Ajo, AZ
JULY 14, 2026
Congrats to our 2026 Ajo, AZ Winners!
-
All Winners
We traveled to Ajo, Arizona on Wednesday July 14, 2026 to meet with seven entrepreneurs who bravely pitched their companies to a packed house of audience members.
Congrats to the Rural AZ Pitch Competition winners in Ajo!
1st Place: Blanca Mayne, Bidi Bidi Boutique Co- $1,000
2nd Place: Jon Cameron, Cameron Cares Nonprofit - $500
3rd Place: Ashlee Ebinger, OCD Clean - Organized Cleaning Done Right - $250
Crowd Favorite: Marjorie Casse and Bret Benge, Sidewinder Bicycle Company
Our local Ajo sponsors make this event possible by hosting a space for the event, helping to get the word out locally, and providing local prize money for winners. We couldn’t do it without them!
Hey Ajo risk takers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs!
Do you have a “moonshot” business idea or an existing business you’d like to expand? Or maybe you have a product or business idea scribbled down on a napkin or notebook, but that's as far as you've gotten?!
If you answered YES to either question above, join us for Moonshot's 7th Annual Rural Arizona Pitch Competition for entrepreneurs and business owners (aka, a showcase like you see on ABC's Shark Tank)!
This year’s focus is on INNOVATION. We'll be taking the tour to 20 different cities/counties throughout rural Arizona. Participants with innovative business/product/service ideas or existing businesses they want to grow will compete for the chance to win local tour stop prize money and more! But that’s not all. In October 2026, each tour stop winner will travel to the Greater Phoenix area to compete for the state title and $10,000 in cash, $5,000 in cash for "Crowd Favorite”, and additional cash prizes! Winners from each tour stop will receive two complimentary tickets to the finals event and hotel stay. More finals event details to come!
But that’s not all! ALL competitors who participate in a tour stop competition will automatically receive a Moonshot membership valued at $3,500 (annually)! Moonshot members receive mentorship, educational programs, and access to investors and funding opportunities.
APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT. THANKS!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
LOCATION:
38 N Plaza St, Ajo, AZ 85321
SCHEDULE:
Lunch with Moonshot Team — 1-2 pm
Appointments to review pitches with Moonshot mentors — 2-4 pm
Pitch Competition — 5-6 pm
Mixer/celebration for Ajo — 6 pm
PRIZE MONEY:
$1,000 for 1st Place
$500 for 2nd Place
$250 for 3rd Place
$500 for People’s Choice, voted on by the audience
Frequently Asked Questions
-
-
Check out individual tour stop pages listed in the menu above or go to our calendar page.
-
Check out our Participant Resources page.
-
The schedule for each tour stop will vary depending on the number of applicants who apply to compete. We’ve broken the sample agendas out below. These are subject to change. This year, we are capping the number of participants in larger tour stops to 20 participants. Applications will be accepted first come, first serve.
Tour Site A - less than 10 applicants (smaller events/tour stops)
Agenda A:
8:30 AM - Welcome + Pitch Worksheet Workshop- Fill out pitch worksheet
9:30 AM: 1st Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on financials and business model
10:30 or 11:00 AM: 2nd Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on legal and branding/marketing
12:00 or 12:30 PM: Working lunch, pitch deck cleanup
1:30 or 2:00 PM: Start Pitch Competition
3:00 or 3:30: Announce Winners
Tour Site B - 10-12 applicants, 2 rooms
Agenda B:
8:30 AM - Welcome + Pitch Worksheet Workshop- Fill out pitch worksheet
Break applicants into 2 groups
9:30 AM: GROUP 1- 1st Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on financials and business model
GROUP 2- 1st Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on legal and branding/marketing
10:30 or 11:00 AM - GROUP 1- Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on legal and branding/marketing
GROUP 2- 2nd Pitch Practice Workshop, emphasis on financials and business model
12:00 or 12:30 PM: Working lunch, pitch deck cleanup
1:30 or 2:00 PM: Start Pitch Competition
3:00 or 3:30: Announce Winners
Tour Site C- 12-20 applicants, 3 rooms
Agenda C:
8:30 AM - Welcome + Pitch Worksheet Workshop- Fill out pitch worksheet
Break applicants into 3 groups
9:30 AM: GROUP 1- 1st Pitch Practice Workshop
GROUP 2- 1st Pitch Practice Workshop
GROUP 3- 1st Pitch Practice Workshop
10:30 or 11:00 AM - GROUP 1- 2nd Pitch Practice Workshop
GROUP 2- 2nd Pitch Practice Workshop
GROUP 3- 2nd Pitch Practice Workshop
Participants will only attend 2 of 3 practice rounds/ Applicants will be cut down to 8-10 for the finals
12:00 or 12:30 PM - Working lunch, pitch deck cleanup
1:30 or 2:00 PM - Start Pitch Competition
3:00 or 3:30 - Announce Winners
-
See examples of past pitch presentations here.
-
Here’s an example of the pitch worksheet that all participants receive at the beginning of the day. It walks you through how to pitch your idea/business and what elements you need to include.
