TechCon SoCal 2026 Announces Seven Winning Startups from the Startup Innovation Showcase Semifinal

The seven winning companies are:

• MetaNeural- MetaNeural is developing an AI-XR platform to help industries train more safely with no-code, AI-built simulations.
• Bairitone Health- Bairitone Health removes the guesswork from sleep apnea care by bringing anatomy imaging to the home environment.
• MVI Medical- MVI Medical is transforming women's healthcare with Rosa Spec™, a patented device redefining the pelvic exam market.
• EZ-Robot- EZ-Robot is a unified robotics & AI platform that engages 10x more students and slashes prototyping time by up to 90%
• TR11- TRL11 offers telepresence to space so operators can control, monitor, protect & defend space assets with real-time video.
• HyIvy Health- HyIvy Health develops a data-driven device platform to measure, monitor, and treat gynecological and pelvic conditions.
• ReRoute Americas- ReRoute Americas is a wholesaler, distributor and inventory manager for sustainable disposables powered by AI.

These companies were selected for the strength of their innovation, market potential, and ability to address meaningful industry challenges across sectors including AI, robotics, digital health, medtech, and sustainability. Most of the semifinal winners are expected to advance to the Final Pitch Event at TechCon SoCal 2026, taking place May 21-23 at San Diego State University.

The Startup Innovation Showcase is TechCon SoCal's main platform for founders, giving selected startups the chance to pitch to over 100 investors, get direct investor matchmaking, and compete through quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. The overall winner will earn the chance to pitch for $1 million at the Startup World Cup.

The shortlisted startups were selected by an experienced Startup Selection Committee composed of investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders with deep expertise in technology, venture capital, and innovation.

• La Keisha Landrum Pierre - Emmeline Ventures
• Peyman Shahmirzadi - Peachscore
• Misti Cain - Techstars
• Ashok Kamal - NuFund Venture Group
• Ralph Morales III - Aquillius
• Eric Weiss - Chaos to Clarity

"This year's semifinal reflects an extensive and highly diligent selection process focused on identifying companies with standout innovation, strong execution potential, and the ability to scale," said Faisal Mushtaq, Founder & CEO of TechCon Global. "The quality of these startups is exceptional, and they represent a diverse cross-section of innovation from across the U.S. and Canada, including Austin, San Diego, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Calgary, and Fergus. Their presence underscores both the caliber of the competition and the growing national footprint of the TechCon Global platform."

"Southern California has quietly become one of the most dynamic startup ecosystems in the country, and events like TechCon SoCal are a big part of why," said Amit Singh, Venture Capital and Mergers & Acquisitions Partner at Mintz. "Having worked with founders and investors across hundreds of venture financings and M&A transactions, I've seen firsthand how critical early-stage capital and community are to company building. We're proud to open our San Diego office to these exceptional entrepreneurs and to support the TechCon SoCal platform that is connecting the best founders in this region with the investors and resources they need to scale."

The Startup Innovation Showcase is TechCon SoCal's flagship platform for startup founders, offering selected companies the opportunity to pitch to investors, gain direct investor matchmaking, and compete through a multi-stage process leading to the finals. The overall winner will earn the opportunity to pitch for $1 million at the Startup World Cup.