Southwest RivCo Pitch Competition Winners Announced: $1K Prize, Up For $20K In Next Round

MURRIETA, CA — Two local businesses have won a chance to move on to the next round of the Fast Pitch Competition in Riverside. On Tuesday, regional leaders and innovation partners listened to rapid-fire business pitches over an afternoon of entrepreneurship and collaboration at the Murrietaas part of the Riverside County Innovation Month.

The next stop for the winners is the Riverside County Innovation Month Pitch Finale on April 29 at the Riverside Convention Center.

A panel of judges selected Digital Therapeutix for the first-place award, earning a $1,000 cash prize. They will also have the opportunity to pitch their businesses for $20,000 in cash prizes, and vie for a spot at the global Startup World Cup competition to compete for a $1 million equity investment.

GattaCo, Inc. earned second place and will also advance to the Pitch Finale.

The Tuesday event featured pitches from eight startups, each delivering a four-minute presentation followed by a three-minute question-and-answer session with a panel of regional judges. Participating companies included NeyroblastGX, LLC; Tx Genetic Research; Recalivape, Inc.; Bulbul Inc.; Sequential Bio; GattaCo, Inc.; Digital Therapeutix; and ALÜN Outdoors.

"The program began with a welcome luncheon and remarks recognizing sponsors US Bank and DIY Divorce, along with partners including the County of Riverside, the cities of Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore and Wildomar, Impact Riverside County and Startup World Cup," a spokesperson said.

Stephanie Stethem, supervising economic development specialist and small business advocate for the Riverside County Office of Economic Development, provided opening remarks highlighting the county’s commitment to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and supporting small business growth across the region.

Judging the pitch competition were Murrieta Mayor Pro Tem Ron Holliday, Temecula Council Member James “Stew” Stewart, Menifee Council Member Ben Diederich, Lake Elsinore Council Member Steve Manos, Wildomar Mayor Carlos Marquez, and Jocelyn Tan of SISU VR, an entrepreneur in residence and former pitch participant.

“The Fast Pitch Competition highlights the depth of talent and innovation emerging from Southwest Riverside County,” event organizers said. “These entrepreneurs are tackling real-world challenges with creativity and determination, and today’s event is just the beginning of their journey.”

The Southwest Region Fast Pitch Competition is one of several events being held throughout April in celebration of Riverside County Innovation Month, an initiative designed to elevate local startups, connect innovators with resources and strengthen the region’s innovation economy.