A Path to
Success
for Startups
Bright Futures Start Here
Since 2017, Indiana’s most promising startups have used Crossroads as a launching pad for success. The Crossroads Pitch Competition doesn’t just showcase Indiana’s best and brightest entrepreneurs. It nurtures early-stage startups at a critical stage in their growth, by connecting them to an ecosystem of fellow founders, experienced advisors, and angel investors. Innovation meets opportunity at Crossroads.
Winners take home an amazing prize package of investment, services, and mentoring. But you don’t have to win to benefit from being part of Crossroads. Our past competitors are a who’s who of Hoosier founders. We’re proud to say we knew them when! And every year we can’t wait to meet the next generation of rising stars.
We are committed to diversity in our contestants and judges. Crossroads is for all innovators! If you’re a Collegiate Founder interested in participating learn more here or email Bram Boyd.
ELIGIBILITY
Crossroads is open to any Indiana-based pre-seed or seed startup with less than $250K in ARR. If you are a tech or tech-enabled startup, be bold and apply.
PROCESS
Contestants are judged by a panel of experts in entrepreneurship, investment, and business. Check out the judging criteria, and be sure to read our tips & tricks on how to prepare!
PRIZES
The winner will receive a $10K investment (SAFE Note) from Flywheel Fund. To be eligible for this prize all startups must have a Qualified Indiana Business (QIB) Certification.
CONNECTION
Crossroads puts your startup on the map! Get in front of potential investors, mentors, talent, and customers! The journey starts here.
MOST RECENT WINNER
Charlie Edmonds, CEO, Pocket
"It was an absolute honor to participate in and win the pre-seed finals of the Crossroads Pitch Competition. The process gifted me the ability to learn from amazing judges and participants, immerse myself in the thriving entrepreneurship community in Southern Indiana, and share my world of Pocket Methods, LLC with a wide audience. With the pre-seed funding from Crossroads, I am now accelerating my goals for development, piloting in schools, and gaining much needed legal access. I am filled with gratitude for this opportunity."
Kevin Celiac, CEO & Co-Founder, Integrate School
"I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to accept the prestigious Crossroads Seed Award. The unwavering support extended to us by The Mill and Flywheel Fund for Indiana startups is truly unparalleled and unlike anything I have ever experienced in any other state. My team and I now have the fuel we need to propel our company to new heights. The level of dedication and encouragement we have received from this community is nothing short of inspiring. Their belief in our vision and their willingness to invest in our potential is a testament to the transformative impact our company aims to make."
Jessica Bussert, CEO, Wave Therapeutics
"The Crossroads competition bring sin great companies from across the state, ad I'm honored to be selected as the winner. We're working on a life-saving technology to prevent bedsores, and it's gratifying to know that the judges understand and support the work we're doing. We've been a part of The Mill for several years, and we appreciate the support we get there and from the Indiana business community."
Riley Ellingsen, CEO, Hearsight
"We're proud to have been selected as the winners of the Crossroads pre-seed track, amongst an impressive and diverse group of startups. The feedback we received from each round of the competition was invaluable, and the cash award gets us closer to our target for unlocking our next product development milestone. We're excited to be one step closer to creating a more accessible world for people who are hard of hearing and/or Deaf and incredibly grateful for Crossroads' support of the mission."
Jennie Moser, CEO, Stagetime
"I can't overstate how positively Crossroads changed the trajectory of the end of the year (and the first full year of Stagetime!). The no-dilutive prize money allowed me to move to Stagetime full-time before I had originally planned, and even more importantly, it gave me the confidence and ability to seize the opportunity to bring one of my most valuable contractors onto Stagetime full-time. These two items have drastically changed my day-to-day dramatically - professionally and personally."
Ready to take the next step?
CROSSROADS COLLEGIATE
For Collegiate Founders
The Crossroads Pitch Competition showcases Indiana's top entrepreneurs, fostering early-stage startups by offering cash prizes, and exposure to mentors, investors, and customers. Now extended to Hoosier college students through Crossroads Collegiate, it emphasizes statewide participation and diversity. If you're interested in learning more about how your Collegiate Startup can pitch at the next Crossroads, contact our team below.
Thanks to our Sponsors
Support Crossroads
Support entrepreneurship and innovation in Indiana by joining the Crossroads family as a sponsor. Plus see all the pitches at the semi-finals and finals during Innovation Week. RSVP below!