Applications are open for Crossroads Fall 2022, one of the largest statewide pitch competitions for startups! The fall event marks the debut of separate tracks for companies at the earliest, pre-seed stage of development and companies at the seed stage with a viable product.
We’ve created these two tracks to level the playing field for competitors. We’ve also simplified the application a bit and set up a pre-registration option. (We noticed that some of you wait until the last minute to apply 
, so pre-reg if you want to get reminders.) We’re really hoping to discover some exciting new startups from diverse founders across Indiana.
Crossroads Fall 2022 Prizes
Two tracks will create two sets of finalists. The seed winner will receive a $20,000 investment from Flywheel Fund, as well as priority consideration to pitch at Nexus Regional Pitch Competition for the chance to win up to $80,000 more. The pre-seed winner will also receive priority consideration, as well as a $10,000 investment from Flywheel Fund.
Contestants also gain connections and exposure to the statewide ecosystem. The judges for the fall competition include over 50 investors, entrepreneurs, and business experts from across the statewide ecosystem. These are the people you want to know about your startup!
You don’t have to win Crossroads to benefit from it. Past participants have told us that Crossroads created important opportunities and connections for them.
Robert Henschel, Chief Technology Officer for WayZada, a two-time contestant at Crossroads, told us, “The Crossroads pitch competition has really motivated us to further refine our pitch deck and continue to work on the vision of our company. Every time we pitch, we get a question from the audience that we have never gotten, and this reveals a new aspect of our business.”
Spring 2022 finalist Paradise Spreads, headed up by CEO Emily Edwards, leveraged priority access to the Nexus Regional Pitch Competition and won a $20,000 investment from Elevate Ventures. (Paradise Spreads will be competing for further investment at the Nexus State Pitch Competition on August 5.)
Application Guidelines
To compete at Crossroads, startups must be based in Indiana and have annual recurring revenue of under $250,000. The application is easy: just upload your pitch deck and pitch video. The application deadline for the fall event is September 2. Finals will be held live at The Mill in Bloomington on October 12.
Learn more, pre-register, or apply to the Fall 2022 Crossroads Pitch Competition.