Catalyst Venture 2027

Why Attend

Top Pitch Wins $25,000 in Seed Money

Are you prepared to pitch? Does your business have what it takes to impress our judges?

Panel of 7 expert judges scoring objectively and independently.
Standard PCSC rubric.
Full scoresheets and private judge feedback right on your phone.

On Standard

An Opinion Is Not a Score

The Catalyst competition follows standards published by the Pitch Competition Standards Council. This means that competitors can be assured of a predictable rubric with Olympic-style judging.

No Group Deliberations

Watch the judges at an Olympic figure skating final or a world gymnastics championship. A row of experts, seated a few feet apart, and not one of them says a word to another. That silence is not stagecraft. It is the rule. The same is true for competitions hosted under the PCSC Standard. That means competitors get more objective and honest measures of their performance. A judge who deliberates hides inside the panel. The result belongs to everyone, so it belongs to no one. A judge who scores alone puts a signature beneath a score.

Each judge has the rubric in advance
The software walks each judge through the judged elements
Each element has a set of scoring sliders with textual guidelines on where the score should range based on what the judge observed
Scores are normalized and scaled to bake out any bias that remains.

Venue & Travel

Halcyon Cherry Creek

245 E Columbine St.

From our Kitchen Counter, where you’ll check in and grab a coffee or tea, to our exceptional Gear Garage, boutique-style Destination Amenities and Rooftop Pool Deck—Halcyon is unhooked from the ordinary in so many ways.

Getting There

40 minutes from Denver International Airport

Parking

Free on-site parking

Accessibility

Fully accessible. Request special accommodations before the event.

Ride Share

Uber & Lyft Available

Relax & Enjoy

A note from the event director

We understand just how stressful a pitch competition can be. There's a lot on the line. That's why Catalyst hosts a night-before mixer on the rooftop of our hotel. Join fellow founders and our staff for a relaxing evening overlooking the majestic Rocky Mountain Front Range.

We look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions, please reach out to our event director, Starr Tupp at stupp@catalystventures.org.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Will there be spectators?

Yes! We expect more than 100 spectators from the Denver area along with members of the press.

How do I register?

You can click the REGISTER button at the top of the page or just scan the QR code floating on the lower right of this page and register immediately!

Will I get judge feedback?

With LiveJudge™ software, you'll get a printed scoresheet with precise ratings in more than 28 different areas plus personal memos from judges who left oral feedback for you.