LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan State University Research Foundation to announce Adrenaline Interactive as the grand prize winner of the 2026 PitchMI Championship.
Following a high-stakes “Shark Tank” style competition at Grewal Hall in Lansing, the company was awarded a $1 million investment, bringing its total PitchMI winnings to $1.375 million.
“Winning feels surreal. To be honest, I still don’t really believe that I won, because the other companies were just so phenomenal,” said CEO and founder of Adrenaline Interactive, Max Albert. “There were four great companies up there, and I feel so lucky to share the stage with all of them. In terms of the future, this check is so meaningful to help us bring back advertising dollars to the state of Michigan.”
PitchMI (pronounced “Pitch-Me”) is one of the nation’s largest founder-focused startup competitions, designed to identify and invest in Michigan’s most promising startups. The PitchMI Championship served as the culmination of a statewide search for Michigan’s most innovative startups, highlighting the state’s commitment to fostering a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and supporting founders who want to make a career or business in Michigan.
“Michigan is a place where big ideas come to life, and today’s PitchMI Championship is yet another example of how Michigan is creating the jobs of the future,” Whitmer said. “Congratulations to Adrenaline Interactive and all of the competing companies. By investing in our homegrown entrepreneurs, we are creating high-tech jobs and ensuring Michigan remains the best place in the world to innovate, grow a business, and dream big.”
