ATX TV Festival has crowned the winners of its 2026 pitch competition.

Lucy Porter was selected for the top prize for the half-hour comedy Silver Spoon. Saleh Karaman is the runner up with the hour-long dramedy Habibi.

Selected from hundreds of submissions and ten finalists who pitched their original scripted series live during the festival, Porter will receive a script read and general meeting with at least three ATX TV pitch judges or ATX TV panelists for feedback, pitch mentorship with a showrunner or executive, and three general pitch meetings.

Karaman will get some feedback as well via two general meetings with ATX TV pitch judges or ATX TV panelists.

ATX TV has also brought on Bill Lawrence and his Doozer Productions to sponsor the program. The prolific TV creator is also participating in a a special conversation at this year’s festival featuring past and current Pitch Finalists, focused on their careers, experiences navigating the industry, and the realities of building a long-term career in television writing.

Lawrence has long been a supporter of emerging writers and a close ally to ATX TV. Former Pitch finalist Zavior Phillips will be starring in Season 2 of Bad Monkey and is currently writing on Season 2 of Rooster, while former finalist Chris De La Cruz is writing on the new series I Suck at Girls — both now writing within Doozer Productions writers rooms.

Finalists were also able to participate in an intimate networking breakfast with judges and mentors, as well as a candid conversation about navigating staffing, generals, pitching, representation, and building momentum in television careers. The latter discussion featured Madison Jones (Olive Bridge Entertainment) and Lindsay Grossman (writer/director) of The Love List, showrunner and executive producer Sasha Rothchild, and The Boroughs showrunners Will Matthews & Jeff Addiss.

This year’s pitch competition judges included Jones, as well as Brent Miller (A House on Brame Productions), Maya Perez (writer/producer, Screenwriting Area Head at University of Texas at Austin) and Dan Shorr (YMH Studios).