Five startups to compete for €90,000 prize at SBC’s First Pitch competition

SBC announced the five startups competing in the 2025 edition of First Pitch, presented by Soft2Bet Invest and supported by Xanada Investments.

The competition, a recurring feature of SBC Events, gives emerging companies with investor-ready concepts the opportunity to present to a panel of independent judges.

Finalists will present on the Technology Stage at SBC Summit on Thursday, 18 September, pitching for a prize package valued at more than €90,000 (US$105,105) designed to accelerate development.

The 2025 finalists include:

• AIstats – A live football scores app with AI-powered predictions, offering users real-time updates and data-driven insights.
• Betpass – A platform aimed at transforming how iGaming operators manage affiliate partnerships, using technology to connect, track, and manage collaborations.
• ChatBet – An AI-driven service enabling customers to place bets via WhatsApp or Telegram, bypassing the need to access a platform’s app or website.
• LiveDuel – A sports prediction platform where fans make real-time selections during live events, integrating blockchain to connect prize pools and allow community-driven rewards.
• Nandemo Draft Co. – A social sports prediction and fantasy sports service supporting global betting partners entering the Japanese market.

The winner will be selected by a panel of industry experts, including Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet; Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha; Dee Maher of La Royale Group; Mark Phillip, CEO of Metabet; and Andrew Reader, Partner at Velo Capital Partners. The event will be hosted by Jesse Learmonth, founder of The Betting Startups Podcast.

"SBC First Pitch is an exceptional platform to spotlight the next generation of innovators shaping the future of betting, gaming, and entertainment,” said Martin Collins, one of the judges and Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet. “At Soft2Bet Invest, we're committed to championing bold founders with disruptive ideas and scalable vision.”

"This competition is about more than capital — it provides a strategic partnership, expert product support, and the backing needed to take the winning company to its next stage of growth," Collins added.

The winning startup will receive a prize package valued at over €90,000, including:

• Are You Watching This? – One year of API access to sports data and comprehensive betting insights from MetaBet, worth €42,000 (US$ 49,049).
• SBC Events – A 3x3m booth, sponsorship mention, and four tickets to SBC Summit 2026, valued at €15,000 (US$17,517).
• SBC Media – Six months of advertising across industry platforms, newsletter placements, and two featured editorials, worth €11,000 ($US12,846).
• AWS – €10,000 (US$11,678)  in AWS credits.
• Square in the Air – One month of brand design support, worth €9,500 (US$11,094).
• Vegas Kings – A web design overhaul, valued at €3,000 (US$3,503).
• Game On – Drafting and distributing two press releases, arranging an interview with a US-facing trade publication, a short video interview for social media, and inclusion in GameOn newsletters, worth €2,700 (US$3,153).

Attendees can view the First Pitch presentations on the Technology Stage at Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) on Thursday, 18 September, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

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