Virginia came ready to compete.

On September 17, ten of the Commonwealth’s most promising companies took the stage at the Sandler Center in Virginia Beach for Virginia Cup, pitching their businesses before a packed crowd of investors, business leaders, students and supporters from across the state.

By the end of the night, Hardshell had claimed first place, the Virginia Cup championship belt and $20,000.

Where2Wheel finished second and received $15,000, while Manly earned third place and $10,000. The crowd selected Manly as the Audience Choice winner, awarding the company an additional $5,000.

The $50,000 prize pool was provided by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation.

The winner will now represent Virginia at the global finale in San Francisco, where it will compete for the opportunity to secure a $1 million investment.

Ten companies. One Virginia stage.

Virginia Cup brought together companies from across the Commonwealth representing industries ranging from healthcare and artificial intelligence to defense, agriculture, financial technology and consumer products.

The 2026 finalists were Absurd Snacks, DreamerMade, Hardshell, KleerCard, Liquet Medical, MANLY, Octaris, Pod Farms, VroomBrick and Where2Wheel.

Each company had only four minutes to make its case. After all ten pitches were complete, the judges asked one question apiece before making their final decisions.

The audience also had a role in the outcome. Through an interactive investor experience powered by AI Collective, every attendee received $100,000 in virtual capital to invest across the ten finalists. Those decisions determined the Audience Choice winner.

It transformed the crowd from spectators into active participants and gave each person in the room a chance to decide which company they believed was ready to rise.

More than a pitch competition

The companies were the heart of Virginia Cup, but the night was built to move beyond a traditional pitch competition.

Live experiences between pitches brought different parts of Virginia’s innovation community onto the stage. The program included activations from NASA Langley Research Center, HRSD, Play Your Court and AI Collective, along with special 757 TechNite announcements.

Before the main event, attendees gathered at The HIVE for the official Virginia Cup pre-party. The afternoon included networking, food and the Neptune SHIELD SEAL Tank showcase featuring five veteran-led defense and dual-use companies.

By the time the doors opened at the Sandler Center, the energy had already been building for hours.

A statewide celebration

Virginia Cup was presented by Virginia Beach Economic Development and The HIVE, with support from partners across Virginia.

The winners left with funding, recognition and new opportunities. But the night’s biggest takeaway extended far beyond the final results.

Virginia is building companies capable of competing anywhere.

On September 17, everyone in the Sandler Center got to see them.