Transform 2026

Pitch The Future

Transform Conference – Las Vegas, Nevada – March 24-25, 2026

  

Contest Rules

Pitch The Future – Transform Conference 2026

These Official Rules (“Rules”) govern the Pitch The Future pitch contest (the “Contest”). By submitting an entry, each applying startup or founder (the “Entrant”) agrees to be bound by these Rules and by the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects.

1. Sponsor and Administrator

•   Sponsor: Transform Media LLC (“Sponsor”).
•   Business address: Transform Media LLC, 1850 Gateway Drive, Suite 700. San Mateo, CA 94404.
•   Contest Administrators: Jeremy Tucker and Stijn Spaas (“Administrators”).
•   Administrator contact: Jeremy@transform.us; Stijn@transform.us.

2. Contest Overview

Pitch The Future is Transform’s inaugural startup pitch contest at Transform 2026. It is a live, Shark Tank-style pitch showdown for early-stage startups transforming the future of people and work. Eligible entrants submit an application and a one-minute pitch video. Sponsor and/or the judges select four (4) finalists to pitch live at the Transform Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Judges select the winner, with an Audience Choice award influenced by audience voting. Sponsor may also award additional category awards and/or sponsor-provided prizes.

3. Key Dates (Eastern Time)

 

Milestone	Date
Applications open	January 27, 2026
Applications close	February 27, 2026
Finalists announced	March 13, 2026
Live pitches at Transform (Las Vegas)	March 25, 2026 (time TBD)

 

Sponsor may adjust dates and timing at its discretion. Any changes will be posted on the Contest page or communicated to entrants.

4. Eligibility

To be eligible, an entrant must meet all requirements below at the time of entry and through the live event:

•   Entity status: Entrant must be a legitimately formed legal entity (company/organization) in good standing under applicable law.
•   Stage: Entrant must be early-stage and pre-Series A.
•   Revenue: Entrant must have less than USD 10,000,000 in annual revenue.
•   Theme fit: Entrant must be clearly centered on transforming the future of people and work.
•   Business model: Any business model is permitted (product, service, platform, technology, or other), provided it is lawful.
•   Founder age: At least one founder who will participate in the live pitch must be at least 18 years old. Teams may include minors, but minors may not be required to sign or participate.
•   Language: Application and Entry Video must be in English.
•   Global applicants: Applicants from any country may apply, subject to applicable law and the restrictions below.

Ineligible entrants include:

•   Employees, officers, directors, contractors, or agents of Sponsor, the Administrators, judges, and prize providers (each a “Released Party”).
•   Entities offering illegal products or services, or whose participation would violate applicable law, regulation, or venue policy.
•   Entrants located in, or ordinarily resident in, jurisdictions subject to broad U.S. sanctions/embargoes, or otherwise prohibited from receiving prizes, traveling to the U.S., or participating under applicable law.

5. Entry Period and How to Enter

The Contest entry period begins January 27, 2026 and ends February 27, 2026 (the “Entry Period”). To enter, visit the official Contest page on transform.us and complete the application form in full, including the required one-minute pitch video.

Entry limits:

•   No entry fee.
•   One (1) entry per company/entity.
•   Entries must be submitted during the Entry Period. Late or incomplete entries are void.

6. Submission Requirements

Each entry must include:

•   A completed application.
•   A video no longer than one (1) minute (60 seconds) in length (“Entry Video”).
•   Captions are required on the Entry Video.

Optional materials:

•   An overview deck / pitch deck upload (optional).

Video format:

•   Standard video file formats are accepted. Video may be uploaded directly or provided as a link, as permitted by the application form.
•   No minimum production-quality requirements; however, video must be viewable and audible and must include captions.
•   Sponsor is not responsible for link permissions, playback errors, file corruption, or upload issues. Entrants are responsible for verifying access.

7. Representations and Warranties

By submitting an entry, Entrant represents, warrants, and agrees that:

•   All information provided is true, accurate, and complete to the best of Entrant’s knowledge.
•   Entrant has the right and authority to submit all materials, including the Entry Video and any deck, and to grant the rights described in these Rules.
•   Entry materials do not infringe or misappropriate any third-party rights (including copyright, trademark, trade secret, privacy, or publicity rights).
•   Entry materials do not include unlawful content or content that is defamatory, harassing, hateful, or discriminatory.
•   Entrant will comply with all applicable laws and venue policies.

