strategist Focused on Building, Launching and Optimizing New and Existing Products Across Their Life Cycle.

Rebecca Liang,

Ex-founder | Ex-VC | 5 yrs @ Startup Grind Shanghai

Community over Competition

Shanghai → Hong Kong → Singapore → New York

Madison Simon,

I've spent the past 8 years working closely with startups in revenue-focused roles, and I genuinely love being in the trenches with bold, compassionate founders tackling real-world problems. There's nothing more energizing than teaming up with people who think differently, move fast, and build with heart. I believe being genuine, knowledgeable, and deliberate in business relationships is essential.

Business aside - I enjoy scuba diving, sailing, painting, cars, and all things going on at www.thegirlswhogather.com.

---

Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Gold

Codewalla (https://www.codewalla.com/startup-grind-offer)
Codewalla is a small product development studio dedicated to helping startup founders launch products quickly. As founders ourselves, we understand the challenges of traditional development: high costs, long timelines, and risks. We are a CTO-led studio of developers, designers, and project managers dedicated to building exceptional products. With expertise in startups, SaaS, fintech, and more, we bring creativity and experience to every project.

Partner

The Yard (https://theyard.com/)
The Yard is a coworking space at the intersection of innovation, creativity, design, & play -- with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Philly, and DC -- with a variety of shared and private workspace options.

---

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-new-york-city-presents-pitches-and-pints-happy-hour-demo-showcase-october/.