Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Encouraged to Step Up and Pitch
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI — Have a business idea, a growing company, or a product ready for its next big opportunity? There is still time to take the stage.
Accelerate Sheboygan County is encouraging entrepreneurs and startup founders from Wisconsin and across the Midwest to apply for the 2026 Startup World Cup Sheboygan Regional Pitch Competition, taking place Monday, October 19, at the Weill Center for the Performing Arts in Sheboygan, WI.
The event will bring entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and community members together for an evening focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and startup growth. Selected founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses live on stage in front of an audience and a panel of judges.
“Sometimes the next step for a business starts with simply being willing to put your idea out there,” said Ray York, Business Counselor for the SCEDC and Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay. “We want entrepreneurs to know that this opportunity is for them. If you have a business that is growing, a product you believe in, or an idea you’re ready to take to the next level, we encourage you to apply.”
The Sheboygan regional competition offers $3,000 in local prize money, including a $2,000 Judge’s Choice Award and a $1,000 People’s Choice Award, selected through audience voting.
But the opportunity extends beyond the local competition. The Sheboygan regional winner will have the opportunity to advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, where regional winners from around the world compete for a $1 million investment prize. Startup World Cup, organized globally by Pegasus Tech Ventures, features more than 100 regional competitions across six continents.
“Startup World Cup gives entrepreneurs something that can be difficult to create on their own, visibility,” said Justin Vannieuwenhoven, Chair of the Sheboygan County Innovation Council. “It puts founders in a room with people who can help them grow, while giving them a platform to tell their story and showcase what they are building.”
Entrepreneurs do not need to fit a single mold to participate. Startup founders from a range of industries including technology, manufacturing, consumer products, services and other innovative businesses are encouraged to apply.
Startup World Cup Sheboygan Regional Pitch Competition
Monday, October 19, 2026
5:30-8:30 pm
Weill Center for the Performing Arts | Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Applications close September 25
The event is free and open to the public, giving community members an opportunity to hear from emerging entrepreneurs, connect with business leaders and investors, and vote for the People’s Choice Award.
For more information and to apply or attend, visit the Startup World Cup Sheboygan Regional event page or accelsc.com
For questions, please contact Ray York at york@sheboygancountyedc.com
