TechRise Season 4 Finale: The Next Wave of Chicago’s Startup Leaders
Bringing Chicago’s Tech Community to Life Through Video
At Press Play: Creatives, we thrive on capturing the moments that matter—events that drive innovation, bring people together, and shape the future of industries. When TechRise, powered by P33 Chicago, hosted the Season 4 Finale Pitch Competition, we were there to film and produce the highlight reel, ensuring the energy, excitement, and impact of the event reached audiences far beyond the venue.
What is TechRise?
TechRise is a game-changing initiative launched by P33 Chicago to support and fund underrepresented tech founders, specifically Black, Latinx, and women entrepreneurs. Through weekly pitch competitions, startups compete for non-dilutive grants, helping them scale from early-stage ideas to fully realized businesses.
Since its launch in 2021, TechRise has:
Awarded over $3.1 million in funding
Helped founders secure $164 million in follow-on investments
Created a 53X return on investment for supported startups
With P33 at the helm, TechRise continues to empower Chicago’s diverse tech community, offering not just funding but mentorship, visibility, and a strong support network.
The TechRise Season 4 Finale
The Season 4 Finale Pitch Competition was a culmination of a year’s worth of competitions, bringing together six of the top TechRise startups of 2024 for one final showdown. The stakes were high, with founders competing for a grand prize of $100,000 in capital to help fuel their ventures.
Each finalist delivered a four-minute pitch, followed by an intense Q&A session with a panel of venture capital judges. The event showcased some of the most promising emerging startups in Chicago, offering a glimpse into the future of AI, fintech, healthcare, and sustainability innovations.
How We Captured the Moment
At Press Play: Creatives, our mission was to ensure the TechRise Season 4 Finale was more than just a moment in time—it became a compelling visual story that could live on and continue to inspire future founders. Our work focused on:
Dynamic Videography – Capturing the intensity of the pitches, the judges' insights, and the crowd’s reactions as the competition unfolded.
The Winner’s Moment – Preserving the thrill of the grand prize announcement, highlighting the journey that led to that defining moment.
The final highlight reel distills the energy of the night into a fast-paced, engaging video that encapsulates the spirit of TechRise and P33’s mission to uplift diverse founders.
Why This Work Matters
Our work with TechRise and P33 is about more than just capturing an event—it’s about telling a story that inspires, educates, and builds momentum. By bringing these founders’ journeys to life, we help fuel the narrative of innovation, resilience, and opportunity in Chicago’s startup ecosystem.
Are you hosting an event that deserves to be captured and shared with the world? Let’s bring your vision to life. PressPlayCreatives.com
