Startup Nights – Pitching Competition 2026

Part of Startup Nights 2026

Competition · Winterthur, Switzerland

Closed next cycle Applications for the 2026 edition are open and close on 9 October 2026, ahead of Startup Nights on 5-6 November 2026 at the Eulachhallen in Winterthur.

CHF 30,000 in total prize money across three vertical categories - Impact Tech, supported by UBS, Deep Tech and Health Tech - plus an accelerator seat at Founders2. Selected startups pitch on stage on day one of the festival and meet investors and peers on site. Participants still need to buy their own event tickets. Cheque

None Equity

Winterthur, Switzerland Where

The Pitching Competition runs at Startup Nights in Winterthur. It is open to startups founded in 2018 or later, headquartered in Switzerland, with a minimum viable product and initial funding already secured. Applications go through a form requiring a LinkedIn login and a deck covering team, market, technology, business model, strategy, financials and funding, and are reviewed by a jury.

CHF 30,000 in prize money is split across three vertical categories - Impact Tech, supported by UBS, Deep Tech and Health Tech - plus an accelerator seat at Founders2. Selected startups pitch on stage on day one of the festival and meet investors and peers on site. Participants buy their own event tickets, and no equity is taken.

Applications for the 2026 edition are open and close on 9 October 2026, ahead of Startup Nights on 5-6 November 2026 at the Eulachhallen in Winterthur.

What it actually costs you

ChequeCHF 30,000 in total prize money across three vertical categories - Impact Tech, supported by UBS, Deep Tech and Health Tech - plus an accelerator seat at Founders2. Selected startups pitch on stage on day one of the festival and meet investors and peers on site. Participants still need to buy their own event tickets.

Equity takenNone

Market rate for the same chequeStartups founded in 2018 or later, headquartered in Switzerland, with a minimum viable product and initial funding already secured. Applications are reviewed by a jury; the form requires a LinkedIn login and a pitch deck covering team, market, technology, business model, strategy, financials and funding.

Swiss-headquartered companies founded in 2018 or later, with a minimum viable product and initial funding already secured, can apply to pitch at Startup Nights in Winterthur, Switzerland. A jury reviews submissions made via a form requiring LinkedIn login and a deck covering team, market, technology, business model, strategy, financials and funding. CHF 30,000 is split across Impact Tech, Deep Tech and Health Tech categories, plus an accelerator seat at Founders2. Tickets are self-funded and no equity is taken.