Grid Innovation Pitch Competition

At GridFWD 2026
Reprioritizing Affordability
for modernizing the grid

September 29-30, 2026 in Utah

Deadline extended to Monday July 20!

See the new energy affordability solutions for the grid at GridFWD 2026

GridFWD 2026 will host our next annual Grid Innovation Pitch Competition on September 29-30, 2026 at Snowbird, Utah. Come witness the new innovative technologies and services for helping to enhance energy affordability.

  • Competition date: September 29-30, 2026
  • Location: Cliff Lodge, Utah
  • The entry window has closed

Pitch Competition

Meet the Companies in the 2026 Grid Innovation Pitch Competition

After careful consideration by our Pitch Competition committee, these eight companies will vie to win in this year’s Grid Innovation Pitch Competition. If you’re coming to GridFWD 2026 in Utah, come cheer them on and vote for your favorite.

  • CRWN AI – Predicting and preventing failures on the most critical transmission lines.
  • Grid Rails – Giving utilities, energy suppliers, OEMs, and VPP operators, one place to understand, coordinate, and settle DERs.
  • GridVar – Equipping developers, investors, and utilities with physics-based power systems analysis to speed capital
    HillStar – Procurement intelligence to read, score, and rank vendor RFP responses into defensible, evidence-based decisions
  • Path-Power – Keeping trench crews safe and completing projects faster with less risk and higher margins.
  • Pila Energy – The next generation of home batteries for reliable backup power and smart energy management
  • Treeswift – AI-augmented field operations solutions improve spend efficiency, accelerate project completion, reduce risk and boost reliability
  • Variablegrid – The intelligence layer connecting automakers, the home, and the grid to grow EV load without costly upgrades

What’s at stake in the Grid Innovation Pitch Competition?

  • Exposure: Present your technology or solution to a diverse audience of utilities, government officers, regulators and investors. Enjoy high-visibility announcements to event attendees and the greater Grid Forward community.
  • Coaching: Benefit from pre-event mentoring to refine your pitch and strategy.
  • Networking: Engage with industry leaders and potential partners during the conference.
  • Prizes: Compete for awards including equity investments up to $250,000 as well as business advisory services, courtesy of Accurant International.

Our 2026 judging panel

  • Bennett Chabot, Google
  • Carolin Funk, Blue Bear Capital
  • Mark Gustafson, Avista Corporation
  • Mark Hormann, Accurant International
  • Quinn Nakayama, PG&E

How one grid tech innovator accelerated its growth through the power of pitching.

Read about the impact to our 2026 winner, Pitch Aeronautics, from participating in the Grid Innovation Pitch Competition.

“We were drawn to the competition because the GridFWD event has a real track record of pulling the right people into the room. Utilities, industry leaders, and people building new technology show up ready to talk about what is actually happening on the grid.” – Ian Gibson, CEO, Pitch Aeronautics

So many impressive start-ups have pitch at GridFWD events

GridFWD 2025

  • Nexbe
  • EcoPhi
  • Tierra Climate
  • Toumetis
  • Pitch Aeronautics
  • Magnefy
  • Mercury
  • FireScape

GridFWD 2024

  • GridLink
  • Edo
  • Flip Energy
  • Leaptran Inc.
  • Granular Energy
  • Infinigrid
  • MapleWell Energy
  • PowerWeave

GridFWD 2023

  • Ping Things
  • Harvest Thermal, Inc.
  • Singularity Energy
  • Delphire Inc.
  • New Sun Road
  • Ohm Charging
  • Electric Era
  • Derapi
Piper Foster Wilder CEO of 60 Hertz Energy