THE DEAL LOUNGE · COMMUNITY EVENT

The Deal Lounge Championship Edition

​The Deal Lounge is coming to Santa Cruz for a special Championship Edition—bringing founders, GPs, VCs, LPs, family offices, and strategic investors together for a highly produced live deal-making experience. ​With support from Santa Cruz Works and the broader UC Santa Cruz innovation ecosystem, this edition will take place at Highway 17 Studios and feature professional production, live video, green-screen capabilities, founder pitches, investor judging, and direct capital introductions. ​Where the world’s most ambitious founders, investors, and operators compete for the ultimate deal. ​For one high-impact day, The Deal Lounge transforms into a championship arena where standout founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders come together to compete, connect, and move real opportunities forward. ​The Deal Lounge Championship Edition brings selected startups into a fast-paced pitch tournament designed to identify the strongest companies in the room. Founders will present live before leading VCs, angels, fund managers, and strategic operators, with each round producing clear outcomes: Pass, Follow-Up, or Deal Room.