The Sacramento Kings have opened the ninth annual Capitalize contest for local technology companies, where the winner in a tournament of pitches gets $10,000 in cash.
Applications are at Kings.com/Capitalize for Capitalize: Technology and due Feb. 15 at midnight. The contest is open to startups located within 70 miles of Golden 1 Center.
"For nearly a decade, the Capitalize competition has provided startup companies coaching to further develop their business plans and strategies while amplifying their work on the NBA global platform," said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart, in a news release. “We are excited to continue to partner with Dialpad and Growth Factory to see the next generation of talent in our region."
The winner also gets three years of access to communications services by Dialpad, an artificial intelligence-powered customer intelligence platform, and a presenting sponsor of the contest along with Sacramento’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development.
The Rocklin-based Growth Factory, a startup accelerator program with an associated venture fund, produces the in-person pitch day where selected startups will pitch to a live audience of investors and executives.
The final winner will be announced during Tech Night on April 11 at a home game of the Sacramento Kings against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Capitalize launched in 2016, and has drawn hundreds of applicants from the Sacramento region.
The 2023 winner was Shared Vision, a Rocklin startup that helps social media influencers and creators earn money by offering them direct links to the products they are endorsing. The winner in 2022 was Elk Grove-based EyeRate, now called Edge, an online review platform that pays retail employees for good customer reviews.
For the 2024 Capitalize, some applicants will be selected to receive mentorship and coaching as they prepare for a pitch day before a panel of executives, investors and industry leaders, who will narrow the field to a final four, whose video pitches will be shown during the Kings/Pelicans game for fan voting.
