Peachscore + Dealum Startup Pitch Competition Announces Judging Panel

At Peachscore, we believe data and visibility are the ultimate equalizers for founders. The Peachscore + Dealum Startup Pitch Competition brings that mission to life by giving high-potential startups a platform to present directly to experienced operators, partners, and ecosystem leaders.

Co-hosted with Dealum and in partnership with HubSpot, Zendesk, and moatly™, the competition offers more than exposure. It provides over $20,000 in cash and strategic credits designed to help founders move faster and de-risk growth.

Our Panel of Industry Experts

A strong pitch deserves a strong panel. This year’s judges bring deep experience across investment platforms, startup growth, partnerships, and intellectual property, offering a well-rounded perspective on what it takes to build and scale.

Darja Ogorodnik – Business Project Manager at Dealum
Darja is a cornerstone of the Dealum ecosystem, a leading investment management platform connecting early-stage startups with investors worldwide. For the past two years, Darja has led Dealum’s founder-focused initiatives, building tools, programs, and opportunities designed to help startups raise capital more efficiently. Before joining Dealum, she spent five years running accelerator programs and managing startup selections at a global accelerator, giving her deep experience in evaluating and supporting early-stage ventures.

Denise Quashie – Senior Director of Startups at Zendesk
Denise is a global leader in startup growth, currently overseeing Zendesk’s initiatives to help high-growth companies scale modern, AI-powered customer experiences. Her background is rooted in the "founder journey," having launched and scaled global programs at AWS— the AWS Impact Accelerator, a $30M fund supporting underrepresented founders, the AWS Startup Lofts, and the AWS GenAI Accelerator—and successfully leading her own startup through an acquisition.

Dan Gallagher – Head of South and West Partnerships at HubSpot for Startups
Dan leads the charge at HubSpot for Startups, where he leads partnerships with venture capital firms, accelerators, and entrepreneurial organizations to support early-stage founders across the United States. Before joining HubSpot, Dan managed partnerships at Capital Factory, a leading accelerator and venture group, and co-founded a startup with his brother-in-law. Earlier in his career, he worked as a professional fundraiser, raising capital for both private and public funds, giving him a unique perspective on the intersection of startup growth, fundraising, and strategic partnerships.

Kathryn Vatt – Founder and CEO of moatly™
Kathryn offers an unparalleled perspective on intellectual property. With 25 years of experience, including 15 years as a Patent Examiner at the USPTO, she understands the internal mechanics of patent prosecution like few others. Through moatly™, she helps founders transform their innovations into defensible, high-value IP portfolios that drive valuation and long-term competitive advantage.

Peyman Shahmirzadi – Co-Founder & COO of Peachscore
Peyman Shahmirzadi is Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Peachscore, a global, data-driven startup accelerator supporting founders across 100+ countries. He co-leads Peachscore’s strategy while leading the operations and execution of one of the world’s largest data-driven accelerator platforms. With over 30 years of experience across engineering, operations, and business, he works closely with early-stage companies to refine their business strategy, strengthen investor readiness, and accelerate growth. As an advisor and ecosystem leader, Peyman brings a practical, operator-focused perspective to evaluating startups, with deep experience in scaling ventures and building meaningful corporate and investor partnerships.

What to Expect

Ten standout startups from the Peachscore Accelerator will be selected to pitch, with five ultimately recognized for their performance. Each of the top teams will receive a curated package of cash, strategic tools, and ongoing support to accelerate their growth.

1st Place – $16,500+ Total Value
Includes cash, Zendesk Suite Professional, moatly™ provisional patent-pending protection, Dealum investor exposure, and 1:1 coaching with Alex Mojtahedi and Peyman Shahmirzadi.

2nd Place – $3,500+ Total Value
Includes moatly™ Global Patent Intelligence and a complimentary Peachscore + Dealum Accelerator renewal.

3rd Place – $2,000+ Total Value
Includes moatly™ Founder IP Deep Dive and a complimentary Peachscore + Dealum Accelerator renewal.

4th Place – $1,000+ Total Value
Includes moatly™ Founder IP Strategy Sprints and a complimentary Peachscore + Dealum Accelerator renewal.

5th Place – $500+ Total Value
Includes moatly™ Founder IP Office Hours and a complimentary Peachscore + Dealum Accelerator renewal.

All top five startups will also be featured across Peachscore’s platform and media channels, reaching a global audience of over 150,000 monthly visitors.

At Peachscore, we are proud to support the doers and the dreamers who are ready to take their seats at the table. We thank our judges for their time and our partners for their continued collaboration. To the founders pitching: your journey is our mission. Let’s build the future together.