Madison Reporter

The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce has announced the five finalists for the 2025 Pressure Chamber, which will take place on August 19 at The Sylvee. The annual event, now in its twelfth year, is presented by Michael Best and held in partnership with The Forward Festival.

At Pressure Chamber, the selected emerging companies will present their pitches to a panel of national investors and a live audience. The winner will be chosen through combined judge scoring and audience voting. This company will receive the “golden suitcase,” providing a reserved spot in meetings with Silicon Valley investment firms later this fall.

Chamber President Zach Brandon said, “It’s a sign of the ingenuity and innovation coming out of our region that this year’s Pressure Chamber is shaping up to be the biggest yet. We look forward to hearing from this exciting new group of emerging companies that will help write the next chapter in Greater Madison’s story.”

According to organizers, past winners have credited Pressure Chamber with helping them secure funding rounds. The program has also been recognized by organizations such as the International Economic Development Council and Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest Summit as an example of best practices in entrepreneurship and economic development.

Pressure Chamber is organized by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce together with Michael Best. Additional support comes from several organizations including State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and UW–Madison Office of Business Engagement, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Fetch, TruStage, Associated Bank, Madison College, JP Cullen, The Gialamas Company, 4490 Ventures, Baird Capital, Idea Fund, Mastercraft Ventures, Rock River Capital Partners and FPC Live.

Finalists are available for interviews upon request.

The Forward Festival runs August 18-22 in Madison and features events designed to connect entrepreneurs across different industries.