Life Sciences Baltics — Startup Pitch Battle 2025
Competition
Twenty life sciences startups at pre-seed to Series A pitch to Baltic investors, with a one-week programme in Akron, Ohio on offer.
Twenty startups are selected, ten pitching on each day of the conference in front of investors, industry experts and decision-makers. The battle puts winners in front of LitBAN, HealthSeed Venture Studio, imago venture studio and BSV Ventures for investment, and offers a one-week intensive programme in Akron, Ohio meeting universities and venture capitalists, plus fast-track access to LitBAN's monthly pitch event, mentorship, acceleration support and advisory. No cash prize is published.
None taken by the organisers; the named funds and venture studios invest on their own terms.
Kaunas, Lithuania
Forum InCyber Europe — Prix de la Startup 2026
Competition
Up to five jury prizes for European cybersecurity companies under five years old, with a partnership package for the grand prize winner.
The jury awards up to five prizes: the Grand Prix des startups INCYBER, the Prix de la Croissance, the Prix de l'Impact Operationnel, the Prix de la Recherche and the Prix Coup de Coeur for companies under two years old. The grand prize winner receives a partnership package for Forum INCYBER 2027; the other winners each receive a pod in the innovation village plus promotional visibility. Up to 12 finalists are auditioned by a jury of around 20 end-user clients, government ministries and investment funds.
None
Lille, France
World AI Cannes Festival — WAICF Awards 2026
Competition
Three awards for AI projects and companies, with each winner taking a trophy, PR support and a full festival pass in Cannes.
Each category winner receives a trophy, online visibility and public relations support, a full pass to the World AI Cannes Festival, and media coverage across the festival's social channels and press releases. Semi-finalists also get mentorship from expert advisers during the selection phase, and the ceremony is staged in the Riviera conference room in front of the festival audience.
None
Cannes, France
Iceland Innovation Week — Fermented Shark Tank 2026
Competition
Reykjavik pitch competition taking ten companies to semi-finals and five to a final with a cash prize from KPMG.
Ten companies pitch for three minutes each in the semi-finals, held on the Founders in Focus workshop day at Grosku Innovation Center, and the top five advance to the final on 29 April, where a cash prize from KPMG is on offer. Founders who take the optional hakarl (fermented shark) and Brennivin challenge before pitching earn extra seconds on the clock and a secret prize.
None
Reykjavik, Iceland
Alhambra Venture — Startup Selection 2026
Competition
Thirty startups pitch on the main stage in Granada before investors and large corporates; registration and participation are free.
The 30 selected startups pitch on the main stage in front of leading investors and large corporates, and receive an exhibition booth in the main event zone, a pitch masterclass, one-to-one meetings with ecosystem leaders through the event app, exclusive access to the directory of participating funds and corporates, video and press coverage across Vocento media, up to 10 free passes for team members and preferential hotel rates. Alhambra Venture reports that around 25% of participating startups reach their investment goal.
None. Registration and participation are free of charge.
Granada, Spain
ONS — Innovation Award 2026
Competition
An award for energy-sector innovations addressing the energy transition, judged in large-company and SME categories with finalists pitching in Stavanger.
Two winners are named, one in the large-company category and one among SMEs. Finalists are invited to pitch their innovation on stage at ONS in Stavanger and the awards are presented during the event, with visibility across ONS's own channels. No cash prize is published.
None
Stavanger, Norway
Nordic Game — Games Capital Summit 2026
Startup zone
A free-to-enter pitch to games investors in Malmö for venture-ready companies, followed by round-robin mentoring in 20-minute meetings.
Selected companies pitch in front of a room of games investors and take questions and feedback from the panel, then move into round-robin mentoring in 20-minute meeting sessions with individual investors. Investors on the 2026 panel included Behold Ventures, Makers Fund and Griffin Gaming Partners. Applying is free, but a selected company has to buy an NG26 Spring conference pass to take part.
None. The summit is an introduction to equity investors; Nordic Game takes no stake.
Malmö, Sweden
DES – Digital Enterprise Show — European Digital Mindset Awards 2026
Competition
Free-to-enter awards in six categories, among them Best Digital Disruptive Start-Up, presented at a gala during DES in Malaga.
