Tim Draper and his team are traveling across America, searching for the nation's most innovative entrepreneurs! The brightest startups will have the chance to win $1 million in funding to bring their bold ideas to life.
The entire competition will be featured on Meet The Drapers, Tim Draper’s hit digital TV show, which reaches over 30 million viewers annually across TV and digital platforms worldwide.
We are searching for game-changing early-stage startups (Pre-Seed to Series A)
who are ready to pitch big and dream bigger. The show is sector-agnostic but focused on bold ideas and inspirational founders ready to make an impact.
How it Works
City Episodes
We travel to leading startup cities across the U.S.
Each episode features 4 startups pitching live to Tim Draper, guest judges, and a national audience.
One winner is selected per episode.
Semifinals
From all city winners, selected startups compete in high-stakes semifinal episodes. Only 4 startups will earn a spot in the Grand Finale.
Investment Prizes
At the Finale, the Top 3 startups receive life-changing investments:
🥇 1st Place – $1,000,000
🥈 2nd Place – $500,000
🥉 3rd Place – $250,000
Apply to Pitch
Startups from across the U.S. can apply at meetthedrapers.com/apply. Each application goes through a selection process, including video interviews, to select 4 startups per city episode.
Winners Move Forward
The winner of each city episode advances to the semifinals, where the stakes get higher.
The Grand Finale – San Francisco
The top 4 semifinalists pitch in front of Tim Draper and top investors in San Francisco. We also bring back 3 fan-voted wildcards, creating a total of 7 finalists.
How it Works
Apply to Pitch
Startups from across the U.S. can apply at meetthedrapers.com/apply. Each application goes through a selection process, including video interviews, to select 4 startups per city episode.
City Episodes
We travel to leading startup cities across the U.S.
Each episode features 4 startups pitching live to Tim Draper, guest judges, and a national audience.
One winner is selected per episode.
Winners Move Forward
The winner of each city episode advances to the semifinals, where the stakes get higher.
Semifinals
From all city winners, selected startups compete in high-stakes semifinal episodes.
Only 4 startups will earn a spot in the Grand Finale.
The Grand Finale – San Francisco
The top 4 semifinalists pitch in front of Tim Draper and top investors in San Francisco.
We also bring back 3 fan-voted wildcards, creating a total of 7 finalists.
Investment Prizes
At the Finale, the Top 3 startups receive life-changing investments:
🥇 1st Place – $1,000,000
🥈 2nd Place – $500,000
🥉 3rd Place – $250,000
Apply to Pitch to Tim Draper
Applications currently open for next season (Season 9)
| Date(s) of Pitch Events | Application Deadline | Who Should Apply | How to Apply | Location of Pitch Event | Which Season is this for? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 24th 2025 | August 31st | US Entrepreneurs | Closed | Tuscaloosa | USA |
| September 26th 2025 | August 31st | US Entrepreneurs | Closed | Detroit | USA |
| September 29th 2025 | August 31st | US Entrepreneurs | Closed | New York | USA |
| March 13th 2026 | February 20th | US Entrepreneurs | Closed | Austin | USA |
| March 19-21 2026 | March 3rd | US Entrepreneurs | Closed | Salt Lake City | USA |
| April 8th 2026 | March 20th | US Entrepreneurs | Apply | Hawaii | USA |
| April 23-24 2026 | April 10th | US Entrepreneurs | Apply | Palm Beach | USA |
| April 27-28 2026 | April 19th | US Entrepreneurs | Apply | Las Vegas | USA |
| May 5-6 2026 | April 20th | US Entrepreneurs | Apply | Silicon Valley | USA |
| June 4-7 2026 | May 15th | US Entrepreneurs | Apply | Nashville | USA |
| EAST | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode City | Application Deadline | Episode Date |
| Washington DC | Aug 10th 25 | Sep 4th 25 |
| NewYork | Aug 10th 25 | Sep 7th 25 |
| Boston | Aug 10th 25 | Sep 10th 25 |
| Semifinals (Pittsburgh) | Sep 14th 25 | |
| MIDWEST | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode City | Application Deadline | Episode Date |
| Detroit | Aug 31st 25 | Sep 26th 25 |
| Columbus | Sep 2nd 25 | Sep 28th 25 |
| Chicago | Sep 2nd 25 | Sep 30th 25 |
| Semifinals (Minneapolis) | Oct 3rd 25 | |
| SOUTH | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode City | Application Deadline | Episode Date |
| Tuscaloosa | Sep 2nd 25 | Sep 24th 25 |
| Nashville | Oct 2nd 25 | Oct 27th 25 |
| Dallas | Oct 2nd 25 | Oct 30th 25 |
| Semifinals (Miami) | Nov 8th 25 | |
| WEST | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode City | Application Deadline | Episode Date |
| TBC | TBC | TBC |
| USA | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode City | Application Deadline | Episode Date |
| Tuscaloosa | Sep 5th 25 | Sep 24th 25 |
| Detroit | Aug 31st 25 | Sep 26th 25 |
| New York | Sep 8th 25 | Sep 29th 25 |
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