It’s the last chance for AI startups to enter Pitchapalooza, a pitch competition with a $200,000 prize

Entries for a pitch competition offering a prize package worth more than $200,000, as well as $20,000 in perks for every artificial intelligence (AI) startup that enters close this week.

Pitchapalooza, by the team behind Cut Through Venture and One Pitch, is searching for Australia’s best AI pitch. Entries close on Friday, February 28.

The competition will select 40 semi-finalists in early March before whittling it down to 12 finalists for the grand finale at Google’s Sydney offices on April 10.

The judging panel features 20 investors from Australia’s leading venture firms, including Blackbird, Airtree, Square Peg, Tidal, Giant Leap and Investible, as well as Build Club’s Annie Liao.

All applicants will receive investor feedback and gain access to “The Stack” – a package of partner perks worth over $20,000, featuring offerings from the likes of Canva, Rippling, and Cake Equity. 

Simon McKendry, partner of Cut Through Venture and cofounder of One Pitch, said that unlike traditional startup pitch competitions, Pitchapalooza welcomes founders at all stages of business growth – from early-stage startups to established companies reimagining their operations with AI. 

“It’s a classic scenario where newcomers are racing to secure distribution while incumbents are striving to innovate,” 

The competition recognises that artificial intelligence is transforming businesses of all sizes, whether AI-native ventures or mature companies incorporating AI to enhance their existing workflows. 

Tidal Ventures principal Fee Barry, one of the judges, said AI has transformative potential in the Australian tech landscape:

“Australia has built world-class SaaS businesses by structuring and automating workflows—turning messy data into organised systems of record,” she said.

“But AI is rewriting that playbook. AI doesn’t need structured data or pre-defined workflows; it performs entire tasks, moving from software-as-a-service to service-as-a-software. That’s why we’re seeing AI disrupt industries like legal, finance, and consulting in ways SaaS never could.”

Investment NSW is supporting Pitchapalooza. 

Details at pitchapalooza.ai