JULY 30,2026

Yuma, AZ

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Congrats to the Yuma, AZ Winners!

  • Three men standing inside a room with a patterned banner in the background that reads 'ELEVATE SOUTHWEST' and a large check. The men are smiling, wearing casual and business casual attire. The man on the right is holding the large check with red handwriting. There is a screen to the right displaying event branding and a poster on the left side of the image with an astronaut illustration and a lizard. The floor has yellow parking lot lines.

    Paul Mahacek

    Atmo Cooling

    First Place Winner

    AtmoCooling engineers smart outdoor cooling systems that combat the mounting toll of extreme heat on agriculture, energy, and industry. By combining weather sensors, automated controls, and precision spray equipment, our platform intelligently adjusts water flow and spray coverage in real time based on temperature, humidity, and wind conditions—cooling far larger areas than conventional misting systems while conserving water.


  • Three men standing together at an event, two of them holding a large check. The background features a banner with the words 'ELEVATE Southwest' and a logo. A large screen displays the event details, including location in Yuma, AZ, and the event name 'Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition 2026'.

    Dr. Evgeny Galyaev

    Radiation, Detection and Imagining (RDI)

    Second Place

    Radiation Detection and Imaging Technologies (RDI) is a Tempe-based medical technology company building better measurement tools for cancer treatment, led by its flagship product ONYX™—a high-speed electronic target for proton therapy machines that verifies radiation beams are precisely on target before patient treatment begins.

  • Three men standing together at an event, with two holding a large check. The background features banners with the logo and name 'ELEVATE Southwest' and a screen displaying logos and text related to the event and location Yuma, AZ.

    Toby Farnsworth

    The Loyal Flush

    Third Place

    The Loyal Flush Plumbing is a Yuma-based residential plumbing company specializing in water quality and water conservation solutions, with a long-term vision to develop next-generation reverse osmosis technology that dramatically reduces water waste—addressing one of the Southwest's most pressing challenges.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

LOCATION: Elevate Southwest Incubator - 2450 S. Madison Ave., Yuma, AZ 85364

SCHEDULE:

9:00AM: Welcome + Pitch Worksheet Workshop

10:00AM - 12:00PM: Pitch Practice and Mentoring

12:00PM - 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.

PRIZE MONEY:

$2,000 total - prize split TBD

Many thanks to local host and sponsor, Elevate Southwest. Thanks to Motion Industries for providing continental breakfast and lunch.

Logo for ELEVATE Southwest with sectors: Aerospace & Defense, Agriculture Technology, Biomedicine & Biotechnology, Clean Technology
Red logo with the letters 'mmi' and a black dot above the 'i'
WDF logo with a geometric cube design and the tagline 'Services Beyond Quality.'

Hey Yuma 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:

Please see the schedule below. To apply, simply click the button below. Please note: You must live in Yuma, AZ in order to qualify to compete in this competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Download this What to Expect guide.

  • 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.