• CONGRATULATIONS 2022 VENTURE MADNESS WINNERS!

    Check out who took home the crowns in each category at
    our 30th Anniversary Venture Madness event

    See the Winners

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in partnership with

Arizona Commerce Authority - Invest Southwest Premier Partner

AND OUR 2022 VENTURE MADNESS WINNERS ARE…

CONSUMER+BUSINESS TRACK

Frites St - 2022 Venture Madness Winner

MEDICAL TRACK

TapRoot Interventions & Solutions

SAAS TRACK

Botco.AI - 2022 Venture Madness Winner

TECH TRACK

PWR Lab - 2022 Venture Madness Winner

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

NEON - 2022 Venture Madness People's Choice Winner

Learn More About Our VM22 Presenting Company Finalists & Exhibitors

Read the full press release announcement

Check out our 2021 highlight reel to see what all the madness is about

OUR COVID-19 POLICY

Invest Southwest’s primary focus is the health and safety of our attendees and partners. We are excited to announce we will be moving forward with the event this year in Arizona. We are closely monitoring conditions, including following the recommendations from the CDC and the State of Arizona Governor’s office and health agencies. We will err on the side of caution and if we do need to reschedule, all attendees will be notified of the new date immediately.

Masks and sanitizer will be available onsite for all attendees.

Venture Madness 2022 Agenda

SEE FULL AGENDA
ACA

About

Venture Madness, presented by Invest Southwest in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, is Arizona’s longest running Capital Conference and early-stage pitch competition. Finalists compete head to head, and get exclusive access to the region’s most active accredited investors, all in one place, who have funded Presenting Companies with more than $1BILLION since 1992.

Check Out Our Featured Past Winner Story

Campus Logic - Venture Madness Winner

Watch More Past Winner Stories on Competing in Venture Madness

Watch Venture Madness Winner Stories

How it Works

The competition starts with selected presenting companies grouped into distinct categories based on industry focus. The companies are chosen by an expert selection panel, then the finalist companies advance to the live-demo portion of the contest held at various venues throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area.

Leading up to the event, finalist companies will get expert mentorship from seasoned investors, business leaders and other successful entrepreneurs in preparation for the competition. At the live event, they’ll compete in head-to-head pitches in each category for a chance to win cash, and most importantly, get exposure for their company while building an invaluable network of the Southwest’s most active investors who attend Venture Madness specifically to grow their investment portfolios with the next heroes!

Please Note: If your company is selected to present, your CEO will be required to attend our Presenting Company Orientation and Mentor Sessions held in in the two months prior to the conference.

Key Dates

  • NOV 2021 – JAN 2022 → Partnership opportunities for VMC 2022
  • NOV 2021  →  General registration & early bird ticket sales opens
  • NOV 5 – DEC 7, 2021 @ 3:00pm AZ time →  VMC22 Application Window
  • DEC 2021 – FREE PARTICIPANT / PITCH TRAINING → Get Ready On-Demand Webinar (free for anyone interested in learning about applying, the process and tips for pitching investors to raise capital)
  • JAN 6, 2022 → 2022 Presenting Companies announced
  • JAN 6, 2022 → Presenting Company Kickoff Reception & Orientation (mandatory for all finalists)
  • JAN-FEB 2022 → Mentor Team Meetings for all Finalists
  • MAR 2, 2022  →  Venture Madness Conference Welcome Reception (Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Downtown Phoenix)
  • MAR 3, 2022  →  Venture Madness Conference main event (Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Downtown Phoenix)

1-Day Event Format

What’s New for 2022?

We’ll continue our condensed 1-day event format with a welcome reception the evening before our main event day. On the big day, we’ll host a few hundred attendees at our live pitch event where Presenters across 6 industry tracks will face off, with a stellar keynote, and some serious power networking throughout the day. Industry categories and tracks will be assigned when finalist companies are announced approximately 6 weeks before the live event.

In 2022, we’re also offering a dedicated Showcase Hall for Presenting companies, and approximately 30 additional applicant companies who will be chosen to showcase their products and services live at the welcome reception and main event day. Investors, mentors and attendees will have the opportunity to network one-on-one with each company and see demos of the solutions first hand.

startup contest venture madness

2022 Industry Categories

CATEGORYDESCRIPTIONREVENUE CRITERIAFUNDING CRITERIA
Consumer/BusinessConsumer based technology, product, or service companies focused on individuals and/or households through
software, mobile devices, etc.		No thresholdNo threshold
MedicalBiotech, healthcare and life sciences, in market, with devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, etc., and systems to solve health problem and improve life quality.No thresholdNo threshold
SAASSaaS/Software in process of developing product, finding or found product market fit, generating consistent revenue.No thresholdNo threshold
TechAll tech including deep tech, hardware, fintech, blockchain, IoT, cyber and ed tech companies in development or in market, found market fit, generating consistent revenue.No thresholdNo threshold

Connections & Prize Money

Competing companies in the 2022 event will vie for their share of cash prizes, with winners in each category receiving a cash prize, and most importantly, getting exclusive time with the Southwest’s most active angel and VC investors. All finalists receive publicity in the location and regional media, and may be interviewed by the press before and/or following the event. Finalist companies also receive expert mentorship from seasoned executives and serial entrepreneurs to help guide their pitch and presentation strategy.

