2025

Pitchfest

July 11-13 | Virtual

Pitchfest 2025 has concluded with participants all across the globe!

What is Pitchfest 2025?

Welcome to Pitchfest 2025 — a dynamic virtual conference for high school students at the crossroads of technology and entrepreneurship. Dive into a fast-paced pitch competition where you’ll craft innovative solutions to real-world challenges and compete for hundreds of dollars in prizes. Gain exclusive insights from distinguished speakers, including a Senior Director at Meta and a Systematic Trading Quant Strategist at PIMCO. Whether you’re passionate about emerging tech, business strategy, or creative problem-solving, Pitchfest 2025 offers the platform to turn your ideas into impact. Your breakthrough starts here!

Timeline

Pacific Standard Time (GMT-8)

Registration opens

June

Opening ceremony + Prompt released

July 11 @ 2:30 PM

Speaker David Yu (PIMCO)

July 11 @ 2:45 PM

Work day + pitch preparation

July 12 all-day

Pitch Presentations

July 13 @ 6:00 AM

Speaker Chunqiang Tang (META)

July 13 @ 8:00 AM

Awards!

July 13 @ 9:00 AM

Pitchfest 2025 has concluded. Stay tuned for future W3B events!

Cash prizes will be split amongst team members and can be replaced by an equal-value donation to a charity of their choice.

$70

$100

$30

About the Speakers

Qihang (David) Yu

Systematic Trading Quant Strategist at PIMCO

Qihang (David) Yu is a systematic trading quant strategist in one of the world's largest asset managers. Also, as a founder of Quantitative Bros, a cutting-edge crypto systematic trading system. It transfers innovative trading ideas into practical, executable strategies. With extensive professional background in systematic trading, encompassing data analysis, research, and portfolio construction, the experience allows him to design a highly extensible trading system that integrates sophisticated insights, setting us apart from those with purely engineering-focused backgrounds. His goal is to leverage these capabilities to develop robust trading solutions that can adapt to the dynamic nature of the crypto market. David holds a dual degree of Mathematics and Quantitative Economics in University of California, Irvine, and he also holds one master’s degree in Quantitative Finance in Fordham and Computer Science in Georgia Institution of Technology.

Chunqiang Tang

Senior Director at META

Chunqiang Tang is a Senior Director of Engineering at Meta/Facebook. He joined Facebook in 2013 and has worked on a wide range of production systems used by billions of users, encompassing AI, ASIC/GPU/Accelerator, LLM/Llama, hardware/software co-design, High Performance Computing (HPC), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and databases. Prior to Facebook, he was a research scientist and manager at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.

Pitchfest 2024 is sponsored by
Better Giving

About the Judges

Damodhara Reddy Palavali

Damodhara Reddy Palavali is a Senior IT professional with over 15 years of experience in full-stack development, enterprise architecture, and AI/ML integration. He has delivered impactful solutions for leading organizations like JPMorgan Chase, American Honda, and the U.S. Social Security Administration. An AWS-certified developer, DZone author, and current Generative AI postgraduate student at Illinois Tech, he recently served as a judge at the Hidden Leaf Hackathon.

Jeet Mehta

Jeet Mehta is a seasoned software engineer specializing in high-scale distributed systems and ad tech infrastructure. He currently leads engineering initiatives at Netflix for their Ad stack and previously worked at Amazon.

Is there a registration fee for participating in the event?

No, participation in this event is completely free! Specific details on the event link and schedule will be provided to registered participants.
Can I compete both individually and as part of a team?

Yes, you can compete individually or in a team of up to three members. Each team member must register individually through the form.
Are there any specific themes or industries for the pitches?

The pitches is open to a wide range of ideas and industries. There are no specific themes, allowing participants to showcase innovative ideas across various sectors. The open-ended prompt will be released at the opening ceremony.
Can international participants join the event, or is it limited to the US?

Yes, anyone and everyone around the world is encouraged to compete!
Are there any requirements for going to the same school or being in the same grade?

Nope, your team may consist of whatever mix you see fit!
Can I make changes to my registration information after submission, such as adding team members?

Yes, the registration form allows response editing so that you can add members to your team up until the day registration closes.
How will the pitches be judged?

Pitch presentations will be limited to a maximum duration of 6 minutes. The pitches will be judged based on innovation, feasibility, presentation quality, and overall impact. The W3B team and our guest speakers will form the judging panel, collectively making a comprehensive decision.
Will there be opportunities for networking during the event?

Yes, there will be networking opportunities during the event. Participants will have the chance to connect with fellow innovators, mentors, and potential collaborators.
How can I prepare for my pitch?

Participants are encouraged to thoroughly prepare their pitches, focusing on key aspects like problem identification, solution, market potential, and execution strategy. Consideration of the judging criteria is essential for a successful pitch. Practicing as a team together is key!
Are there any technical requirements for participating in the virtual Pitchfest Challenge?

Participants will need a stable internet connection and access to Zoom for the virtual pitch sessions. Ensure that your devices meet the technical requirements for a smooth experience.