This startup competition for sports betting and iGaming firms has been successfully conducted at SBC Summit North America in New Jersey and the global flagship SBC Summit Barcelona event. With SBC now managing the Canadian Gaming Summit, the First Pitch competition will be a vital component of the Growth and Leadership track on the second full day of the event (June 15). 

The inclusion of SBC First Pitch in this prestigious summit underscores SBC’s commitment to supporting the brightest entrepreneurs and most innovative startups in the sports betting and iGaming space.

The SBC First Pitch application period is officially open and will remain so until April 30th. A panel of esteemed judges will meticulously evaluate each submission to assess their alignment with the application criteria, and ultimately select the five most promising startups with the strongest pitch decks. 

The selected companies will receive the opportunity to present their groundbreaking products in front of industry leaders and investors, as well as compete for a chance to secure an exclusive prize packagealready valued at CA$30,000, designed to support their future development and growth plans.

The competition will be judged by a group of highly respected professionals, including Benjie Cherniak (Principal at Avenue H Capital, LLC), a distinguished investor and advisor in the sports betting industry, and Dani Lipkin (Managing Director of Global Innovation Sector TMX Group), an expert in guiding private companies and their shareholders through the process of raising equity capital in Canada. Before the application deadline expires, SBC will be including additional judges to the list.

The winner of the competition will receive an exceptional package, already valued at $30,000, which will be further enriched by the time of the event. The prize package includes:

• A six-month subscription to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming's Sports & Emerging Verticals, a boutique research firm that specializes in providing comprehensive services to the gaming equipment, sports, and interactive gaming sectors within the global gaming industry. This subscription alone is worth $25,000.
• An exclusive brand or web design package, valued at $2,800, from Vegas Kings, the premier iGaming design and development agency that has been trusted by leading brands such as Ladbrokes, Betfred, Spinomenal, BetConstruct, and more.
• A comprehensive promotional package from SBC Media, including six months of advertising on either SBC Americas or Canadian Gaming Business, newsletter advertising, as well as two featured editorials promoting the winning business. This package alone is valued at $12,000.

Sue Schneider, VP of Growth and Strategy at SBC, said, "One of our previous winners, Parleh Media Group, is a Canada-based company, and the country itself is a well-established tech hub and a centre for global investment. So, this inaugural edition is sure to attract exciting entries, and we can't wait to see what innovative products and ideas the Canadian startup scene has in store.

“It’s SBC’s first involvement in the Canadian Gaming Summit as an organizer, and adding the First Pitch competition to the event schedule was a no-brainer. We are committed to supporting young companies in their growth journey by providing them with a platform to showcase their breakthrough products and innovations - and the First Pitch competition is one of our most powerful cards in doing just that.”

The start-ups that apply have to fulfil certain eligibility criteria:

• Must have been founded no earlier than 2020
• Must be focused on the sports betting and iGaming industry
• Must have raised no more than CA$5 million on outside financing
• Must have an MVP product to discuss and showcase
• Must be seeking investment of a minimum of CA$250,000
• Have at least one representative from the company present at the competition on June 15

The deadline for applications is midnight ET on April 30, 2023. Head to the SBC First Pitch application page to submit your entry.

The five finalists will be announced on May 12, 2023.