2026 SBC Summit Americas Startup Competition’s First Pitch Finalists Announced

(AsiaGameHub) –   SBC has announced the five start-ups that have been selected to compete in the 2026 First Pitch Americas competition, which is scheduled to take place on June 11 at the SBC Summit Americas.

Press release.- SBC has revealed the five start-ups that will compete for the title in the 2026 edition of First Pitch Americas. This event is being held in collaboration with BettingStartups, at the SBC Summit Americas.

In this contest, some of the most promising start-ups in the sports betting and gaming sectors will present their products to a distinguished panel of industry judges. The winning company will receive a prize package valued at over $100,000 to aid in its growth.

The finalists will go head-to-head on the Leaders Stage on Thursday, June 11. Each finalist will deliver a three-minute presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, in front of a live audience and an expert judging panel.

This year’s finalists include:

• Insight Play AI, Inc. – InsightPlay utilizes AI agents as customer service representatives for operators, offering both text and voice support. Operators employing this service have already seen success in re-engaging dormant players across Latin America.
• Odditt – This platform assists sportsbooks, prediction markets, and DFS operators in offering pre-made combo and parlay bets, accompanied by clear explanations for why each bet has been grouped together.
• OddsBlaze – A real-time sports betting data platform that provides operators, traders, and product teams with rapid access to odds, market trends, arbitrage alerts, and betting APIs.
• ParlayX – An aggregator for prediction markets designed to help sports betting syndicates compare opportunities and act on market insights more effectively.
• The Sharps – A tournament platform for bankrolls that merges the strategic and competitive elements of poker with sports handicapping, utilizing standard sportsbook wagers instead of cards.

To select this year’s winner, SBC has assembled a panel of judges with considerable expertise in sports betting, igaming, investment, start-up development, and venture capital.

The judging panel comprises Paris Smith (founder and CEO, DefytheOdds), Javier Altamirano (global head of startup, Sportradar), Evan Meyer (managing partner, Astralus Capital Management), Scott Secord (partner, Cardinal Sports Capital), and Meredith McPherson (CEO & managing partner, DRIVE by DraftKings). Jesse Learmonth from The Betting Startups Podcast will return to host the competition this year.

Paul Mills (event director, SBC) stated: “This year’s First Pitch highlights the significant start-up talent emerging across the Americas, with finalists presenting innovative ideas in AI, prediction markets, fantasy sports, data, and betting infrastructure.

“SBC is proud to provide these companies with a platform to showcase their products, connect with investors, and establish the relationships necessary to support their next phase of growth.”

The winning start-up will receive a prize package valued at over $100,000, intended to support its growth through a combination of promotional, technical, legal, and business development services.

The prize package includes:

• MetaBet & Are You Watching This?: One year of API access to sports data from Are You Watching This? and gambling data from MetaBet, valued at $48,000.
• AWS: $10,000 in AWS Credits for eligible AWS services and support, covering infrastructure technologies such as compute, storage, and databases, as well as emerging technologies like generative AI, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• GameOn: Press releases, an interview, and a video interview to be shared on GameOn’s social media channels, valued at $3,500.
• Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC: $5,000 worth of legal services related to the gaming industry.
• Square in the Air: A video package, social media audit, and competitor analysis, valued at $5,000.
• Vegas Kings: A web design package, valued at $3,000.
• SBC Media: A promotional advertising and PR package, valued at $11,000.
• SBC Events: A 3x3m booth and four complimentary tickets, valued at $15,000.
• CertilQ: 12 months of access to CertilQ’s Technical Compliance Management Platform, valued at $4,000.

Attendees holding a Conference, Business, or VIP Pass are invited to watch the live First Pitch final on the Leaders Stage on Thursday, June 11, at 2:20 pm.