New York City · June 2026
A one-day gathering where Catholic founders and aspiring entrepreneurs pitch, connect, and build — in community.
Register on Luma →The Fides Startup Competition is a single-day event in New York built around a simple idea: the best businesses are built by people who know and trust each other.
Founders pitch to a room of peers, investors, and operators. Not to a panel. Not for a trophy. For a seat at the table.
If you're building something — or thinking about it — this is where you should be.
You've got a business or a firm idea and want real feedback from people who've built before. No pitches required — but you can pitch if you want.
You're still in the idea phase but want to meet the people who can help you turn it into something real.
You deploy capital, advise teams, or run companies and want to find the next generation of founders worth backing.
Founders and guests break bread together before any agenda begins. Real relationships start over food.
Selected founders present their businesses in a round-robin format. Short, direct, no slides required.
Industry-specific breakout conversations led by members of the Fides community. Bring your hardest questions.
The day ends at the table — speakers, founders, and investors together. This is where deals happen.
Most startup competitions are built around spectacle — founders perform for judges, winners get trophies, everyone goes home. That's not how businesses actually get built.
Fides exists because Catholic entrepreneurs need somewhere to build in public, with people who share their values and understand what they're actually trying to do. The competition is the occasion. The community is the point.
Reserve Your Spot →Winners of the Fides Startup Competition receive complimentary Founding Membership for one year — giving them access to every Fides dinner, retreat, pilgrimage, and the private network of Catholic entrepreneurs, investors, and operators behind it.
Participants who don't win still get priority access to apply.
Register for the Competition →Fides Entrepreneurship · New York City · June 2026