ENCINITAS — The Group SD launched its inaugural PitchFest this month, drawing entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders together for a night organizers hope will spark the next wave of innovation in North County.
Hosted at C3bank’s Encinitas branch, the event featured six early-stage companies presenting their visions before mentors, potential investors and a supportive local audience. The goal was to help founders sharpen their message, connect with capital and build momentum for ventures rooted in the region.
“The inaugural PitchFest was more than just an event, it was a testament to what happens when community, vision and support come together,” said June An, who spearheaded the program with The Group SD. “North County is full of dreamers and builders, and PitchFest gave them a stage not only to share their ideas but to feel the strength of a community that believes in them. This project matters deeply because it plants seeds for the next generation of businesses that will serve and shape our region.”
Unlike a traditional investor showcase, PitchFest paired each participating company with a mentor weeks in advance. Mentors guided founders through practice sessions, helping them distill their five-minute pitch into a story that highlighted their mission, customers, financial assumptions and their “ask.” The ask referred to how much money they hoped to raise and how it would be used. One facilitator explained that the purpose of PitchFest was simply to pique interest. From there, the process of securing investment can take a month or more, with multiple meetings, financial reviews and negotiations before any agreement is signed.
For many founders, that preparation was as valuable as the event itself. By the close of the evening, all six companies were paired with mentors to continue refining their plans, and several drew early investor interest. The lineup reflected North County’s breadth of talent, spanning sports technology, entertainment, clean energy, wellness and medtech.
Companies included Flag50, a mobile-first flag football solution for scoring, streaming, athlete profiles and statistics; SpinCircle, a DJ booking platform that connects performers directly with promoters; DCarbon Solutions, a turnkey software provider helping solar owners secure renewable energy credits and trade them on major platforms; EDERRA, a luxury wellness brand sourcing superfoods such as broccoli microgreens and lion’s mane mushrooms from trusted local farms; FasterForests, a biotech startup focused on sustainability; and Reacher Technologies, a medtech company developing performance and health-monitoring applications.
While investment opportunities were part of the draw, An emphasized that belief was the bigger takeaway. “Out of the inspiring presentations, six companies were chosen for mentorship and support, with funding awarded to the most promising ventures,” he said. “But more than funding, what everyone walked away with was belief, belief in themselves and belief in what this community can do when it rallies around its people.”
That sentiment echoed through the room, with local business leaders applauding not only the pitches but also the collaborative spirit that brought mentors, investors and entrepreneurs together. “The intention for our Encinitas location has always been to be a local business hub, where our customers and our community can connect,” said Tommy Wornham, chief banking officer at C3bank. “When the team shared their idea for PitchFest, it felt like a perfect fit for our space.”
Organizers said a second PitchFest is likely, though no date has been set. For now, they are focused on nurturing the relationships sparked at the first event, with mentors continuing to meet with founders and investors beginning exploratory conversations.
As The Group SD and its partners look ahead, the hope is that PitchFest becomes a cornerstone of North County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Organizers envision it as a place where ideas can take root, founders can gain confidence and the community can see firsthand the innovation being built in its backyard.
The Group SD also hosts regular Feelgood Friday networking events for entrepreneurs, creatives and community members. To follow along, visit them on Instagram at @thegroupsd. The organization also produces a podcast, Heart of the Matter, available on YouTube, Spotify and at thecoastnews.com.
