The panel tasked with evaluating these ventures includes Marcus Lemonis, host of The Fixer; Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor; Shark Tank executive producer Barry Poznick; Our Place co-founder Shiza Shahid; and MasterClass founder David Rogier. These judges bring extensive experience in scaling consumer brands, venture capital, and media production to the competition, which aims to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and market-ready production.
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Magic Johnson to Open Alibaba.com’s CoCreate 2026 Pitch Finals
NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson will kick off the CoCreate 2026 U.S. final in Los Angeles on September 9, setting the stage for 20 entrepreneurs to compete for a $1 million prize pool. The finalists, culled from 39,000 global applicants, will pitch their AI-integrated business concepts before a high-profile panel of judges.
Alibaba.com’s event highlights a broader shift toward AI-enabled entrepreneurship, with data indicating that 62% of founders utilizing AI tools are currently developing physical products. Beyond the pitch competition, the two-day summit in Los Angeles serves as a sourcing hub, connecting startups with service providers like Fiserv and shipping platforms such as ShipBae to help streamline global supply chains. For entrepreneurs, the event serves as both a testing ground for their business models and a networking bridge to the manufacturers and financial tools necessary to sustain long-term growth.
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