SBC reveals shortlist of five startups for First Pitch Competition, details list of prizes for winner

Events company SBC has revealed the five startups that have been selected as finalists for the SBC First Pitch competition, which will be part of the upcoming SBC Summit this September.

The competition, sponsored by Soft2bet (headline sponsor) and White Swan Data (premium sponsor), is scheduled for Tuesday, 24th September, and will be part of the 'Global Leadership' track, hosted at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa.

The finalists will present their products and offerings in a 3-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session, in front of a live audience that includes a judging panel of industry leaders and investment experts.

The five finalists shortlisted by SBC for its First Pitch are: 

• Match Hype: Match Hype scales sports video content creation by transforming raw data into engaging and informative videos. Covering all games and betting tips, the content is available in over 30 languages.

• Random State: Innovating immersive iLottery and bingo games, Random State combines the excitement of hypercasual gaming with the rewarding unpredictability of lottery-style experiences.

• SavageTech: SavageTech, a B2B SaaS company, has created "the world's first true gamified retention engine for the gambling industry," where users receive avatars and battle monsters with every bet or casino activity.

• StatX Sports: StatX Sports provides essential odds and data products to sports leagues, teams, betting operators, and media companies, supporting critical decision-making across the sports industry.

• XGENIA: The company is developing modular and versatile AI solutions that encompass all components of an online casino, including risk management, delivered efficiently through a fast and convenient API.

To select the winner, SBC says that it has assembled a distinguished panel of judges, each bringing extensive expertise in sports betting, gambling, and venture capital investments. 

The expert panel features Adam Krejcik (Principal, Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC), Javier Altamirano (Head of Startups, Sportradar), Mark Blandford (Partner, Burlywood Capital), Martin Collins (Chief Business Development Officer, Soft2Bet) and Paris Smith (Founder, Life Winning). 

Jesse Learmonth, the host of the Betting Startups podcast, will once again moderate the event. 

Sue Schneider, SBC's VP of Growth & Strategy for the Americas, commented: "Since launching our First Pitch competition, the industry's response has been overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by the growing number of applications. This year we had applicants from 18 countries! With the addition of a dedicated StartUpSphere, the SBC Summit is truly showcasing the immense potential of startup companies.

"This year's edition is undoubtedly our most competitive yet, with each of the five shortlisted companies offering innovative solutions that come to fill some gaps in the industry. I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors contributing to the prize fund and to the panel of judges who will help us select this year's winner."

The winning startup will receive a prize package valued at over €118,000 ($131,085) to support its development and expansion, including:

• Are You Watching This? and MetaBet: One year of API access to sports data from Are You Watching This? and gambling data from MetaBet, valued at €44,000 ($48,873).
• AWS: €10,000 ($11,107) in promotional credits, usable for a wide range of AWS services, from infrastructure technologies like computing, storage, and databases to emerging technologies such as generative AI, machine learning, data analytics, and the Internet of Things.
• GameOn: The drafting and distribution of two press releases, an interview with a US-facing trade publication, a short video interview shared on social media, and inclusion in the GameOn newsletters, valued at €2,300.
• Eilers & Krejcik Gaming: A six-month subscription to the Sports & Emerging Verticals service, valued at €23,000 ($25,553).
• Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC: €4,700 ($5,221) in credit toward gaming-related legal services.
• SBC Media: A promotional package that includes six months of advertising on relevant industry news platforms, newsletter placements, and two featured editorials promoting the business, valued at €11,000 ($12,222).
• SBC Summit 2025: A 3x3m booth, including turnkey stand build, sponsorship mention, and four complimentary tickets, valued at €15,000 ($16,668).
• Square in the Air: A corporate video filmed on-site at the event, two press releases, a social media audit and competitor analysis, and a strategy guide for profile building, all supported on Square in the Air's social channels. The package is valued at €5,900 ($6,556).
• Vegas Kings: An exclusive brand or web design package worth €2,900 ($3,222) from the leading iGaming design and development agency.

Last year's competition saw SnapOdds, a company that uses mobile camera technology to identify live sports events on TV and streaming and redirect users to options like live wagering markets, odds comparisons, and picks, emerge victorious.

All SBC Summit attendees will have the opportunity to follow the SBC First Pitch competition.