The 18th annual SXSW Pitch competition took place March 13-14 in Austin, with Techstars portfolio companies securing victories in four of the nine categories.

SXSW Pitch took place during the Startups Track of the SXSW Conference, with the winners receiving a cash prize, two badges for next year’s SXSW conference, and the SXSW Arrow Trophy.

This Year's Winners

• Surgicure Technologies (Techstars 2024)

Winner in the Healthcare, AssistiveTech & BioTech category.

“The SXSW Pitch was an incredible experience and a testament to how thoughtfully the event is run — from the coaching and support leading up to the competition to the amazing SXSW staff who made the entire experience seamless. It was a privilege to participate alongside such inspiring founders, many of whom I’m grateful to now call friends. The conversations with investors, clinicians, and leaders in the audience were equally meaningful and reinforced how important the work we’re doing really is," said Irena King, PhD., President and CEO of Surgicure Technologies. "It was also amazing to see such a strong Techstars community presence there, with so many founders and supporters showing up every step of the way.”

• AlterEcho (Techstars 2025)

Winner in the Intelligent Systems, Robotics, & Multisensory Technology category.

"SXSW Pitch was intense, inspiring, and honestly just a lot of fun. Sharing what you're building and why it matters to you with a room full of people who genuinely connect with it in real time — there's nothing quite like that. The founders around you carry that same obsessive energy for their own ventures, and it makes the whole week electric," said Marco Molinari, CEO of AlterEcho. "The kind of clarity we picked up through Techstars Torino in 2025 is a big part of why it landed the way it did. We won our category (Intelligent Systems, Robotics & Multisensory Technology), had an absolute blast, and came home to Copenhagen wanting to build even faster."

• Smart Bricks (Techstars 2025)

Winner in the Smart Data, Security, and Fintech category.

• Sotira (Techstars 2023)

Winner in the Sustainability, AgTech & Food category.

In addition to its category win, Sotira was also awarded the "Best In Show" title, recognizing it as the top overall startup in the competition.

"I am proud to have won two prizes: best pitch out of the whole show and the Sustainability, AgTech and Food category. The pitch process taught me a lot about storytelling and presenting. I made exciting connections during the show with the judges and other category contestants," said Amrita Bhasin, CEO of Sotira.

Since 2009, SXSW Pitch finalists have raised more than $22B in funding, with many being acquired by industry leaders like Google and Apple. For a complete list of this year's winners, visit: https://www.sxsw.com/pitch/.

Congratulations to all our winning Techstars founders!

Inspired by these founders? Apply to a Techstars accelerator and start your journey.

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