ELIGIBILITY

The Tomorrow.City Startup 2026 Pitch Competition is open to any persons who, as of the date of entry:
(i) are at least eighteen (18) years of age or older (or the age of majority in their state of residence, if greater); and
(ii) represent an early-stage to growth-stage company developing solutions to urban challenges.

Eligible participants include startups and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that are building scalable technologies relevant to cities, infrastructure, mobility, climate, or community wellbeing.

Employees, officers, and board members of VentureFuel, the Tomorrow.City USA organizers, and any affiliated partners involved in administering this Competition, as well as members of their immediate families and individuals residing in the same household, are not eligible to participate. “Immediate family” includes spouses, siblings, parents, children, grandparents, and grandchildren—whether related by blood, adoption, marriage, or domestic partnership.

To be eligible, an applicant must meet the following criteria for the submitted product:

• The product has reached at least a proof-of-concept stage.
• The company is interested in working with enterprise or municipal clients to scale their solution in the United States.
• The founder or product lead is available to pitch during the live final event in West Palm Beach, FL, on April 13–15, 2026, at the Tomorrow.City USA Expo.

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must offer an innovative solution addressing a meaningful urban challenge. Innovations should fall under one or more of the following categories:

• Climate-Ready Infrastructure – Solutions that reduce emissions or strengthen cities against heat, flooding, and extreme weather.
• Future Housing & Built Environment – Approaches that speed, clean, or cost-reduce building and retrofitting urban spaces.
• Circular Energy & Resource Systems – Technologies that relieve pressure on grids and convert waste, water, and energy into sustainable loops.
• Next-Gen Mobility & Urban Logistics – Tools that improve how people and goods move through cities—efficiently, reliably, and accessibly.
• Urban AI & Digital Twins – Platforms that make complex urban data actionable for planning, operations, and decision-making.
• Community Infrastructure & Wellbeing – Innovations that expand access to essential services, safety, public spaces, and quality of life.
• New Finance & Delivery Models – Approaches that unlock capital, reduce risk, and accelerate implementation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

An internal selection panel will evaluate applicants based on the following selection criteria:

• Real-World Impact
  • Addresses an urgent or widely felt urban challenge.
  • Shows clear, measurable benefits for residents or city operations with a POC.
• Scalable and Feasible
  • Has a lean, smart approach that shows it can work in toughest urban areas.
• Ecosystem Fit
  •  Creates added value across more than one area (e.g., housing + climate, mobility + safety).
• Future-Ready Vision
  • Demonstrates a thoughtful view of how cities can evolve
  • Shows how the solution supports long-term resilience, sustainability, or accessibility
• Accessible, Enabling Technology    Keynote Topic
  •  Easy for non-technical teams to adopt and use; reduce complexity not add.
  •  Democratizes access of technology for all urban populations
• Founder/Investor Teams

• Shows strong founder, product, or investor alignment.

Decisions made by the judging panel are final, and no correspondence will be entered into. The composition of the panel may vary, and judges will select up to four (4) companies to participate in the live event.

AWARDS

The winner will receive up to $25,000 in funding to accelerate their company’s growth. This funding may be delivered as a cash award or through an alternative investment structure intended to support long-term success. VentureFuel will work collaboratively with the winning company to establish a mutually agreeable structure for the award prior to distribution.

In addition to the monetary award, the Grand Prize winner will receive:

• Press amplification, including general visibility through program communications;
• Access to VentureFuel’s network, including curated introductions and relationship-building opportunities;
• Mentorship and strategic guidance from VentureFuel advisors and partners.
• Exposure to potential pilot opportunities, partnerships, and industry visibility through Tomorrow.City USA and affiliated channels.

All non-monetary components are provided at no cash value and are subject to change at the sole discretion of VentureFuel and Tomorrow.City USA.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

Entry Submission Period December 9 – February 6

Semi-Finalist Async Review February 2 – March 3

Live Pitch Event April 13- 15

FINAL PITCH EVENT & WINNER SELECTION

As an expectation for finalists, companies will appoint a spokesperson from their team to present their urban challenge and solution to a live audience and a panel of industry expert judges during the final in-person pitch event at the Tomorrow.City USA Expo in West Palm Beach, FL. Each pitch will be followed by a brief Q&A with the judges. After all pitches are completed, the judges will determine and announce the grand prize winner and runner-up. All judging decisions, including the selection of finalists and winners, are made at the sole discretion of the judging panel and are final.

Pitch preparation, onsite support, and coaching will be offered to each finalist by VentureFuel prior to the event.

ADDITIONAL TERMS

• Participants must be willing to work with VentureFuel throughout the evaluation period and pitch preparation to refine their urban challenge and product vision.
• The grand prize and runner-up recipients must provide updates on their progress for at least one year post-program to share the impact of their participation.