SBC has revealed the five start-ups that will battle it out for the 2025 edition of First Pitch, presented by Soft2Bet Invest and backed by Xanada Investments. Long a staple of SBC Events, the contest puts emerging start-ups with investor-ready concepts in the spotlight as they aim to impress a panel of independent judges.

 The finalists will go head-to-head on the Technology Stage at SBC Summit on Thursday, 18 September, pitching their vision for the chance to win a prize package worth over €90,000 to fast-track their growth.

This year’s finalists are:

• AIstats - a live football scores app with AI-powered predictions, giving users real-time updates and data-driven insights to inform their decisions.
• Betpass - a company redefining how iGaming operators work with affiliates, using smart technology to connect, track, and grow partnerships from start to finish.
• ChatBet - an AI-powered platform that allows customers to place bets via WhatsApp or Telegram, without ever needing to access a platform's app or website. 
• LiveDuel - a sports prediction platform where fans make real-time picks during live events. Using blockchain, it connects global prize pools and lets creators build communities and share rewards.
• Nandemo Draft Co. - a social sports prediction and fantasy sports service that’s helping global betting partners enter the Japanese market.

The winning start-up will be selected by an expert panel including  Martin Collins (Chief Development Business Officer, Soft2Bet) Lloyd Danzig (Managing Partner, Sharp Alpha), Dee Maher (La Royale Group), Mark Phillip (CEO, Metabet), and Andrew Reader (Partner, Velo Capital Partners), with Jesse Learmonth (Founder, The Betting Startups Podcast) hosting the competition.

Martin Collins, First Pitch judge and Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet, had this to say about the competition: “SBC First Pitch is an exceptional platform to spotlight the next generation of innovators shaping the future of betting, gaming, and entertainment. At Soft2Bet Invest, we’re committed to championing bold founders with disruptive ideas and scalable vision. 

“This competition is about more than capital — it provides a strategic partnership, expert product support, and the backing needed to take the winning company to its next stage of growth.”

The winner will receive a prize package worth over €90,000, including:

• Are You Watching This? – One year of API access to sports data, plus comprehensive betting insights from MetaBet, worth €42,000.
• SBC Events - A 3x3m booth, sponsorship mention, and four complimentary tickets to SBC Summit 2026, worth €15,000.
• SBC Media - Six months of advertising across relevant industry platforms, newsletter placements, and two featured editorials promoting the business, worth €11,000.
• AWS - €10,000 in AWS credits to support the company.
• Square in the Air - One month of bespoke brand design support, worth €9,500.
• Vegas Kings - An exclusive web design overhaul worth €3,000.
• Game On - The draft and distribution of two press releases, an interview arranged with a US-facing trade publication, a short video interview to be carried out by GameOn and shared on social media, and inclusion in the GameOn newsletters, worth €2,700.

Attendees can watch the First Pitch competition at the Technology Stage on Thursday, 18 September, 15:00-16:00 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL).

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