soma/startup

Participant toolkit

Day Schedule

The full run of the day, from kickoff energy to the closing awards.

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Doors open at 9:00 AM and awards wrap by 6:00 PM — one high-energy day in South Orange + Maplewood, NJ. Venue to be announced.

  1. 9:00 AM

    What building looks like in 2026

    How founders spot problems — and what tools, including AI, now put within anyone's reach.

  2. 10:15 AM

    Your competition, explained

    Each division learns exactly what's expected for their age bracket.

  3. 11:00 AM

    Team up and build with an advisor

    Small teams work with a dedicated advisor to build a deck and a simple prototype.

  4. 4:00 PM

    The pitch competition

    Pitch to the judges. Winners and runners-up named by 6:00 PM.

Times are approximate and may shift slightly on the day.