Making First Pitch a Home Run

SBC is one of the leading media and events companies for the global iGaming industry. With annual must-attend events in America, Canada, Lisbon, and Brazil, SBC consistently delivers high-value experiences that leaves attendees flush with opportunity.

This is perhaps best exemplified by the recurring First Pitch competition.

First Pitch is a cornerstone of SBC’s efforts to support the industry’s early-stage ecosystem. It brings together 5 of the most promising startups, who get 3 minutes each to pitch their opportunity to a live judging panel of industry experts.

It is arguably the most popular startup pitch competition within real-money gaming, and for good reason.

Beyond the $100,000+ prize package given to the winner, First Pitch has proven to be a massive accelerate to startup trajectories. The visibility and credibility earned from being selected as a First Pitch finalist is unmistakable.

First Pitch returns to the SBC Americas event on May 15, which makes its debut in Fort Lauderdale. Applications are now open until March 10.

BettingStartups checked in with past winners of the First Pitch competition to get their reflections on how winning changed their trajectories.

Mark Silver, co-founder of Parleh Media Group, reflected on winning the First Pitch competition in December 2021:

“Winning the inaugural SBC First Pitch competition was a pivotal moment for The Parleh. At just six months old, we stood on stage against some of the most innovative startups in North America and walked away with not just the top prize, but also the confidence of industry leaders and new strategic investors.

The recognition from SBC, alongside investment from Sharp Alpha Advisors and Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, propelled our growth, opening doors to new partnerships and solidifying The Parleh as a leading content provider in the sports betting space. Looking back, it was more than just a competition—it was a launchpad that helped define our trajectory in the industry.”

Dan Taren, co-founder of gamification platform Scrimmage, on the benefits of winning the 2023 First Pitch competition:

“The main benefit of the First Pitch competition, both participating and amplified by winning, is it acts as a positive social proof to getting conversations with industry leaders and companies that otherwise it is hard to get access to.

It is uncomfortable to reach out to people that you know are constantly getting reached out to, and First Pitch provides an opportunity to comfortably convey your startup in a way that makes it far easier to then leverage into deeper conversations.

Winning is nice, but you never know if something you say on stage will resonate with someone listening and turn into a meaningful connection.”

Steven Astrachan, co-founder of 916 Gaming and winner of the 2024 competition, on what winning meant for his company:

“First Pitch was a great experience for us. It was something that we had always aspired to participate in and winning was the cherry on top! 

Preparing for First Pitch is a great opportunity to reflect on your business to really layout all the things you have accomplished and put together a concise plan of what you are hoping to accomplish. It’s obviously a great platform to get those ideas out in front of some of the list influential people in the industry. That night we felt like celebrity’s with all of the congratulations we received :)

In addition to the validation, the great prizes winning the competition led directly to securing additional investment. It also puts a strong feather in you cap to say you competed against 30 of the best emerging companies in the space and came out on top!”

Applications Now Open!

First Pitch returns to the SBC Americas event on May 15 in Fort Lauderdale. If you are an industry startup, we strongly encourage you to apply! Applications close on March 10.

Useful info:

• Competition details & eligibility criteria here

• Link to apply here

• SBC Americas tickets: get 50% off your Full Event Pass ($350 value!). Go here and use code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP

Jesse will be returning as host of First Pitch, and the BettingStartups team will be onsite at SBC Americas for another round of our Quick Hit interviews. See you there!