Alibaba.com Unveils All-Star Judge Panel for CoCreate Pitch 2026 U.S. Final

NBA legend Magic Johnson to open the flagship event in Los Angeles; 20 finalists selected from over 39,000 entries will pitch live before Marcus Lemonis, Everette Taylor, Barry Poznick, Shiza Shahid and David Rogier for a share of the $1M+ prize pool

NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alibaba.com, a leading global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform, today announced five judges for the U.S. final of CoCreate Pitch 2026, its AI-powered product innovation competition.

Taking place during CoCreate 2026 Los Angeles on September 9–10, the U.S final will bring 20 entrepreneurs, selected from over 39,000 global applicants, to the stage to pitch AI-integrated products and business ideas live for a share of the competition's $1 million + prize pool.

The five announced judges are:

• Marcus Lemonis, TV Personality, Entrepreneur & Host of The Fixer;
• Barry Poznick, Executive Producer of Shark Tank and Founder of Idea Maze Entertainment;
• Everette Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Kickstarter;
• Shiza Shahid, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Our Place, entrepreneur and investor; and
• David Rogier, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MasterClass.

NBA legend and entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson will open CoCreate 2026 with a keynote titled "Make It Real: How to WIN in Business." Drawing on his journey from championship athlete to business leader, Johnson will share lessons from building successful ventures and inspire entrepreneurs to turn ambitious ideas into reality.

Meet the Judges

Marcus Lemonis is a serial entrepreneur, investor and TV personality who currently hosts FOX's The Fixer, where he works directly with business owners to tackle operational challenges and drive growth. He previously brought his hands-on approach to entrepreneurship and business transformation to a national audience through CNBC's The Profit. Throughout his career, Lemonis has built, invested in and advised businesses across a wide range of industries.

Barry Poznick is an entrepreneur and television producer with more than 25 years of experience identifying ideas with mass-market potential. He spent a decade leading MGM Alternative Television, overseeing major global franchises including Shark Tank, The Voice and Survivor. Through Shark Tank, he has helped bring entrepreneurship, investing and business-building stories to millions of viewers. Poznick also co-founded ZOO Productions and grew it into an international production company before its acquisition by All3Media. He now leads Idea Maze Entertainment as founder and executive producer. Poznick brings a deep understanding of how a strong idea earns attention and connects with a broad audience.

Everette Taylor is the CEO of Kickstarter, the leading crowdfunding and launch platform for creative projects of all sizes. A founder who launched his first company at age 19, Taylor has worked across product, marketing and technology. Under his leadership, Kickstarter has helped creators raise billions of dollars in pledges and was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies. His experience closely reflects the challenge facing CoCreate finalists: earning support for an idea and building a community around it.

Shiza Shahid is an entrepreneur and investor who co-founded Our Place and helped build it into a widely recognized direct-to-consumer kitchenware brand. Its signature Always Pan became a viral hit and helped establish Our Place as a distinctive consumer brand spanning cookware, tableware and kitchen appliances. Before launching Our Place, Shahid co-founded the Malala Fund and served as its founding CEO, and later launched NOW Ventures to invest in mission-driven technology startups. Her experience building consumer products, scaling brands and investing in emerging companies gives her a unique perspective on what it takes to turn an idea into a business that resonates with consumers.

David Rogier founded MasterClass to make the knowledge and experience of accomplished leaders and creators accessible to a wider audience. He built the company from an early concept into a global education and media brand and raised more than $500 million in venture funding along the way. Named to Fortune's 40 Under 40, Rogier brings extensive experience developing a consumer product, building a brand, and scaling a company.

"A strong pitch has to show not only that an idea is compelling, but that it can work in the real world," said Liz Wang, Global Head of Commercial Strategy at Alibaba.com. "Our judges bring firsthand experience building and backing successful companies, while Magic Johnson brings a powerful perspective on the resilience it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. Together with Alibaba.com's AI and sourcing capabilities, we want to give founders the insight and resources to turn promising ideas into real businesses."

The strong response to the competition highlights the rapid rise of AI-enabled entrepreneurship: 62% of founders who actively use AI tools are building physical products, while the 0-to-1 Startup Track accounts for nearly 55% of all applications. The findings also show how entrepreneurs are increasingly using tools such as Accio Work to move from initial ideas to product development, sourcing and launch.

A Global Sourcing Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs

Beyond the competition, CoCreate 2026 Los Angeles will bring together more than 200 exhibiting businesses spanning consumer technology, style and beauty, health and sports, home and living, mobility, industry and construction, and packaging and print. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with leading service providers, including Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, and Gori Company, doing business as ShipBae, an AI-powered cross-border and domestic shipping platform. Together, these services can help small and medium-sized enterprises streamline payments, logistics and other critical aspects of their operations as they grow globally.

Get your ticket to join CoCreate 2026 and experience the global sourcing revolution and entrepreneurial excitement of the AI era at: www.alibabacocreate.com/us/get-tickets

About CoCreate
CoCreate is the world's leading sourcing event, connecting global e-commerce sellers, retailers, and wholesalers with top manufacturers and industry experts. By fostering face-to-face collaboration, the summit empowers businesses to discover innovative products, optimize supply chains, and build partnerships that drive long-term growth.

About Alibaba.com

Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

Contact:
Mike Hong
[email protected] 

SOURCE Alibaba.com