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City of Elk Grove Announces
Pitch Elk Grove 2026 Winners
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The City of Elk Grove successfully hosted its fifth annual Pitch Elk Grove competition on September 3rd, bringing together the brightest minds and most innovative startups from across the Sacramento region. This year set a new record for Pitch Elk Grove with 109 applications from startups across the region, the most in the event’s history, and a record 309 attendees filling the room, making it the most attended event to date. Held at Elk Grove’s Community Center, District56, the event awarded $20,000 in prizes to standout ventures while celebrating the collaborative spirit that powers the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This year’s competition featured ten startups at the forefront of innovation, each tackling pressing challenges and significant market opportunities. Finalists pitched their ideas before a distinguished panel of investors, competing for top awards: $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place, $2,500 for third place, and $2,500 for the best Elk Grove startup.
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And the Winners Are...
Elk Grove’s Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, joined by Liz Singh, Vice Chairwoman of returning first-place sponsor Wilton Rancheria, awarded the $10,000 grand prize to Krokos Bio of Davis. Krokos Bio is growing high-value botanicals like saffron through plant cell culture, creating a scalable, regional, and climate-independent approach to production.
Vice Mayor Darren Suen, joined by Rachel Wyatt, Chief Operating Officer of returning second-place sponsor Kaiser Permanente, presented the $5,000 second-place prize to Insta Brow, an Elk Grove-based company with a patent-pending 30-second brow stain pen that eliminates the daily brow routine for up to five days.
Councilmember Kevin Spease, joined by Annah Rulon, Manager of Municipal Sales of returning third-place sponsor Republic Services of Sacramento, awarded the $2,500 third-place prize to Pheronym, Inc. of Woodland. Pheronym is developing a new kind of pheromone to control agricultural pests in the soil, helping farmers grow more food; and Councilmembers Rod Brewer and Sergio Robles presented the $2,500 Best Elk Grove Startup Award to Insta Brow, marking the first time in Pitch Elk Grove history that a company has taken home two prizes.
The competition was fierce, with each finalist offering a unique vision that exemplified the innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial drive thriving throughout the Sacramento region.
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Where Are They Now?
As Pitch Elk Grove celebrated its fifth anniversary, the event also looked back at the entrepreneurs who have previously taken the stage through a new “Where Are They Now?” video series featuring eight former finalists: JAPA, Foodom, Redline Safety, Matrubials, EnlitenAI, ValleyMatch, IGH Naturals, and LogRx. The stories highlighted how far these companies have come since competing, from national expansion and acquisitions to major investments, FDA milestones, new partnerships, and technologies with the potential to change lives. Many of these entrepreneurs were still in the earliest stages of their journeys when they first pitched at Pitch Elk Grove, testing prototypes, validating ideas, and securing early customers. Today, their continued growth demonstrates the lasting impact of the competition and the role Pitch Elk Grove can play in helping promising startups take the next step.
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A True Collaboration Across the Region
Pitch Elk Grove is a testament to the power of collaboration across the Greater Sacramento area. Produced by the City of Elk Grove’s Office of Economic Development, Invest Elk Grove, in partnership with StartupSac, a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurial success in the region, and Explore Elk Grove, the official tourism marketing organization for the City of Elk Grove, the event brought together regional leaders, venture capitalists, and industry experts, all united in their commitment to supporting the next generation of innovators. With the backing of supportive sponsors like Wilton Rancheria, Kaiser Permanente, Republic Services, and the Sacramento Business Journal, Pitch Elk Grove highlighted the collective effort to foster a thriving startup ecosystem in the region.
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Celebrating Elk Grove’s Local Talent and Support
In addition to showcasing promising startups, the event also celebrated the rich local talent that makes Elk Grove a vibrant community. “Pitch Elk Grove reflects the very best of our community,” said Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. “It’s not only about the bold ideas coming from startups across our region, but also about the local businesses that bring this event to life. From AV and floral design to videography, photography, catering, music, coffee, wine, and craft beer, Elk Grove’s own talent makes this celebration possible and shows that entrepreneurship thrives at every level in our city.”
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Looking Ahead
As the City of Elk Grove looks ahead, the momentum built through five years of Pitch Elk Grove will continue to fuel efforts to grow a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and champion the next generation of change makers.
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About the City of Elk Grove | Elk Grove is a young, ethnically diverse, modern city of 182,842 people located in the dynamic and affordable Sacramento metropolitan region, the capital of the 4th largest economy in the world. Incorporated in 2000, Elk Grove is a family- and business-friendly community with low crime, excellent schools, over 100 community parks, elevated dining and shopping options, lively events and festivals, and over 270 sunny days per year. With its highly educated workforce, modern facilities and infrastructure, and pro-business attitude, it's clear why major corporations and institutions such as Apple, Cardinal Health, Amazon, UC Davis, AllData, and Kubota call Elk Grove home. Our dedicated staff of economic development professionals are ready to help you plan, finance, and fast-track your next business expansion or relocation project. Contact us today. |
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City of Elk Grove
Office of Economic Development
8401 Laguna Palms Way
Elk Grove, CA 95758
(916) 627-3338
TTY 888-435-6092
Relay Service 711
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