# Introducing The Cold Start: pitch your startup live at Cloudflare Connect for $500,000 in credits

Hi everyone, Shii-chan here! Today's news is an event announcement for startups.

## What was announced?

The Cloudflare Blog announced The Cold Start, a startup competition. Five early-stage companies each get five minutes on stage at Cloudflare Connect to pitch.

## Why it matters

This isn't a technical announcement. It's an event for the Cloudflare ecosystem, and the application deadline is close, so eligible founders should check it soon.

## What changes

Each of the five selected startups gets:

- 5 minutes to pitch, followed by 3-5 minutes of questions from judges
- Travel to San Francisco funded by Cloudflare

The winner also receives:

- $500,000 in Cloudflare credits
- A San Francisco billboard takeover
- An invitation to the VIP speakers dinner

## Dive Deep

Here are the details and requirements:

- When: Monday, October 19, 2026, 4:00-5:00 p.m. PDT
- Where: Moscone West, San Francisco
- Application deadline: Friday, October 2, 2026
- Eligibility: early-stage companies based in the US and Canada that have raised less than $10 million
- Judges: Matthew Prince (Co-founder & CEO), Michelle Zatlyn (Co-founder & President), and Dane Knecht (CTO)

Cloudflare says it wants interesting ideas clearly explained rather than polished presentations. It's looking for founders who have found a real market need and have a compelling vision, in any industry.

## Wrap-up

- Five companies pitch for five minutes each on October 19, 2026
- The winner gets $500,000 in credits, a billboard, and a VIP dinner
- Open to US and Canadian early-stage companies with under $10 million raised
- Applications close on October 2, 2026

If that sounds like your startup, this one is for you!