8. Selection of Finalists

Sponsor and/or the judges will review eligible entries and select four (4) finalists (“Finalists”) based on criteria determined by Sponsor and/or the judges. Selection factors may include: real people impact; a clear problem worth solving; a solution that feels new and doable; a market model that makes sense; and a pitch that lands. Finalists will be notified directly and announced publicly on or about March 13, 2026. Sponsor may select alternate finalists in its sole discretion.

9. Live Pitch Event Format (March 25, 2026)

Finalists agree to the following live pitch format and requirements:

•   Event: Transform Conference 2026, Las Vegas, Nevada (March 25, 2026; time TBD).
•   Pitch: each Finalist has up to 2 minutes to present (Shark Tank-style).
•   Judge Q&A: judges have up to 5 minutes to ask questions after each pitch.
•   Deliberation: judges have approximately 10 minutes to decide final winner(s) and any category awards.
•   During deliberation, Sponsor may replay Entry Videos.
•   Sponsor will provide final stage and presentation guidance prior to the event.

10. Judging and Winner Determination

Judges will score Finalists based on criteria and weights established by Transform in collaboration with judges prior to the live event. Judges’ decisions are final and binding.

11. Audience Choice Voting

Audience voting may occur in real time during the live session via a phone-based live poll. Voting is limited to one (1) vote per person. Sponsor may use reasonable controls to enforce one vote per person and to prevent fraud. Audience voting may be used to determine an Audience Choice award and/or to inform judge deliberation, as communicated onsite.

Voting rules:

•   Sponsor may void votes that appear to be fraudulent, automated, duplicated, or otherwise in violation of these Rules.
•   In the event of a tie for Audience Choice, Sponsor will apply a reasonable tie-break method (e.g., judges’ aggregate score among tied Finalists), as determined by Sponsor.
•   Sponsor’s determinations regarding Audience Choice voting are final and binding.

12. Prizes

Grand Prize: up to $50,000 prize value (subject to verification and completion of required documentation). Prizes may include in-kind services (e.g., workshops, coaching, and meetings) and/or cash prizes. Prize details, approximate retail value (ARV), redemption restrictions, and delivery timelines will be published as they are confirmed.

Important prize conditions:

•   No substitution: Prizes may not be substituted, transferred, or exchanged for cash except where a cash prize is expressly stated.
•   If a prize provider withdraws or fails to deliver, the affected prize will not be replaced or substituted.

13. Taxes and Required Forms

Winners are solely responsible for all taxes and reporting obligations associated with prize receipt and use. For cash prizes, winners must provide required tax forms prior to payment.

•   U.S. persons must submit a completed IRS Form W-9.
•   Non-U.S. persons/entities may be required to submit IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation).
•   If a winner fails to provide required documentation within the timeframe specified by Sponsor, the winner may forfeit the cash prize.

14. Publicity; Recording; Use of Name and Likeness

By entering, Entrants consent to Sponsor’s public acknowledgment of participation. Finalists must consent to being filmed and photographed, and the live pitches may be recorded and livestreamed.

By entering, each Entrant grants Sponsor and its designees a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free license to:

•   Use Entrant’s name, company name, logo, trademarks, and basic public-facing information for Contest administration and promotion.
•   Use, reproduce, edit, publish, and distribute the Entry Video (in whole or in part) and excerpts of any live pitch recording for promotional, marketing, and archival purposes, in any media now known or later developed.
•   Identify Entrant as an applicant, Finalist, winner, Audience Choice recipient, or category award recipient (as applicable).

Sponsor will have no obligation to use any materials and may remove content at any time in its sole discretion.

15. Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

Entrants retain ownership of their intellectual property. However, Entrants acknowledge and agree that:

•   Entries are not submitted in confidence. Sponsor is not obligated to treat any entry materials as confidential.
•   The Entry Video and live pitch may be made public (including via livestream and recordings). Do not include trade secrets or proprietary information you do not wish to disclose publicly.
•   Sponsor and judges may have independently developed or may in the future develop or fund ideas that are similar to entry concepts. Entrants will not be entitled to compensation based on any similarity.

