St. Pete Pitch Night Celebrates Innovation: Local Startups Shine on Stage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Pete Pitch Night Celebrates Innovation: Local Startups Shine on Stage

St. Petersburg, FL – May 7, 2025 – St. Pete Pitch Night, an annual showcase of local innovation hosted by the St. Petersburg Greenhouse, brought together the community for a thrilling evening of entrepreneurship, creativity, and competition. As we wrap up Small Business Week, five dynamic startups took the stage at Blackleaf Cigar & Wine Lounge, each presenting their groundbreaking ideas to a live audience and a panel of distinguished judges.

Top Honors Announced

🏆 Grand Prize Winner: Hablamigo – Jamilet Figueroa, a transformative speech therapy app designed to empower parents and professionals.

🌐 Audience Choice Winner: Bike911 – Brian Peret, an innovative platform dedicated to enhancing cyclist safety and support.

Celebrating Our Presenters
In addition to our winners, the following entrepreneurs delivered impressive pitches:

• Connect & Protect – Matthew Beighey
• City Battles – Rob Sanchez
• FareFood – Michael Otis

Expert Judges Panel
The event featured an esteemed panel of judges, including:

• Elisa Caro (Smart Choice Communications)
• Johnny Saye (Stale Chips)
• Jeremy Beal (Tech Founder & Investor)
• Tricia Johnson (Regions Bank)
• Forbes Riley (Actor, Entrepreneur & Industry Leader)

The evening opened with a captivating performance by Zubrick Magic, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience.

"St. Pete Pitch Night is more than just a competition—it’s a celebration of local innovation and entrepreneurial spirit," said Candace Hulcher, Vice President of Business Development at the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. "Wrapping up Small Business Week with this event is a reminder of how resilient and creative our community truly is. We are proud to provide a platform through The St. Pete Greenhouse where bold ideas can shine, and we are grateful to everyone who made this event possible."

The St. Petersburg Greenhouse extends its gratitude to Blackleaf Cigar & Wine Lounge for hosting the event, Regions Bank for their continued sponsorship, and all who attended to support the next generation of local innovators.

For more information about St. Pete Pitch Night or upcoming Greenhouse events, please visit https://stpetegreenhouse.com/ or contact Lauren Frawley at lfrawley@stpete.com.