Held beside the How to Web conference in Bucharest, Spotlight is Central and Eastern Europe's early-stage pitch competition.
Entrants must be under five years old, have raised less than EUR 700k and already have a live product. What is on offer is a matched funding pool of up to EUR 700,000. The investment comes from the participating funds and the terms are theirs rather than the organisers', so the figure is a ceiling on what a team might raise, not a prize cheque.
The conference runs 6-8 October 2026 at the Face Convention Center in Bucharest, an event of around 3,000 people. Applications close on 11 September 2026.
What it actually costs you
Held alongside the How to Web conference in Bucharest, Spotlight is Central and Eastern Europe’s early-stage pitch competition. Entrants must be under five years old, have raised less than EUR 700k and already have a live product. What is on offer is a matched funding pool of up to EUR 700,000, so terms are set by the participating funds rather than by the organisers.