The Women in AI Pitch Competition: NYC Fall '26
We’re selecting 6 women-led AI startups to pitch live in New York City as part of the national Women in AI Pitch Competition series.
WHY YOU SHOULD PITCH
$10,000 non-dilutive cash prize for the winning founder
The chance to pitch directly in front of VCs, angels, and early-stage investors
Invitation to an intimate finalist dinner with selected VCs
Dedicated founder interviews
Hands-on expert support across fundraising, financial strategy, bookkeeping, brand/social strategy, and founder coaching
Coworking access and additional partner perks
INVESTORS IN THE ROOM
HearstLab • Alumni Ventures • Storm Ventures • Laconia Capital • Brewer Lane Ventures • Plum Alley Ventures • VamosVentures • Princeton Alumni Angels + more
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Building an AI-native or AI-enabled company
At least 50% of the founding team are women
You have early traction — users, pilots, revenue, grants, research, patents, or partnerships
APPLY TO PITCH
Please complete this application form
Applications close September 7, 2026
Finalists announced September 11, 2026
WHAT TO EXPECT
5-minute pitch followed by 3–5 minutes of live Q&A with our judging panel
Curated networking with founders, investors, and industry leaders before and after the pitches
MEET THE JUDGES
Rhian Horton — Principal, Stellation Capital
Principal at early-stage venture firm Stellation Capital, focusing on backing exceptional founders across consumer, AI, and software.
Eduardo Ynaty — Head of GTM Engineering, Genspark AI
Former Head of Solutions at Ramp and former AVP of Sales & Head of Global Solutions at monday.com.
Mirit Lugassi — Early-Stage Investor, Laconia Capital
Venture Capital Fellow at Included VC and former B2B fintech and startup growth operator.
Joy Marcus — Co-Founder & General Partner, The 98
Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Princeton University; former Managing Director at Gotham Ventures and former executive at Condé Nast Entertainment and Dailymotion.
Danielle Gershowitz — Partner, Cooley LLP
Advises high-growth technology and AI companies from formation and seed financing through major growth rounds.
Hosted by:
Oasis Collective is a San Francisco-based national 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing women's leadership in AI and closing the funding gap for female founders. Through premier events, strategic partnerships, and founder programming across San Francisco, New York, and Boston, Oasis connects exceptional AI founders with the investors, executives, and resources they need to build category-defining companies.
Mina Abdulla is the Founder of AI After 5 — a community for ambitious women using their 5-9 to build the skills their 9-5 needs. She's also the Founder of Genee, an AI coaching platform. A former Googler, her experience spans across Privacy and AI, including go-to-market for Gemini Apps. Mina's grown AI After 5 to 350+ members globally across four countries, hosting workshops and founder events.
Thank you to our sponsor, Cooley:
Cooley is a leading global law firm where innovation meets the law. Deeply embedded in the venture ecosystem, the firm advises more than 7,000 high-growth private companies and has helped build some of the world’s most influential technology businesses—including forming NVIDIA in 1993 and guiding it through its IPO and beyond.
& thank you to our Venture Community Partner, Laconia:
Laconia backs serious founders building must-have technology in enduring industries. With a focus on applied AI and specialized software, we invest at pre-seed and seed in verticals like fintech, healthtech, and retailtech and more, where our network opens doors to customers before we even invest.
For sponsorship inquiries, partnerships, or press please contact: juliet@oasiscollective.org & mina.a@genee.coach