As we begin our second season of TechRise in April 2022, historically underrepresented founders from Chicago will once again be invited to pitch in our TechRise competitions. Prizes will range from $25K-$50K each week.  Founders will have 4 minutes to pitch their visions to a panel of judges via a live streamed competition.  Each founder will be matched with an existing Seed or Series A founder in our Chicago Tech Ecosystem to help build connections and receive mentorship from someone who has extensive experience in entrepreneurship.

One team will be chosen as the winner each week, and the other competitors will be invited to pitch again in a future series.  Additionally, TechRise will continue partnering with experts across the city and country to support all of our participants!

To participate as a sponsor, judge, or founder mentor, please join the community or fill out this form.

For Black and Latinx Founders, please fill out the form below to be considered for a future pitch competition.  You can also find the application here.