Downland selected as finalist for Sloss.Tech/Ideas, Alabama's largest tech conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUSTIN, TX – May 18, 2026 – Downland, a fintech startup specializing in farm business planning and succession, has been named a finalist in the Agtech/Foodtech category of Sloss.Tech/Ideas, the Southeast pitch competition held during Sloss Tech in Birmingham, Alabama. Downland will pitch live at the Lyric Theatre on June 24, 2026 alongside finalists from three other categories: Emerging Tech, Healthtech/Biotech, and Talent/Productivity Tech.
The competition is powered by a grant from the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit backed primarily by Regions Bank, and awards more than $100,000 in prizes, including $100,000 for Best in Show, a $5,000 People's Choice Award, and three $10,000 category winner prizes. As a finalist, Downland receives comprehensive support ahead of the pitch, including VIP conference access, a travel stipend, pre-event and on-site coaching, and the opportunity to showcase its platform during Sloss Tech's Startup Showcase.
With most American farmers nearing retirement and few with a formal succession plan, Downland helps them take the first step. The platform guides established farmers through succession planning while helping beginning farmers build lender-ready business plans, then matches the two based on shared values and business fit. According to the USDA, more than 70 percent of U.S. farms are expected to change hands over the next two decades, and a large share of those operations lack a formal succession plan or heir.
“Being selected as a finalist for Sloss Tech is a meaningful vote of confidence in Downland's approach to one of agriculture's most urgent, underappreciated problems,” said Jessi Roesch, CEO and Founder of Downland. “Farm succession isn't just an estate planning issue, it's a fintech and business transition problem, and we're proud to bring that lens to the stage in Birmingham alongside some of the Southeast's most promising founders.”
Sloss Tech is the South's premier technology and innovation conference, drawing more than 1,400 technologists, founders, and industry leaders to Birmingham each year. Sloss.Tech/Ideas is the conference's flagship pitch competition, connecting early-stage companies with funders, customers, and growth resources in front of a panel of investors and industry leaders.
Downland's pitch will highlight the company's matching platform and succession planning tools, along with its work supporting farm families and next-generation operators across the agriculture sector.
About Downland. Downland is a fintech startup specializing in farm business planning and succession. With most American farmers nearing retirement and few with a formal succession plan, Downland supports farmers and landowners navigating complex processes with a plan. The platform guides established farmers through succession planning while helping beginning farmers build lender-ready business plans, then matches the two based on shared values and business fit.
About Sloss Tech. Sloss Tech is the South's premier technology and innovation conference, connecting technologists, founders, and industry leaders across multiple days of programming in Birmingham, Alabama. Sloss.Tech/Ideas, the conference's Southeast pitch competition, is powered by a grant from the Regions Foundation.
Media Contact: howdy@godownland.com
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