September 18, 2025

Flagstaff, AZ

Congrats to our Flagstaff, AZ Winners!

  • Group of six people standing on stage at the Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition 2025, holding a giant check, with a presentation screen in the background displaying event sponsors and logos.

    Whitney Slightham

    Ateleva

    First Place Winner

    Ateleva is developing a simple, non-invasive device to safely reinflate collapsed lung lobes in mechanically ventilated ICU patients—a complication affecting up to 340,000 Americans each year. Current treatments rely on system-wide ventilator pressure or invasive procedures that can worsen injury.

    Ateleva’s bedside-compatible solution delivers controlled air directly to the affected lobe enabling precise reinflation without harming healthy tissue. Designed for ease of use, disposability, and compatibility with existing workflows, Ateleva addresses a critical gap in respiratory care. We will generate revenue through direct hospital sales and strategic partnerships focused on improving outcomes and reducing ICU costs.



  • Group of five people standing together indoors, holding a large ceremonial check, with a presentation screen in the background displaying event details and sponsor logos.

    Cristy Salanga

    High Entropy Security

    Second Place

    Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a foundation in digital security, using asymmetric cryptography to encrypt/decrypt data and authenticate users. While PKI has been a trusted solution, its reliance on the private key makes it vulnerable to cyber threats, including insider threats and exposed private keys. High Entropy Security has developed Zero-Trust PKI protocols combined with Zero-Knowledge Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) that allows users to generate and keep their private key secret while strengthening existing encryption standards for the post-quantum computing era. HES is engineering its technologies/licensing its extensive patent portfolio into existing products as well as developing a quantum-resistant crypto wallet.

  • Group of five people standing on a stage, holding a large ceremonial check during the Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition 2025 event. There are five men and one woman, with a presentation screen behind them displaying event and sponsor logos.

    Nate Loper

    Canyon Ministries

    Third Place

    Our 3D model designs showcase detailed representations of national park features—such as canyon layers, volcanic structures, and fossil beds—crafted for educational use in National Park visitor centers, classrooms, and homeschool settings. They provide a hands-on, engaging way to explore landscapes, geological features, and natural history. A unique segment of this project includes specially designed tactile models for the sight-impaired community, offering inclusive learning experiences through touch to an underserved community that often cannot experience such places. We strive to make this profitable through the pursuit of grants and direct sales of these models to institutions and individuals.

Our local Flagstaff 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!

Seal of the City of Flagstaff, Arizona with a circular design featuring mountains, a deer, and an American flag, next to the text 'City of Flagstaff.'
Logo of Flagstaff with a stylized mountain scene and the text "Choose Flagstaff: The City of Innovation."
Sunwest Bank logo with tagline "Built for Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneurs"
Logo of Jen Nordstrom Accounting with white text on a black background
Logo of Desert Financial Credit Union with blue, orange, and teal text.
Coconino Community College logo with a stylized teal and black emblem and the college name beneath it.

Flagstaff Pitch Competition Details

Thursday, September 18, 2025

8:30am - Welcome and Pitch Workshop

9:30am - 1:30pm - Pitch Practice (Lunch info TBD)

1:30pm - Final Pitch Competition Starts

2:30pm - Judge Deliberations


3:00pm - Special Thanks to Local Sponsors + Announcement of Winners


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Location

Lowell Observatory
1400 W Mars Hill Rd.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Prize Money

1st Place Winner will receive $2,000
2nd Place Winner will receive $1,000
3rd Place Winner will receive $500

The first place winner of this event will win a trip to the State Finals in Prescott, AZ and a hotel stay in beautiful downtown Prescott as well as the chance to win the $10,000 grand prize, $5,000 Crowd Favorite and other various prizes at the state finals.
Learn more about the finals event here.

Hey Flagstaff 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 6th Annual Rural Arizona Pitch Competition for entrepreneurs and business owners (aka, a showcase like you see on ABC's Shark Tank)!

This year, we'll be taking the tour to 20 different cities/counties throughout rural Arizona. Participants will compete for the chance to win local tour stop prize money and more! But that’s not all. In October 2025, each tour stop winner will travel to beautiful Prescott, Arizona to compete for the state title and $10,000 in cash, $5,000 in cash for "Crowd Favorite”, and several NEW cash prizes! Winners from each tour stop will receive two complimentary tickets to the finals event and a one-night stay at the beautiful Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Prescott, Arizona.  
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Participation is FREE OF CHARGE, thanks to our title sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Arizona Commerce Authority, and APS, our statewide and regional sponsors, and our local sponsors listed below.

Please note: You are only permitted to register for the Flagstaff Pitch Competition if you reside in Flagstaff.

Logos of sponsors for the 2025 Rural AZ Pitch Competition Tour, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, APS, Arizona Commerce Authority, Growth Partners Arizona, Arizona Association for Economic Development, SRP, Wells Fargo, CIC, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Arizona's SBDC, AWD Law, Resolution Copper, IDA, and Arizona Stitch Lab.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Participation in the pitch competition is free of charge. You do not need to have experience as an entrepreneur to compete. You can simply have an idea for a product or service.

    Participants will be taught how to present a business pitch in 5 minutes.

    Each tour stop competition schedule will vary, depending on how many applicants apply. We will expect you attend the full day event, should you apply.

    A sample schedule and sample presentations from past tour stops events will be shared below. We’ll make sure you have as much reference material as possible.

    You do not need to use a slide show (like Powerpoint or Canva) to present your ideas; however, if you’d like to do so, that’s wonderful. Past winners have won local tour stop events without the assistance of slide shows.

    Learn more about what to expect and take a look at past pitch presentations here.

  • 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.

2025 Tour Video

Get a behind the scenes peek at what a pitch competiton looks like.
Featuring the town of Superior, Arizona.