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FATE Pitch Stage Finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their products or services to our audience of venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and potential customers such as CFOs, VPs of finance, controllers, and IT executives.
When you are not busy pitching, you will have demo space in the FATE Startup Pavilion, where you will be able to network one-on-one with audience members. FATE Pitch Stage Finalists will also receive free registration to all FATE programming, access to professional coaching, and a chance to win a $2,500 prize!
FATE Pitch stage applications are closed. Thank you to all that submitted!
Startups pursuing disruptive software and services for recording financial transactions, tracking revenue and income, monitoring expenses and conducting financial planning and analysis. Emerging companies are also developing products and technology to assist in financial and regulatory reporting and other compliance activities.
Companies developing software and services that streamline or automate the handling of cash flows, working capital, purchasing and payments. Startups in this category are also pursuing innovation in employee expense management & reimbursement and supply chain management.
Companies launching services and systems that assist organizations in organizing, securing, manipulating, and ensuring the accuracy of financial and operational data. Tools in this emerging area integrate operational and financial data to provide a holistic view of business performance that improves decision-making.
Emerging software and systems that help companies manage people internally, through everything from human resources recordkeeping to recruiting and onboarding to employee training (learning). Other entrepreneurs in this category develop software and services to automate previously manual tasks. A subcategory of tools helps staff manage customer relationships, target the correct sales prospects and increase sales team productivity.
Our Emcee for the Pitch Stage, Mary McKenna is an Irish exited serial tech entrepreneur and angel investor based in Donegal in Ireland.
NYC-based Engineer, Entrepreneur, Investor. Co-founded Parlevel, a Retail Technology company exited in 2022. Active accelerator mentor, GP at Alpha Impact 8 and angel investor.
Kate is a GP at The W Fund, a VC firm investing in early-stage tech companies, and CEO of SWITCH, an organization focused on increasing representation and access in the startup and investing ecosystem.
Monique is Co-founder and Managing Director of the Growth Factory, EIR at Sierra College, on the Teach for America Capital Valley Region and Sacramento Metro Chamber boards and mom to 5 daughters.
Heath Butler is a venture investor, serial entrepreneur, and seasoned corporate executive. He invests in Work-Tech, Fin-Tech and Sports-Tech Software and is head of Mercury’s platform.
Chris Byers, Director of Finance and Investments at PS27 Ventures, specializes in finance, accounting, and operations, focusing on B2B SaaS, HealthTech, FinTech, and E-Commerce investments.
Sheila is a strategic advisor who builds startup ecosystems centered around tech solutions that address disparities in wealth and health. Her career spans across banking, insurance, and payments.
Investor with Conductive Ventures focused on capital-efficient, post-product market fit startups within the SaaS and technology-enabled services sectors.
Chandra is the CEO and co-founder of Aris MD, a multi-NASA award-winning company. She is also a co-founder of Devam Investments, an early-stage investment fund.
Brian Hollins is a Founder and Managing Partner of Collide Capital.
Kerty is managing director at Techstars, where she invests in tech-forward founders building companies ranging from deep tech to marketplaces in multiple industries.
Asset allocator backing early-stage VCs; ex-Aladdin at BlackRock; ex-Fidelity and Sequoia; 3x tech startup executive; Cambridge and INSEAD graduate.
Thank you to our FATE Pitch Coaches, who work closely with our finalists to assist in their on-stage presentation before the event.
Innovation Advisor,
National Science Foundation
Co-Founder,
BCPartners Tech, XR Americas & Brooklyn2Bogota Digital Transformation Community
Executive Director,
Second Chancer Foundation
Entrepreneur In Residence,
Bow Valley College
VP, Strategy & Innovation,
CPA.com
Community & Partnerships Advisor, Connectology
Senior Advisor, Global Entrepreneurship Network Connectology
Technology Development Advisor,
Alberta Innovates
Owner, Barker Associates
CFO, Maven Bridge Advisors
CFO, Strategic CFO
CEO, AdaptCFO
CEO, ChatFin
Founder/CFO, All Seasons Consulting
Financial Consultant / Fractional CFO, IG Wealth Management
Participants will have the unique opportunity to present their innovative tech solutions to an audience of finance and accounting experts. This exposure can lead to valuable connections, potential collaborations, and mentorship from established professionals.
The pitch contest provides a platform for entrepreneurs to test their ideas and receive critical feedback from industry professionals. This can help refine their product-market fit and tailor their solutions to the specific needs of corporate finance.
Finalists will benefit from heightened visibility through media exposure and promotional activities. This attention can attract potential customers, partners, and investors interested in innovative finance solutions.
With investors often keen to discover the next breakthrough, the contest serves as an ideal platform to showcase products and generate interest from venture capitalists, angel investors, and other funding sources.
The event brings together a diverse group of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate professionals, providing participants with a fertile environment to exchange ideas and build relationships.
The pitching process and feedback sessions offer a learning curve for participants, helping them refine their business model, improve their pitching skills, and gain insights into market expectations.
The cash prize awarded to the winner of each pitch track is a recognition of innovative ideas and a helpful financial boost that can aid in further developing the startup’s tech solutions.
Thank you to all that submitted!
There is no fee to apply.
Each Finalist will be granted 3 minutes to pitch, followed by 6 minutes of Q&A with a panel of judges who have investment experience in the Finalist’s space.
No. FATE Pitch Stage is an in-person event only.
FATE Pitch Stage judges will focus on these four critical elements:
Yes! Companies participating at FATE Pitch Stage will receive two (2) complimentary registration badges for FATE, good for access to all keynotes, panels, and other activities. These complimentary badges must be assigned to specific individuals attending the conference.
Additionally, each presenting company will have the opportunity to network and demo their product or service as part of the FATE Startup Pavilion.
All Pitch Stage applicants will receive a code providing them one (1) free registration for FATE.
FATE staff will screen applicants to ensure they meet all eligibility requirements, and a steering committee of finance and accounting experts will review each application to decide which products and services are the most innovative.
We strongly encourage all applicants to submit a brief video pitching the company. This pitch video should be two (2) minutes or less and should feature the applicant speaking to the camera—we want to see how you pitch, not what your video editing software can do.
We also strongly encourage you to upload a current pitch deck (no longer than 10 slides), along with a marketing video demonstrating your product or service or a video of you pitching at a prior event. Our application committee weighs these materials heavily.
Applicants selected to participate will receive an email invitation from FATE staff. Participating companies will be notified in September 2024. Please refrain from contacting staff of StrategicCFO360 or The CFO Leadership Council regarding the status of your application. We receive a high volume of submissions and will update all applicants regarding their status as soon as possible.
Have additional questions?
Please contact FATE Pitch Stage Manager Philip Cogley:
[email protected]
