TCNewTech

Name

TCNewTech

Legal name

Traverse City Center of Entrepreneurship

Website

https://tcnewtech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Pitch Competition Programs

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & Developer Conferences (MPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Training, Workshops & Certification Events (MPAGAGAJ)

Keywords

• Pitch competitions
• Startup support programs
• Entrepreneurship events
• Founder networking events
• Tech startup accelerators

Headquarters

HQ city

Michigan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cash Awards Program: As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization under 20Fathoms, TCNewTech operates through funding from partners and sponsors. Cash awards are provided to First Place, Second Place, and Audience Choice winners at each pitch competition event. The program is supported by presenting and supporting partners who provide financial sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TCNewTech runs free quarterly pitch competitions at City Opera House in Traverse City, Michigan, where early-stage Michigan tech startups deliver 5-minute live pitches to a community audience for cash awards (First Place, Second Place, and Audience Choice). Finalists receive up to 3 hours of personalized pitch coaching, funding strategy sessions, optional business coaching, and day passes to 20Fathoms coworking space. Between major events, the program hosts fireside chats and bar napkin pitch events with no application required.

Product overview

TCNewTech is a unified pitch competition program operated by 20Fathoms, consisting of quarterly major pitch competitions at City Opera House, supplemented by monthly fireside chats and bar napkin pitch events for continuous community engagement. The program provides Michigan startups with pitch coaching, funding strategy sessions, and access to the regional startup network of investors, mentors, and fellow founders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TCNewTech Pitch Competition
• Fireside Chats
• Bar Napkin Pitch Events
• University Showdown

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SJA SolutionsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSJA Solutions serves as the Presenting Partner for TCNewTech pitch competitions. As the primary presenting partner, SJA Solutions provides prominent sponsorship support for the events, appearing in key branding and promotional materials alongside the TCNewTech program.
• Honor BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHonor Bank is a Supporting Partner for TCNewTech pitch competitions, providing financial sponsorship and community support for the Northern Michigan startup ecosystem initiative.
• GVSU (Grand Valley State University) TraversecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGVSU Traverse serves as a Supporting Partner, bringing university resources and connections to the TCNewTech program and the Northern Michigan startup community.
• RJGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRJG is a Supporting Partner for TCNewTech, contributing to the startup support ecosystem in Northern Michigan through sponsorship and mentorship connections.
• Huntington BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHuntington Bank provides supporting partnership for TCNewTech pitch competitions, contributing financial sponsorship to the Northern Michigan startup ecosystem.
• MSU Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMSU Federal Credit Union serves as a Supporting Partner for TCNewTech, supporting the entrepreneurial community in Northern Michigan.
• Aurora PatentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAurora Patents is listed as a Supporting Partner, providing intellectual property expertise and services to support the startup ecosystem.
• IncentmediminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIncentmedi is a Supporting Partner for TCNewTech, contributing to the startup support ecosystem.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Ann Arbor SPARK: Ann Arbor SPARK is a Michigan-based economic development organization running pitch events, accelerators, and startup programs for Southeast Michigan founders. It is comparable as a Michigan-focused startup support organization, but serves a different region (Ann Arbor/Detroit) than TCNewTech's Northern Michigan base.
• TechTown Detroit: TechTown Detroit is a Detroit-based entrepreneurship hub running pitch competitions, accelerators, and coworking for Michigan founders. Comparable to TCNewTech as a Michigan startup-support organization with pitch programming, but anchored in Detroit rather than Traverse City.

Direct peers

• Startup Weekend: Startup Weekend (a Techstars initiative) runs short-format, community-driven pitch and build events for aspiring founders across global cities. It mirrors TCNewTech's pitch-event model and community engagement approach, though Startup Weekend is weekend-long hackathon format rather than a recurring competition.
• Capital Factory: Capital Factory operates recurring pitch events (Demo Day, Pitch Night) for early-stage tech founders in Austin, Texas, and serves as a hub connecting them to investors and mentors. It mirrors TCNewTech's recurring pitch event cadence and community-investor bridge role, but at a much larger scale and different geography.
• 1 Million Cups: 1 Million Cups is a free, recurring community pitch event program run with support from the Kauffman Foundation, where early-stage entrepreneurs present to local audiences. It is the closest structural peer to TCNewTech: free, community-driven, recurring pitch events aimed at early founders.

Broad incumbents

• TechCrunch Startup Battlefield: TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield is the flagship national pitch competition for early-stage tech startups, offering major exposure and prize capital. It is comparable to TCNewTech as a pitch-competition platform for tech founders, but operates at vastly larger scale and as part of a major media property.
• MassChallenge: MassChallenge runs large-scale startup accelerators with pitch-style finales connecting early-stage founders to investors and corporate partners. Comparable to TCNewTech in supporting early founders and creating investor access, but operates a cohort-based accelerator model rather than recurring open competitions.
• Startup Grind: Startup Grind runs a global network of chapter-based startup events including fireside chats and pitch sessions for early-stage founders. It overlaps with TCNewTech in operating community-driven startup events and fireside chats, but at a much larger global scale.

Emerging players

• gener8tor: gener8tor is a Midwest U.S. startup accelerator running cohort programs and pitch-style showcases, with strong presence in Michigan and Wisconsin. It overlaps with TCNewTech in serving early-stage Midwest founders and connecting them to investors, but operates a more structured accelerator model rather than recurring competitions.
• Venture For America: Venture For America is a fellowship and regional startup support organization focused on emerging U.S. startup ecosystems outside major coastal hubs. It is comparable to TCNewTech in supporting founders in non-traditional startup geographies and building regional startup communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@20fathoms43
• Facebookfacebook.com/traversecitynewtech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20fathoms
• Instagraminstagram.com/20fathomstc
• Xx.com/TCnewtech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TCNewTech