A Shark Tank and Hollywood crossover is happening as Daymond John, Lori Greiner, and Marvel star Simu Liu take the judge’s bench for Alibaba.com’s $1 million pitch contest for entrepreneurs.
The pitch competition is the headline event at Alibaba.com’s CoCreate 2025 seller conference in Las Vegas, held between September 4 and 5. Daymond John is on hosting duties for this event.
Daymond, Lori, and Simu Liu will be accompanied by Stephanie Mehta and Everette Taylor.
How the $1 Million Alibaba.com Product Competition Works
Over 20,000 people will compete, and only 100 will move forward to the semifinals. Thereafter, from the 100, only 70 will pitch live in Las Vegas, while the other 30 will take the stage in London during CoCreate Europe on November 14.
The competition puts $1 million on the line, with two top prizes of $200,000 each in cash and Alibaba.com sourcing credits. Another 20 winners will each walk away with $40,000 under the same format.
Who’s Judging the $1 Million Pitch Competition?
Behind every high-stakes pitch is a panel of judges who can make or break a founder’s dream. At CoCreate 2025, entrepreneurs will face Shark Tank investors, a Marvel actor, and top business leaders ready to spot the most promising innovations.
Daymond John
Daymond John is best known as the founder of FUBU, which in turn has earned him his seat on Shark Tank. He built his clothing brand from the ground up, starting with hats he made and sold in Queens. Over the years, he turned that hustle into a global label.
Daymond’s sharp business acumen and straight talk on Shark Tank have earned him a good reputation. Beyond business, he’s also a mentor and author.
Lori Greiner
Lori Greiner has quite frankly earned the title of “Queen of QVC” for turning clever ideas into household products. She’s created and launched hundreds of items, many of which started as simple inventions and grew into multimillion-dollar successes.
Her entrepreneurial and business superpower includes spotting products that connect instantly with everyday consumers, and her power moves entail taking them to the shelves of retail stores across the country. She usually backs entrepreneurs who have a clear vision and are not selling anything too ostentatious.
Simu Liu
Simu Liu is an actor and writer who broke through with his role as Shang-Chi in Marvel’s first Asian-led superhero film. Prior to that, he had worked as a stuntman. Once the cameras stop rolling, he’s very vocal about representation in media and often uses his platform to speak about identity and opportunity.
Off-screen, he also works as the Chief Content Officer of MiLa and has a fund for Asian based startups. His judge panel resume also includes a guest appearance on Canada’s Dragon’s Den.
Stephanie Mehta
Stephanie Mehta is the CEO and Chief Content Officer of Mansueto Ventures (the parent company of Fast Company and Inc.). Her career has been distributed between covering technology, business, and innovation.
Before her current role(s), she was the editor-in-chief of Fast Company. Preceding that, she was in senior editorial positions at Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal.
Stephanie’s niche as a journalist lies in conveying topics of her expertise to entrepreneurs, executives, and policymakers.
Everette Taylor
Everette Taylor is the CEO of Kickstarter and a builder at heart. He launched his first business at age 19. Since then, Everette has led multiple companies across tech and marketing. His work has always centered on helping people bring ideas to life, which explains his Kickstarter venture.
TIME named Kickstarter as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies, a milestone reached under Taylor’s leadership. He’s earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018 and the TIME100 Next list in 2023.
What Liz Wang Says About the CoCreate Event
Liz Wang, Global Head of Commercial Strategy at Alibaba.com, commented on the event, saying, “At Alibaba.com, our mission has always been to make it easy to do business anywhere. We’re constantly expanding how we support entrepreneurs—whether through global sourcing, supply chain services, or new innovations like our AI sourcing agent, Accio. Through CoCreate Pitch, we’re proud to back the next generation of founders—not just with funding, but with the tools, expertise, and infrastructure they need to grow and succeed on a global stage.”
Business Matchmaking Made Simple By Alibaba’s CoCreate
CoCreate 2025 is designed to connect entrepreneurs, suppliers, and industry experts in one space to spark new opportunities. Here are the advantages of attending the event.
- Global Manufacturer Showcase: More than 50 manufacturers from Alibaba.com’s global network will showcase their products in the competition, giving businesses direct access to a wide range of suppliers.
- 20,000+ Product Samples: Attendees can have a chance to explore over 20,000 samples from around 200 suppliers, providing a first-hand look at what’s new and in-demand products.
- Focused Matchmaking Sessions: Another matchmaking program in the event will pair more business owners with decision-makers for focused 10-minute meetings where they can review products, talk through customization, and move deals forward quickly.
- 100+ Practical Workshops: CoCreate will host more than 100 workshops for small and midsize businesses. It helps people gain insights into growth strategies, industry trends, and best practices.
In short, CoCreate is a high-energy marketplace and is considered a rapid-fire round for business deals. It is a place where business ideas and partnerships come to life in real time.
