The Pitch

Knock, knock! AI wants to inspect your room. Al Lagunas grew up watching his mom clean hotel rooms. Now he’s building Levee, an AI-powered app to make her job easier—and keep the staff from getting yelled at. But with just one hotel customer and a $10M+ valuation, will the investors check in… or check out? This is The Pitch for Levee. Featuring investors ⁠Paige Finn Doherty⁠,⁠ Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton and Jenny Fielding. ... Watch Al’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Levee is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Antonio used an Apple Watch to improve his physical health. But he couldn't find a wearable to help him in the same way with his mental health. So he built Awear, an ear cuff that monitors your brain and coaches you through stress in real time. But can he convince the investors who’ve seen every wearable under the sun? This is The Pitch for Awear. Featuring investors ⁠Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Antonio’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our newsletter: insider.pitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Awear is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You heard the pitches. Now hear the aftermath. The Season 13 Finale brings you founder wins, surprises, pivots—and one last chance to invest. With in-depth updates on four standout companies and quick hits on the rest, this finale delivers the full story. ... Watch the finale on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.pitch.show Apply to join our private investor community and invest in The Pitch Fund II: thepitch.fund Join us backstage at our next taping in Napa pitch.show/napa … Music in this episode by Fleece Panther, The Muse Maker, Breakmaster Cylinder, Cold Storage Percussion Unit, Strange Knight, Boxwood Orchestra, Joya, Angular Wave Research, Peter Jean and The Runaway Queen, Carey Haynes, Onders, Shaky Faces, A\YO, Imagined Nostalgia, Astronaut Club, Freedust, Cafe Nostro, and The Brow. … *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in the startups featured on this episode is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anastasia Trofimova sold everything, moved across the world and started Sundae to make food content shoppable—linking influencers, grocery carts, and brand dollars. Her pitch checks all the boxes. But when she asks for a $10M valuation, things got complicated. Will investors buy in, or bail at the register? This is The Pitch for Sundae. Featuring investors ⁠Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Anastasia’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Sundae is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a decade in the ER, Dr. Therese Canares built CurieDx—an AI-powered app that can detect strep throat from a smartphone photo with 88% accuracy. But when she pitches both a consumer and enterprise play, the investors push back: can one founder really do it all? This is The Pitch for CurieDx. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton and Jenny Fielding. ... Watch Therese’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in CurieDx is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julian Alvarez wants to turn every student into a super-learner. With $1M in ARR and 180,000 monthly active users, he’s off to a strong start. Can Jungle become the Duolingo for studying, or will ChatGPT steal his lunch money? This is The Pitch for Jungle. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Julian’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Jungle is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula 1 engineer Gabe Elias got bored designing cars for Mercedes. Using his experience on the championship team he’s created a manufacturing method to 3D print batteries of any size, shape, and chemistry. Will the investors be charged for this innovation or will Gabe get sent back to the paddock? This is The Pitch for Material. Featuring investors Mark Phillips, Paige Doherty, and Will Weisman. ... Watch Gabe’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Material is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forget slick dashboards—Luisa Castellanos is betting that the future of restaurant tech support is... texting. Her startup Science On Call is already in 900 restaurants. The question is, can it scale to thousands? This is The Pitch for Science On Call. Featuring investors Jesse Middleton, Mark Phillips, Paige Doherty, and Will Weisman. ... Watch Luisa’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Science On Call is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Raising money for your startup? Good news—applications for Season 14 of The Pitch are now open! General partner Lisa Muccio and venture scout Peter Liu share what we look for in a startup, and how you can land a spot on our next season. So if you're a pre-seed or seed-stage founder, apply now at pitch.show/apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With deals from LinkedIn, Figma, and a Fortune 100 giant, Kelsey Willock’s startup Aura Finance is off to a strong start. But will early traction be enough to justify a steep valuation in a competitive space? This is The Pitch for Aura Finance. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton, Jenny Fielding and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Kelsey’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Aura Finance is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Royi Metser’s smart running shoe promises fewer injuries—but are runners ready to subscribe to their shoes? This is The Pitch for Avelo. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, and two new investors to the show, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Royi’s pitch on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter: insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack: thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party: pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Avelo is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Typically a startup pitch that requires building a manufacturing facility would send VCs running for the hills. But could Whitman Kwok's high margin, zero-inventory model be the exception to the rule? This is The Pitch for KAV Sports. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, and two new investors to the show, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. ... Watch Whitman pitch his startup on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our public email newsletter insider.thepitch.show Join our private investor community on Substack at thepitch.fund Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party at pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in KAV Sports is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michele Callegari has grown Barberino's to the #1 luxury men's grooming brand in Italy. Can he replicate the same success in the US – and if he does, will the Italian investors want their cut? This is The Pitch for Barberino’s. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton, and two new investors to the show, Ben Zises and Kate McAndrew. Watch Michele pitch his startup on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Join our private investor community on Substack at thepitch.fund Subscribe to our public email newsletter insider.thepitch.show Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party at pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Barberino’s is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cathy Huang wants to unlock millions of dollars for millions of new internships. But with her round already closed, will there be room for everyone who wants to invest? This is The Pitch for Folio. Featuring investors Jesse Middleton, Mark Phillips, Paige Doherty, and Will Weisman. Watch Cathy pitch her startup on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Join our private investor community on Substack at thepitch.fund Subscribe to our public email newsletter insider.thepitch.show Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party at pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Folio is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Burton wants to help every city turn drivers to riders with his smart bike lock. But will his “no checks under $100k” approach leave him backpedalling? This is The Pitch for Lockstop. Featuring investors Jesse Middleton, Mark Phillips, Paige Finn Doherty and Will Weisman. ... Watch Mike pitch his urban mobility startup on YouTube (@thepitchshow) and Patreon (@ThePitch) Join our private investor community on Substack at thepitch.fund Subscribe to our public email newsletter insider.thepitch.show Register for the Season 13 Finale Watch Party at pitch.show/party *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Lockstop is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today’s episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Johns Hopkins ER doctor, a Formula 1 engineer, and an artist walk into The Pitch Room... meet this season's extraordinary founders! We screened 2,000 companies, and 12 made the cut. But with negotiations turned up to 11, will they be ready to face off with the sharpest VCs in the game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The culmination of fourteen pitches, six months, and over $3.8M invested by VCs and listeners, this is the season 12 finale. *Disclaimer: No offer to invest is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today’s show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To all the investors and founders listening, join us in Miami this January. Go to thepitchevent.com to learn more and request an invite to The Pitch Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does so little venture capital money go to women, Black, and Latinx founders? In this episode, investors Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin explain how VC is set up in a way that excludes many founders and businesses, and what their funds are doing to expand access to capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is getting a software patent actually a good idea? For many startups a patent is a shield meant to prevent the competition from stealing their most innovative ideas. But in this episode, investors Sarah Downey and Phil Nadel explain how software patents can be a trap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices