NBA Foundation to Host Fourth Annual All-Star Pitch Competition for Local Small Businesses at NBA All-Star 2025

The NBA Foundation has recently revealed the details of its highly anticipated fourth All-Star Pitch Competition set to take place during NBA All-Star 2025 in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area. This exciting event will be co-hosted by the Golden State Warriors and the Kapor Center, with a focus on showcasing and supporting emerging companies that cater to diverse communities in the Bay Area. The competition actively encourages participation from entrepreneurs who are both diverse and underrepresented, in an effort to promote inclusivity and innovation in the business world.

Ten early-stage startups will compete and pitch their businesses for cash prizes.  Applications to participate in the competition are open now through Nov. 9.  To apply, visit here.

The top 10 applicants will compete in the semifinals on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.  Following the semi-finals, seven finalists will advance to the final round during NBA All-Star 2025 on Thursday, Feb. 13 and the finalists will also be recognized in-arena during the Warriors’ home game against the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Dec. 5.

More than $150,000 in cash prizes will be awarded as part of the All-Star Pitch Competition, and the seven finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses in front of NBA legends, venture capitalists and other prominent entrepreneurs during one of the marquee events on the NBA calendar.

“The All-Star Pitch Competition is the NBA Foundation’s signature event, and we expect the Bay Area to come ready with great ideas during All-Star 2025,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.  “Small businesses are the engine for local economies and hubs for innovation.  We look forward to seeing the next generation of entrepreneurs compete on our biggest stage.”

“Bay Area entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to showcase their ideas through the All-Star Pitch Competition,” said Warriors President & Chief Operating Officer Brandon Schneider.  “With the region’s strong culture of innovation, this is going to be the most competitive Pitch Competition to date. I can’t wait to see the ideas that Dub Nation brings to the table.”

“As part of the Kapor Center family of organizations, Kapor Capital is thrilled to partner with the NBA Foundation for the 2025 NBA All-Star Pitch Competition,” said Brandon Boros, Venture Partner, Kapor Capital.  “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to invest in startups using technology to close gaps of access for low-income communities and communities of color.  Headquartered in Oakland, CA with a global portfolio, we’re excited to champion this Pitch Competition as a platform to uplift gap-closing founders, break down barriers in tech and highlight the transformative role that unique perspectives continue to play in driving innovation and building a more inclusive tech ecosystem for all.”

This will be the fourth All-Star Pitch Competition hosted by the NBA Foundation.  The NBA Foundation aims to reduce investment disparities among entrepreneurs and tech leaders in local communities by providing the tools, resources and funding for innovative ideas through the competition.  To learn more about the All-Star Pitch Competition, visit nbafoundation.com.

About the NBA Foundation
Created in August 2020, the NBA Foundation is dedicated to creating greater economic opportunity and career advancement for Black youth.  The Foundation invests in local and national organizations that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities. For more information, visit nbafoundation.com.

About the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors, in their 79th season, are a charter member of the National Basketball Association.  Founded in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, the team moved to the West Coast in 1962 and spent nine seasons as the San Francisco Warriors before moving across the Bay to Oakland in 1971 and becoming the Golden State Warriors.  In 2019, the Warriors returned to San Francisco to play at Chase Center, a privately financed, state-of-the-art 18,064-seat arena in the Mission Bay neighborhood.  The team’s storied history includes seven NBA Championships, 12 NBA Finals appearances, an NBA-record 73-win season, eight members of the NBA’s 75th  Anniversary Team and 35 members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.  For more information on the Golden State Warriors, please visit warriors.com. 

About the Kapor Center
The Kapor Center is dedicated to advancing racial justice in the tech industry, creating a more inclusive and equitable sector for all.  Through our family of organizations – Kapor Foundation, Kapor Capital, and SMASH – we actively work to dismantle systemic barriers in tech by employing research-driven strategies, making gap-closing investments, expanding access to computer science education, partnering with mission-aligned organizations and advocating for meaningful policy change.  Learn more at KaporCenter.org.