ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - The City of Elk Grove has announced the 10 startup companies selected to compete in the finals of the 2026 Pitch Elk Grove competition, where entrepreneurs from across the Sacramento region will present their business ideas before a panel of investors.

The competition will take place Sept. 3 at The Center at District56 in Elk Grove. Finalists will compete for a total of $20,000 in prize money, including a $10,000 grand prize, $5,000 for second place, $2,500 for third place and a $2,500 award recognizing the top startup based in Elk Grove.

According to the city, finalists were selected following a competitive review process and represent a range of early-stage businesses focused on industries including health care, agriculture, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and consumer products.

Before the competition, each startup will work with an experienced pitch coach to strengthen its presentation in preparation for the live event.

This year’s event also marks the fifth anniversary of Pitch Elk Grove. Organizers will introduce a new “Where Are They Now?” video series featuring former finalists discussing how their businesses have grown since participating in the competition. The videos will be shown between finalist presentations and will highlight milestones such as product launches, funding, partnerships and business growth.

“Five years ago, Pitch Elk Grove set out to give entrepreneurs a platform to accelerate their businesses, and today we’re seeing the results,” Economic Development Director Darrell Doan said in a statement. “This year’s finalists continue to raise the bar, and we’re excited to celebrate not only the next generation of startups, but also the companies that have turned this opportunity into lasting success.”

Laura Good, president and CEO of StartupSac, said the anniversary provides an opportunity to showcase current competitors and previous participants alike.

“One of the best measures of a startup competition is what happens after the trophies are handed out,” Good said in a statement. “Celebrating five years by highlighting past finalists alongside this year’s competitors shows the strength of our regional ecosystem and the momentum these founders can build when they have access to mentorship, visibility and a supportive community.”

Pitch Elk Grove is produced by the City of Elk Grove in partnership with StartupSac and Explore Elk Grove. The competition is part of the Startup Elk Grove Incentive Program, which provides technical assistance, mentorship and funding opportunities for early-stage businesses.

The 2026 finalists are BillDecoder of Lodi, Core Envision Inc. of Folsom, First Bite of Davis, GuLP AAC of Sacramento, Insta Brow of Elk Grove, Krokos Bio of Davis, Lilypay of Lincoln, Pheronym Inc. of Woodland, Purple Door Finders of Sacramento and Yeast Bay Bio of Davis.

The judging panel includes Michelle Hallsten of Sacramento Angels and Greenberg Traurig, David Lopez of Sacramento Angels, George Parrish of Stockton Entrepreneur Lab and Bay Angels, Lokesh Sikaria of Moneta Ventures and Rick Spencer of Growth Factory Ventures.

Registration is open for those wishing to attend the Sept. 3 competition.

Visit 3common.com/event/pitch-elk-grove/6a278adc4db7f5fcf25553ce. Additional information about the event and competition is available at startupsac.com/pitch-elk-grove.