Startup Grind Fort Lauderdale All-Star Pitch Battle AI Edition
We’re thrilled to welcome Melda Akin Frederick as our fireside chat speaker. Melda will also be joining the esteemed expert judging panel for our subsequent Pitch Battle.
🌍 About Melda
Melda is an acclaimed and well-known serial tech entrepreneur and investor committed to using her varied experience in the technology world to facilitate and educate future leaders.
She has been interviewed by leading organizations, including CNN International, CNN Business, Forbes, Forbes Middle East, Euronews, Entrepreneur.com, Arabian Gulf Business, and CNN Business Arabia. She spoke at Web Summit Lisbon Main Stage in Lisbon as a VIP speaker where there were over 70,000 people in attendance.
⚖️ Meet the Judges
👩⚖️ Jennifer Newton
Jennifer Newton is the Managing Attorney of StartSmart Counsel, PLLC, where she provides strategic legal, risk management, and compliance solutions for startups, venture capital funds, private equity firms, and small to medium-sized businesses. With over 15 years of experience in financial services regulation, compliance, and corporate law, Jennifer is a trusted advisor to emerging and high-growth companies navigating complex regulatory landscapes.
🤖 Grant Kurz
Founder of DeepStation, a global AI community partnered with OpenAI Academy, Grant is dedicated to accelerating AI education worldwide. With connections to leaders from Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Coinbase, Bloomberg, Cisco, and crewAI, DeepStation has delivered 75+ AI presentations and workshops—empowering professionals to stay ahead of the AI wave.
🚀 The Pitch Battle
Five bold founders. Five-minute pitches. Three minutes of judge feedback.
One city champion advancing to the Virtual Semi-Finals (Sept 24) and then the Global Finals (Oct 1) at the Startup Grind AI Summit, in front of 5,000+ VCs, founders, and tech leaders.
🏆 Prizes include: investor meetings, expo space at SG Conference 2026, and global visibility.
Join the Startup Grind All-Star Pitch Battle — the global showdown for early-stage startups. Applications are open now!
We’re on the hunt for the best startups from every Startup Grind chapter around the world. Local winners will advance to the global stage, pitching in front of top Silicon Valley VCs for a chance to claim the title of All-Star Champion—plus win prizes, visibility, and investor connections along the way.
⚡️ With 87+ chapters competing and over 1,000 startups already applied, the race is on. Will you step up?
How to Join
As a founder: Apply to pitch (Pre-Seed to Series A, or bootstrapped with traction, all industries welcome).
As an attendee: RSVP and cheer on your city’s top talent.
As a partner or VC: Get involved as a judge, sponsor, or featured partner.
🎤 Fast Track Your Pitch
Think you’re ready to win it all? We’re offering 3 exclusive Pitch Tickets that guarantee a spot in the competition. Email marc(at)startupgrind(dot)com to snag one, then fill out the application form to lock it in.
🌐 Other spots are limited: 7 additional startups will be selected in the coming week. Apply now to be considered. Only 5 finalists will be notified one week before the event and must confirm with a startup ticket.
🎟 Tickets are free!
Event Format:
Virtual
Pitch: 5 founders 5-minute pitch + 10 slides
City Finals: One winner from each city advances.
Virtual Semi-Finals by Industry: September 24 (free RSVP).
Global Finals: October 1st at the Startup Grind AI Summit — in front of 5,000+ tech leaders, VCs, and founders.
Winners receive prizes including investor meetings, expo space at SG Conference 2026, and more.
Don't miss our awesome fireside chat with our Superstar AI Founder!
Expect real feedback, valuable connections, and insights that will last long after the event. Whether you’re building, investing, or just curious, you’ll find your community here.