The news: First Pitch returns at SBC Summit in Lisbon on October 1, with five early-stage founders getting three minutes each to make their case to a panel of industry judges. The competition, co-organized with BettingStartups, sends its winner home with a prize package valued at more than €100,000. This year’s finalists (Betsy, GMonitor, InsightPlay.ai, Safefy, and Whizdom AI) span social prediction, market intelligence, monitoring, player personalization, and AI.

Zoom in: The pitches range from consumer-facing to deeply operational. Betsy founder Teemu Huuhtanen is betting that an outsider’s view is the edge: “None of us have been in the sportsbook business before, and we believe that’s the secret sauce.” Others bring traction to the table—Whizdom AI booked about €470K in 2025 and is tracking toward €800K this year.

Why it matters: First Pitch has become one of gaming’s most visible launchpads for early-stage companies, and this year’s finalists offer a snapshot of where the next wave is forming. BettingStartups also returns as host of the Startup Zone, putting these founders in front of the 40,000+ operators, investors, and partners on the show floor. Whoever takes the stage October 1, the competition keeps a spotlight on the industry’s startup ecosystem.