San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 23, 2026) - TechCon Global today announced the eight companies shortlisted for the Second Quarterfinal of the TechCon SoCal 2026 Startup Innovation Showcase, part of a multi-stage pitch competition culminating in the Final Pitch Event at TechCon SoCal on May 22-23.

The Second Quarterfinal Pitch Event will be held on Thursday, Mar 26, 2026. To ensure a fair and inclusive selection process for all participating startups-many of which come from diverse regions-companies will deliver their pitches virtually.

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.

Shortlisted Startups - Quarterfinal 2

The eight companies selected to pitch at the second Quarterfinal on Mar 26, 2026, are:

• Clean Ride - Clean Ride is building a reservation software for full-service car washes to cut wait times and increase efficiency.
• Get BOB - Human-like AI colleagues that get real work done, not just workflows.
• MetaNeural - MetaNeural is developing an AI-XR platform to help industries train more safely with no-code, AI-built simulations.
• CIRCUCARE - AI-powered wearable ultrasound device for continuous cardiac imaging without a technician.
• Bairitone Health - We remove 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.
• Avira Health - Veera built a device that will allow mothers to feed and pump breastmilk while tracking the amount fed live on an app.
• BioMetal Health - BioMetal Health delivers unique, patented resorbable metal implants to accelerate bone and tissue growth with less pain.

Startup Selection Committee

The shortlisted startups were selected by an experienced Startup Selection Committee composed of investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders with deep expertise across 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 committee applies a thoughtful, founder-focused approach to the selection process," said Faisal Mushtaq, Founder & CEO of TechCon Global. "Their collective expertise ensures that advancing companies demonstrate both innovation and the ability to scale and create real impact."

Applications for the TechCon SoCal Startup Innovation Showcase are now closed. Winners announced on March 26 will advance to the Semifinal, joining winners from the first quarterfinal and the Golden Ticket nominees.

Startup Innovation Showcase Roadmap

• Semifinal Pitch Event
  • April 16, 2026 - Mintz 3580 Carmel Mountain Rd, Suite 300, San Diego
• Final Pitch Event
  • May 21-23, 2026 - San Diego State University

TechCon SoCal 2026 is a premier technology, innovation, and investment conference bringing together founders, investors, executives, and ecosystem leaders from Southern California and beyond. The event will be held May 21-23, 2026, at San Diego State University in San Diego. TechCon SoCal features curated panels, a flagship Startup Innovation Showcase, and high-impact networking across AI, digital health, life sciences, and emerging technologies-serving as a platform to accelerate innovation and attract capital.

For more information about TechCon SoCal 2026 or the Startup Innovation Showcase, visit www.techconglobal.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289494

Source: TechCon Global