“Where do you see your company in the next five years?” is a typical question for startups. And many of the 45 companies pitching in nine categories during the 17th annual SXSW Pitch competition showed they had a clear strategy for where they want to take their business next.
But no matter what the future holds, we all benefit from the imaginative and inventive minds solving today’s problems in both emerging and traditional industries like fintech, robotics, security, and accessibility.
The trends at this year’s event point to the positive impacts of advancements in generative AI, machine learning, and AI-assisted technologies that make our lives safer, healthier, and more productive.
For example, as more organizations face risks from confidential data leakage, data breaches, and fake or altered AI-generated content, Polygraf AI empowers them to leverage commercially available AI tools and automation while maintaining strict adherence to data privacy regulations and ethical guidelines.
The first AI-powered, ground-connected, self-guided mobility aid by Glidance empowers people who are blind or have low vision to navigate the world with confidence, comfort, and ease. Contoro combines both AI and human intelligence to create AI-powered robots that unload non-palletized boxes from trucks and shipping containers. And Little Place Labs uses both advanced AI and machine learning to deliver near-real-time insights for first responders, mission planners, and decision-makers to detect anomalies, track critical events, and make decisive moves before problems arise.
Ever experience “Visual Dissonance” when translated dialogue from a movie doesn’t match the movement of the actors’ mouths? NeuralGarage solves that problem with generative AI technology that syncs the lips and jaws of actors with that of the dubbed audio.
Adapting tech they created for NASA space missions, Helix Earth is improving commercial rooftop AC efficiency that lowers electrical bills by up to 50%. Xatoms’s patented quantum chemistry and AI technology helps purify water from the world's toughest contaminants using sunlight.
Knead Technologies addresses the global food insecurity challenge by connecting food waste with food reuse. And student startup MabLab produces accurate, affordable, and easy-to-use rapid tests that detect the presence of dangerous lacing agents before tragedy strikes.
Congratulations to this year's 9 category winners, who were announced at the SXSW Pitch® Award Ceremony after the two-day competition.
2025 SXSW Pitch Winners
AgTech & Food
- Knead Technologies (Calgary, Canada)
Enterprise, Smart Data, FinTech & Future of Work
- Polygraf AI (Austin, TX)
Entertainment, Media, Sports & Content
- NeuralGarage (Bangalore, India)
HealthTech, MedTech, BioTech & Accessibility
- Glidance (Seattle, WA)
Innovative World Tech
- Xatoms (Toronto, Canada)
Robotics, Web3, Voice & Extended Reality
- Contoro (Austin, TX)
Security, GovTech & Space
- Little Place Labs (Houston, TX)
Smart Cities, Transportation & Sustainability
- Helix Earth (Houston, TX)
Student Startup
- MabLab (Boston, MA)
Special Awards
The winner of the Best Bootstrap Company (the company who has done the most with least): AzulBio
The winner of the Best Speed Pitch: Tempesst Droneworx
The winner of Best Inclusivity: Launch Ahead AI
And the Best in Show winner: Polygraf AI
This year’s participating companies represent the most cutting-edge technologies from around the world, with the highest caliber of applicants since 2009. To date, 647 companies have participated in SXSW Pitch, with over 93% receiving funding and acquisitions in excess of almost $23.2 billion. Of these 647 companies, 17% have been acquired by companies including Google, British Telecom, Huffington Post, Apple, Live Nation, OpenTable, Meta, Michelin, Constant Contact, and Harmon. Some of our prestigious alumni include Klout, ICON, Hipmunk, Wildfire, Tubemogul, Siri, Foodspotting, and Tango.
If you missed any of the pitches this weekend you can still meet each of the 45 startups at the SXSW Pitch “Meet the Startups” in the Demo Session on Monday, March 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Griffin Hall on the second floor at the JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street.
Congratulations to all the winners, participants, and judges from this year’s SXSW Pitch. And we hope to see you tomorrow at the SXSW Pitch Showcase!
Visit the SXSW Pitch page to learn more.
SXSW Pitch is sponsored by KPMG, which goes far beyond the ordinary and the obvious to develop valuable insights that inform decisions, identify new opportunities and drive better, faster outcomes. Its diverse teams of industry professionals ask the right questions, see different perspectives, and uncover insights to bridge the gap between idea and execution. The result? Inspired innovation that works. KPMG firms operate in 143 countries and territories with more than 273,000 partners and employees working in member firms around the world.
