After two days of fast-paced pitches, live audience voting and judge deliberation, SmartShowroom360 has been named the inaugural champion of the CEDIA Expo/CIX PitchFest, edging out BTX Window Automation, the Day 1 finalist, in the final head-to-head matchup.
Hosted by CE Pro and Commercial Integrator, the PitchFest webinar series spotlighted 12 first-time CEDIA Expo/CIX exhibitors, each delivering a tight, three-to-five-minute presentation designed to showcase their most compelling solution for the custom integration channel. Modeled after a Shark Tank–style format, the event challenged companies to demonstrate not only product innovation, but also real-world relevance for integrators.
Judges included Zachary Comeau of CE Pro, Michelle Ferlauto of SoundVision, and Andres Klein of Maxicon.
A Final Showdown Between Two Distinct Visions
The PitchFest finale pitted two very different approaches to industry innovation against one another.
BTX Window Automation, the Day 1 finalist, impressed judges and attendees with a fresh take on custom shading. Judges noted that BTX represents a meaningful alternative to legacy incumbents by remaining committed to the CI channel and avoiding direct-to-consumer sales. The company’s emphasis on tighter control integration, particularly its move toward being Bond-ready, resonated strongly, addressing one of the most common pain points in motorized shades: reliable, intuitive control.
Judges acknowledged that BTX’s integration-first mindset and willingness to rethink traditional shade workflows marked it as a compelling “Day 1” concept with long-term potential.
SmartShowroom360’s Winning Pitch
Image/Emerald
Ultimately, it was SmartShowroom360 and co-founder Dave Chace that captured the top honor.
Judges and attendees responded to the company’s focus on a challenge nearly every integrator faces: how to effectively demonstrate, sell and scale technology experiences without the overhead of a traditional physical showroom.
SmartShowroom360 positions itself as a digital showroom platform purpose-built for the custom integration channel. Its pitch emphasized how integrators can present lighting, shading, AV, control and smart home experiences in a highly visual, interactive environment—without requiring dedicated retail space or costly build-outs.
For judges, the appeal came down to practicality and immediacy. The platform addresses a real business problem, aligns with how integrators increasingly sell and collaborate, and fits cleanly into existing sales workflows.
A Diverse Field of New Exhibitors
Beyond the two finalists, PitchFest featured a wide-ranging group of emerging exhibitors tackling challenges across lighting, power, audio, outdoor living and business operations. Deako highlighted its modular, plug-and-play lighting control approach, while Dio Technologies focused on simplifying multi-room audio deployment. Modern Atomics addressed shade power management, and MyTV Art presented an artistic approach to TV concealment.
Other pitches explored adjacent opportunities, including Nightscaping’s U.S.-made landscape lighting, OnFILTER’s specialized EMI filtering for cleaner power, Jet Living Products’ outdoor-focused smart solutions, Rithum’s streamlined smart home control platform, BZBGEAR’s AV signal and streaming tools, and WeQuote’s proposal and quoting software designed specifically for integrators.
Together, the field underscored the breadth of innovation coming from new CEDIA Expo/CIX exhibitors, many of whom are focused less on reinventing hardware categories and more on improving workflows, reliability and the overall integrator experience.
Watch PitchFest!
Both days from PitchFest will be available to watch on demand shortly here! Upon registering, you will receive two confirmation emails with links to each day of CEDIA Expo/CIX PitchFest 2025!
