$100K AI Startup Pitch-Off @ Chargebee Beelieve '26
PORTIONS OF THIS EVENT WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED AND RECORDED
Pitch to enterprise buyers at SF’s premier AI monetization event for a chance to win $100K in cash, no strings attached.
10 founders.
1 stage.
$100,000 on the line.
And a panel of enterprise AI buyers who don’t sugarcoat feedback.
Chargebee is a leading billing and monetization platform powering thousands of hypergrowth AI, SaaS, and D2C companies, and Beelieve ’26 is our flagship AI monetization event, where the operators building and scaling today’s most innovative companies come to share what’s actually working.
On April 15-16, 2026 at Fort Mason, San Francisco, join AI luminaries and tech leaders like Benedict Evans, Geoffrey Moore (bestselling author of Crossing the Chasm), and executives from AirOps, Gorgias, Reforge, Vercel, Zoom, and more for two days of sharp insights, practical frameworks, and honest conversations about building and scaling AI-era business models.
On Thursday, April 16, we’re closing out Beelieve's main session content with high stakes at this $100,000 AI Startup Pitch-Off, in partnership with The Founder Initiative. 10 founders will pitch for 2 minutes each, plus 1 minute for questions, to a panel of real enterprise AI buyers. The winner will walk away with $100K in cash (no strings attached).
By requesting to join this AI Startup Pitch-Off, founders will gain full access to Beelieve on April 15-16. Not ready to pitch? Grab a ticket here to attend Beelieve, watch the competition, and network with hundreds of builders.
AGENDA (THURSDAY, APRIL 16):
5:00 pm: Doors open
5:30 pm: Welcome, judge introductions, & Pitch-Off begins
6:50 pm: Winner awarded $100,000 prize
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Happy Hour
THE GRAND PRIZE:
$100,000 cash prize from Chargebee
Free product credits from Chargebee and other solutions
Marketing and public recognition
HOW DO I APPLY TO THE $100K PITCH-OFF?
Register for this event by clicking "Register" above
Check your email for your registration confirmation
Complete the application form that will be linked in the confirmation email by Friday, April 3 at 11:59pm PT!
WHO WILL BE SELECTED?
Eight (8) applicants will be selected ahead of the event by the judging panel. Two (2) additional applicants will be announced by the panel onsite, for a total of 10 competitors.
Applications close Friday, April 3 at 11:59pm PT!
WHAT ARE THE JUDGING CRITERIA?
The judging panel will be comprised of one executive each from the product/engineering, GTM, and finance functions, as well as Chargebee CEO and co-founder Krish Subramanian. The judges will select the winner based on how well your 2-5 minute demo recording (submitted in your application) and your 2-minute live demo pitch showcase:
Your articulation of your customer's pain point
How your product demo solves that pain
Your pricing and monetization model
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE?
To be eligible, you must be the founder or co-founder of a startup that is:
Pre-Series A funding
Have a product in production with live customers and/or design partners
The founder/co-founder must be ready to deliver a 2-minute pitch personally during the event
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:
Chargebee is a leading billing and monetization platform powering thousands of hypergrowth AI, SaaS, and D2C companies. From usage-based pricing to subscriptions and complex recurring models, we help modern businesses turn great products into scalable revenue engines.
Apply for Chargebee’s startup offer: https://www.chargebee.com/startups
The Founder Initiative is a podcast & event community to help founders hit product market-fit, drive durable growth, and get funded faster.