What is Start?


Zpryme’s Start is a pitch competition where innovative technologies are proposed to key decision-makers and experts in the fields of energy, transportation, mobility, decarbonization, resilience, grid transformation, and/or energy storage solutions and more, in order to create touchpoints for the partnerships that will define the modern grid.

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The Event

Zpryme’s Start@ETS is a pitch competition where innovative technologies are proposed to key decision makers and experts in the fields of energy, smart cities, transportation, mobility, electric vehicles, and/or energy storage solutions in order to create touchpoints for the partnerships that will define the modern grid. 

Applicants

Phases acceptable to apply – Ideation, Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, B, C

The competition is open and free for all to apply!

This year’s event applicants will fall into one of five categories: S.C.O.R.E.

Sustainability, Customer Experience, Optimization, Resilience & Electrification

Fall into more than one category?! That’s great! You’ll select all that apply or choose the one you mostly fall into

Timeline

Wednesday, June 5 – Applications Open

Friday, July 28 – Applications Close

Thursday, August 3 – Startups Notified

Thursday, August 10 & Friday, August 11 – Virtual Pitches

Tuesday, August 29 – Finalists pitch in person at Geekdom in San Antonio, TX

Winners

The winning pitch will be featured across Zpryme’s social media, promoted via press release, and gain the opportunity to have private meetings with judges within the utility and innovator spaces.

Lastly, Cash prizes up to a total of $10,000!

1st Place – $6,000

2nd Place – $3,000

3rd Place – $1,000

Opportunities in addition to cash prize:

  • Real customer exposure
  • 1:1 networking with utility judges
  • Opportunity to be a guest on Zpryme on the Grid podcast
  • 2 passes to Energy Thought Summit in April 2024

Start Judges


Vanessa Richter

Vice President of Sales
Oracle

Matt Espinoza

Programs Director
Geekdom

Jordan Jarrett

Manager
Canary Holler Holdings

Evan O’Mahoney

Interim EVP & CIO
CPS Energy

Start Highlights