No matter where you land in the competition, participants time and again attest to the value of applying for and competing in this event. You’ll build an invaluable network of mentors, potential future employees and accredited investors who are specifically looking to grow their investment portfolios with promising companies. Many past applicants and participants report meeting future Board members, advisors and investors that help guide and grow their firm for years to come, fueling their journey to the top step by step.

Where to Stay

Coming from out of town? Here’s where to stay.

*Kimpton Hotel Palomar (*event venue)

Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Downtown

Hyatt Regency Phoenix

Marriott Renaissance Phoenix Downtown

FAQs

The Venture Madness Conference, presented by Invest Southwest, in partnership with Arizona Commerce Authority (formerly Invest Southwest Capital Conference), connects investors with early stage and growth companies in the U.S. The 2022 conference is scheduled March 2-3. With an audience of nearly 300 attendees including accredited venture capital and angel investors, seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders, approximately 25 – 35 presenting companies showcase their innovative solutions and business plans in various industry tracks to compete for investor attention, media attention, future investment potential and cash prizes.

Invest Southwest’s primary focus is the health and safety of our attendees and partners. As in 2021, we are closely monitoring conditions, including following the recommendations from the CDC and the State of Arizona Governor’s office and health agencies. We will err on the side of caution and ensure the safety of all attendees. Masks, sanitizer and social distancing will be part of our 2022 event.

It is FREE to apply for the Venture Madness Conference. If your company is selected to present at the conference, you will be responsible for your travel and accommodations to participate in the live event.

Go to our online application platform, StartupWind, provided by our premier partner, Arizona Commerce Authority. Note that after you create your application profile, you will receive a confirmation email that comes from Arizona Commerce Authority from email “info@startupwind.com.”  That email will have your temporary password so you can log into the system to complete your application. Then just follow the instructions. GOOD LUCK!

Companies that present at the conference will not only meet other founders and seasoned entrepreneurs who’ve walked in your shoes (which is invaluable in a startup’s journey), you’ll meet mentors and industry influencers who can help mentor your team and accelerate your growth. You’ll also have the opportunity to network and spend quality time connecting with some of our region’s most active angel and venture capital investors, get mentorship from successful entrepreneurs and past contestants, and connect with the other competing companies.

You’ll also network with and learn from a 30+ member selection panel that includes expert investors, investment bankers and seasoned service professionals, in addition to the other entrepreneurial minds and guest speakers who attend the event. Your startup will get national and international exposure through the Venture Madness website leading up to, and throughout the competition, as we promote the event and competing companies online through search and social media, as well as PR exposure through the local and national media.  All participating companies will be mentioned in the conference notebook and the press releases that are distributed to local press and nationally throughout the competition, on Invest Southwest’s, ACA’s and some partner social media channels, as well as to more than 300 attendees at the live event. You’ll also receive ongoing promotions and PR following the event via the website, social media and PR.

Invest Southwest will review initial applications, and based on weighted scores, the top finalists will be invited to participate in Venture Madness. Read the How It Works section for more information.

Applications are reviewed and evaluated by an expert selection panel and evaluation criteria is based on your solution uniqueness, competitive differentiation, market traction, potential market opportunity, business model, team strength and presentation quality. Please check back for the competition Terms and Conditions for more details on evaluation timelines.

Note for 2021! As with our 2020 event, no pitch videos will be required for applicants, only your online application via our application portal. It is important that you include all requested information as well as your pro forma financials and initial pitch presentation (in PowerPoint .PPTX format). Watch for key dates and deadlines in Spring of 2021. Please note that late submissions will not be accepted for the competition.

We’ll provide a direct link to the online application portal. And be sure to sign up for news and event updates to stay informed as more information becomes available.

Once you have successfully submitted your application, you should receive a confirmation email from the application platform, specifically from our Premier Partner, Arizona Commerce Authority via email from info@startupwind.com. Please add this email to your address book along with karen.katzorke@investsouthwest.org to ensure receipt of future communications regarding your application and participation status. Please note that you cannot amend your application once submitted, however, you can save your partial application and revise it *before it is submitted* at any time up to the June 3 deadline.

An Invest Southwest representative will be in touch with you approximately two months prior to the conference if your company is selected to present. At that point you’ll receive all necessary instructions on your participation and preparation for the event. Then the rest is up to you!

An Invest Southwest representative will contact each company to notify them if they have been selected. The companies selected to present at the conference are required to attend the following sessions (times and locations TBA):

  1. Presenting Company Orientation (August 5, 2021)
  2. Mentor Team Sessions (August 27, 2021 and September 10, 2021)
  3. Venture Madness Conference (October 6-7, 2021)

If you have a technical difficulty submitting your application through our new application platform, called StartupWind, please submit a help request through the platform HELP link. If your response is not resolved through StartupWind support, please contact Karen Katzorke, Executive Director of Invest Southwest, as soon as possible. Due to tight timelines, we ask that you follow up quickly with any issues or questions.

Please note that Invest Southwest receives a high volume of calls and emails in the (3) weeks prior to the application deadline, and we’ll do our best to respond to your request in the order it was received. Due to this volume, we strongly suggest you start and submit your application process as early as possible during the application window.

Yes, our 2022 event ticket sales have already begun, and the event will be in-person again. Registration is open to the public, and early bird registration rates are typically offered.

Get tickets online here

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