Finalist
Abi Odugbesan · Founder & CEO
EV charging, unlocked.SplitEV turns everyday parking into a nationwide charging network, connecting drivers to where they actually live, work, and park. Lower costs for drivers. New income for hosts.
Gravy Wealth Presents:
Owner Mode:
Pitch Competition 2026
$100K. Four Startups. One Moment.
Gravy Wealth is partnering to invest $25K each in four pre-seed to seed, AI-first companies building access infrastructure. Industry-agnostic.
Pitch virtually. Applications close March 27.
Winners to be announced May 21 at Gravy Wealth’s Owner Mode Summit
Our Thesis
Investing in Access Infrastructure
We are industry agnostic and invest across sectors. Our thesis is access infrastructure: companies building the rails that redefine who gets to invest, build wealth, participate in value creation, and operate at scale. Every company must clear one filter: automation or AI-first execution.
Industry Agnostic
We invest across industries in companies redefining the rails of how their sectors operate.
Access Infrastructure
Technology that expands who can invest, build wealth, participate in value creation, and operate at scale.
Filter: every company must be automation or AI-first.
Expert Panel
Meet the Judges
Our distinguished panel of investors and operators.
Marlon Nichols
Managing General Partner at MaC VC
Bonita Stewart
Managing Partner, BAG Ventures
Brandon William Jones
Founder & CEO, Gravy Wealth
The Finalists
Nine Companies Building the Rails
From 109 applicants, nine made it through. Each one is AI-first infrastructure unlocking access in a sector historically locked down.
Finalist
Alexander Zanders · Founder & CEO
Financing the farmers who feed Africa.UfarmX uses AI to make smallholder farmers lendable, enabling $6.8M+ in financing across 9,100+ farmers.
Finalist
John Davis · Co-founder & CEO
The system for tracking change in construction.AnchorGrid pinpoints changes across drawings and specs, so construction teams can move faster without missing what matters.
Finalist
Carolyn Pitt · Founder & CEO
Find the right talent. Get the job done.Productions.com connects you to vetted creatives and handles the scoping, budgeting, and workflows behind every production.
Finalist
Curtis Carmichael & Amin Gheibi · Co-founders
The system powering modern school districts.Shuriii brings together tools, data, and workflows into one mobile platform, giving educators clear insights and the ability to act quickly across schools.
Finalist
Sumorwuo Zaza · Founder & CEO
Know what you’re paying for. And what to cut.Nicklpass gives CFOs a live view of every SaaS tool, so you can see what’s worth renewing and what’s not.
Finalist
Ranice Brown · Founder & CEO
The control layer for enterprise AI.Magier automatically detects and removes sensitive information across tools, docs, and APIs, before it ever reaches a model.
Finalist
Fela Akinse · Co-founder & CEO
Pre-inbox protection against AI-generated attacks.Trotta stops phishing, deepfakes, and AI voice attacks before they ever hit the inbox.
Finalist
Bruce Marable · Co-founder & CEO
Clarity for every workforce decision.Employee Cycle turns fragmented HR and workforce data into real-time insights — so leaders can act faster and with confidence.
The Details
Investment Criteria
This allocation is part of a dedicated early-stage initiative designed to expand access and address structural gaps in venture funding.
What
- Check Size: $25,000 per company
- Target Stage: Pre-seed to seed
- Valuation Cap: ≤ $13M post-money
Who
High-potential founders who have historically received a disproportionately small share of institutional capital.
What You’ll Get
More Than a Check
A Built-In Market
Your first customers may already be in our network. Gravy's network includes thousands of high-earning professionals actively investing in tools, platforms, and services to build wealth and businesses. We don't just intro you. We put you in front of buyers.
An Operator Bench on Call
Need a fractional CFO? A board advisor with Fortune 500 experience? A channel partner? Our Members, Expert Network and Owner Mode community includes C-suite operators, board directors, and senior leaders who are actively looking for their next thing, not passively collecting advisory shares.
Institutional Reach, Already Warm
Gravy has active partnerships with leading organizations and a growing ecosystem of professional networks representing tens of thousands of ambitious professionals. That's distribution you'd spend years and significant capital trying to build on your own.
Follow-On Firepower
Our portfolio and relationships with active VC scouts and fund managers mean we're not just writing your first check. We're working to help set up your next one.
Important Dates
Selection Timeline
March 2
Applications Open
Submit your application with company overview and pitch deck
March 27
Application Deadline
Final day to submit your application materials
April 13
Finalists Notified
Shortlisted founders will be invited to submit a 5-minute video pitch for our judging panel
May 21
Winners Announced Live
Investment recipients announced live at the Owner Mode Summit and capital deployed
Questions
Frequently Asked
What is the Owner Mode: Pitch Competition 2026?+
Gravy Wealth is partnering to investing $25K each in four pre-seed to seed, industry-agnostic companies building access infrastructure with an automation or AI-first approach.
What is Gravy Wealth?+
Gravy Wealth helps high-earners shift to owners. Our platform equips professionals with personalized insights, access, and infrastructure to accelerate the transition. Gravy Capital, our investment arm, curates investment opportunities across asset classes for our network. Learn more →
What is the Owner Mode Summit?+
The Owner Mode Summit is Gravy Wealth's flagship series convening world-class founders, executives, investors, and operators around a single theme: ownership. The next summit culminates with the live announcement of the Owner Mode: Pitch Competition winners on May 21.
Who is eligible to apply?+
Eligible companies are pre-seed to seed, industry agnostic, and building access infrastructure with an automation or AI-first approach. Companies should be at or below a $13M post-money valuation.
Who are the judges?+
The judging panel includes Marlon Nichols (Managing General Partner at MaC VC), Bonita Stewart (Managing Partner, BAG Ventures), and Brandon William Jones (Founder & CEO, Gravy Wealth).
What does the application require?+
A company overview and pitch deck. Applications open March 2nd and close March 27th. If selected as a finalist, you'll be invited to submit a 5-minute video pitch for our judging panel.
How are winners selected?+
Applications are reviewed and a shortlist of finalists is selected. Finalists submit a 5-minute video pitch, which our judging panel reviews along with follow-up diligence. There is no live pitch. Winners will be announced live on May 21 during the Owner Mode Summit.
At a Glance
Key facts for the record
- Event
- Owner Mode: Pitch Competition 2026
- Organizer
- Gravy Wealth
- Total investment
- $100,000 across four companies
- Check size
- $25,000 per winning company
- Stage
- Pre-seed to seed, ≤ $13M post-money valuation
- Thesis
- Industry-agnostic access infrastructure, automation or AI-first
- Applications open
- March 2, 2026
- Application deadline
- March 27, 2026
- Finalists notified
- April 13, 2026
- Winners announced
- May 21, 2026 — Owner Mode Summit
- Finalists
- 9 companies selected from 109 applicants
- Judges
- Marlon Nichols (MaC Venture Capital), Bonita Stewart (BAG Ventures), Brandon William Jones (Gravy Wealth)
- Cost to apply
- Free
- Format
- Virtual — company overview + deck, then 5-minute video pitch for finalists