September 17, 2026
Florence, AZ
Congrats to our Florence, AZ Winners!
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Melissa Zuber
Luma Health
First Place Winner
My company is Luma Health Direct Primary Care (Luma Health DPC), a healthcare practice focused on affordable, personalized, relationship-based care. Instead of traditional insurance billing, patients pay a simple monthly membership fee for direct access to their provider, longer appointments, preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health support, and wellness services. Luma Health helps solve common healthcare frustrations such as rushed visits, high costs, and difficulty accessing providers. https://lumahealthaz.com/ -
Michelle Carpenter
The Spur Theater
Second Place
The Spur Theater is the flagship project of 143 Ventures, a company focused on creating places people love while revitalizing rural downtowns. Our first project will rebirth Florence, Arizona’s historic Spur Theater as a modern entertainment and community venue on the site where the original theater once stood. The Spur will solve a challenge facing many rural downtowns: people may visit during the day or for special events, but there are few consistent reasons to come downtown and stay into the evening.
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Brady Winter
Third Place
Teapotheca is an herbal reference and recipe database that helps people find the right herb, tea, or remedy for how they're feeling. Users select their symptoms or mood and get a filtered list of matching herbs, recipes, and safety information, solving the problem of scattered, contradictory herbal advice spread across forums and old books. https://teapotheca.com/
Hey Florence risk takers, business leaders, & 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 $5,500 (annually)! Moonshot members receive mentorship, educational programs, and access to investors and funding opportunities.
HOW TO APPLY TO COMPETE:
The application window is now closed. Best of luck to the participants!
Our local Florence 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!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS/DETAILS
LOCATION
Greentree Inn and Suites in Florence, AZ
240 W. Highway 287, Florence, AZ 85132
SCHEDULE
9:00AM: Welcome + Pitch Worksheet Workshop
10:00AM - 12:00 PM: Pitch Practice
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
* Schedule is subject to change depending on the number of participants who attend.
LOCAL PRIZE MONEY/PACKAGE
$1,800 total prize money - winner split to be announced soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Check out individual tour stop pages listed in the menu above or go to our calendar page.
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Check out our Participant Resources page.
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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
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See examples of past pitch presentations here.
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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.