16. Disqualification

Sponsor may disqualify any Entrant or Finalist at any time if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that:

•   The Entrant violated these Rules or provided false or misleading information.
•   Entry materials infringe third-party rights or contain unlawful content.
•   The Entrant engaged in harassment, disruptive behavior, fraud, vote manipulation, or other conduct inconsistent with the Contest or conference environment.
•   The Entrant failed to comply with reasonable Sponsor instructions related to safety, venue policy, or event operations.

17. Release and Limitation of Liability

By entering, Entrant releases and holds harmless Sponsor and the Released Parties from any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) participation in the Contest; (b) travel to/from the conference; (c) acceptance, use, or misuse of any prize; (d) publicity rights granted; and (e) any technical failures, delays, or errors.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Sponsor and the Released Parties will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages, or for lost profits, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Sponsor’s aggregate liability arising out of or related to the Contest will not exceed USD 100.

18. Indemnity

Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Sponsor and the Released Parties from and against any third-party claims and related liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to the entry materials, the eEntrant’s participation, or a breach of these Rules.

19. Force Majeure; Changes; Cancellation

Sponsor reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the Contest (in whole or in part) if Sponsor determines that events beyond Sponsor’s control (including, without limitation, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquake, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, government action, epidemics/pandemics, public health emergencies, or technical failures) compromise the integrity, administration, safety, or feasibility of the Contest or the Transform Conference.

Sponsor is not responsible for any costs incurred by Entrants or Finalists in connection with any modification, suspension, or cancellation. No refunds are provided (entry is free).

20. Privacy and Marketing Communications

By entering, Entrants consent to Sponsor’s collection, use, and sharing of submitted information for Contest administration, judging, and promotion, and to being added to Sponsor communications lists with an unsubscribe option. Sponsor may share entry materials with judges for evaluation. Sponsor will handle personal information in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy and applicable law.

21. Governing Law; Disputes

These Rules are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to the Contest will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Francisco County, California, and each party consents to personal jurisdiction and venue in such courts.

22. Miscellaneous

•   Severability: If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
•   No waiver: Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver.
•   Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. 

Code of Conduct

Applies to all applicants, finalists, judges, sponsors, attendees, and participants

Pitch The Future is part of the Transform Conference. We’re here to spotlight founders transforming the future of people and work – not to tolerate harassment, discrimination, or disruption. Sponsor expects all participants to behave professionally and respectfully.

1. Scope

•   This Code of Conduct applies to the Contest application process, communications, social media interactions connected to the Contest, and all on-site Contest activity.
•   It applies to applicants, Finalists and their teams, judges, prize providers, Transform staff, and attendees participating in voting.

2. Expected Conduct

•   Be respectful, professional, and constructive.
•   Allow others to speak; keep Q&A fair and focused.
•   Comply with venue policies, safety instructions, and Transform staff directions.
•   Compete honestly. No vote manipulation or attempts to interfere with judging or voting.

3. Prohibited Conduct

•   Harassment, intimidation, discrimination, or hate speech of any kind.
•   Unwelcome sexual attention, stalking, threats, or physical intimidation.
•   Disruptive behavior, sustained interruption, or deliberate sabotage of presentations or voting.
•   Retaliation against anyone who reports a concern in good faith.
•   Fraud, misrepresentation, or attempts to manipulate voting systems or judge deliberations.

4. Reporting

If you experience or witness conduct that violates this Code, report it immediately. You can report to Transform staff onsite or contact the Contest Administrators.

•   Onsite reporting: Registration Desk at Transform 2026[INSERT ONSITE REPORTING LOCATION / STAFF ROLE].
•   Email: Jeremy@transform.us; Stijn@transform.us.
•   If you feel unsafe, contact venue security or local emergency services.

5. Enforcement

Sponsor may take any action it deems appropriate, including warning, removal from the venue, disqualification from the Contest, voiding of votes, and/or banning from future events. Sponsor’s decisions are final.

6. No Guaranteed Outcomes

Sponsor will make reasonable efforts to address concerns promptly, but cannot guarantee any specific outcome.