A free-to-enter award across six categories, including Best Digital Disruptive Start-Up; finalists are notified from 21 May and winners are recognised at the awards gala during DES at FYCMA, with the chance to showcase their project on the event's platform
None
Malaga, Spain
Techsylvania — Startup Alley 2026
Startup zone
Exhibition area at Techsylvania in Cluj-Napoca offering up to 20 booths to early-stage teams for EUR 100.
An exhibition booth in the expo area at Cluj Innovation Park, with up to 20 booths available, plus four builder tickets to Techsylvania. Exhibitors can attend all presentations, workshops and keynotes and connect with potential clients, employees and investors, and present products and ideas to business partners, investors, talent and media.
None
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Maker Faire Rome — Call for Makers 2026
Startup zone
A free, fully equipped exhibition space at Maker Faire Rome for inventors, startups, makers and research teams with interactive projects.
A fully equipped exhibition space free of charge, including basic set-up, electricity and Wi-Fi, with no participation fee; travel and accommodation remain at the participant's expense
None
Rome, Italy
Startup Fair — Pitch Battle 2026
Competition
Vilnius pitch battle taking up to 40 startups before 200-plus investors, opening negotiations on up to EUR 3 million.
Up to 40 startups are selected by an expert jury to pitch live on stage in front of 200+ investors, and 10 of them reach the grand finale. The prize pool opens negotiations for up to EUR 3 million in potential investment, with over EUR 1 million available from Aneli Capital, BSV Ventures, FIRSTPICK and business angel networks. Additional prizes include legal services packages from Fondia and Sorainen worth EUR 3,000 each, a brand and IP strategy package from TRINITI JUREX and Ogilvy, and a EUR 3,000 recruitment credit from TalentHub. Selected startups also receive two free conference tickets.
None
Vilnius, Lithuania
Innovation Village Naples — Innovation Village Award 2026
Competition
A EUR 5,000 grand prize in Naples for innovations tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, across eight thematic sections.
EUR 5,000 grand prize, plus special partner prizes worth between EUR 1,500 and EUR 5,000 from Optima Italia, Guerri Group, Flex Packaging and others; finalists receive coaching and training in entrepreneurship, finance and communication and pitch before juries and innovation stakeholders at Innovation Village
None
Naples, Italy
BioFIT — Start-up Slams 2026
Competition
A five-minute pitch at BioFIT in Marseille for early-stage life sciences companies raising seed or Series A around a novel technology.
A five-minute pitch slot in front of a jury of high-level representatives and international experts drawn from public bodies and institutions, the life sciences industry and the investment community, with potential partners and investors in the room. The winner is recognised as the most innovative life sciences start-up in Europe and honoured on the second day of BioFIT. Selected applicants also get an exclusive 50% discount on a dedicated meeting space inside the exhibition area.
None
Marseille, France
Expo AgriTech — AgriTech Startup Forum 2026
Competition
An elevator pitch to agrifood professionals in Malaga, plus pavilion exhibition space and automatic entry to the AgriTech Innovation Awards.
Selected startups give an elevator pitch to agrifood professionals, are entered automatically for the AgriTech Innovation Awards 2026, and join the AgriTech Pavilion as exhibitors
None
Malaga, Spain
Startup Nights — Pitching Competition 2026
Competition
Winterthur competition for Swiss-headquartered startups, splitting CHF 30,000 across Impact Tech, Deep Tech and Health Tech.
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.
None
Winterthur, Switzerland
DMEA — nova Award 2027
Competition
A free-to-enter award for digital health startups under five years old, worth EUR 10,000 in cash and media to the winner.
The winning startup takes a prize package worth EUR 10,000 in total, made up of EUR 3,000 in cash and a media package worth EUR 7,000. Shortlisted startups pitch live at DMEA on 13 and 14 April 2027, with the final and the award ceremony on 15 April. Entering costs nothing.
None
Munich, Germany
South Summit Madrid — Startup Competition 2027
Competition
South Summit's Madrid competition takes 100 finalists from any sector or country to pitch before a jury of investors and corporates.
100 finalists get three Startup Passes, a 3-minute pitch before a jury of leading investors and corporates, investor matchmaking, pitching and fundraising training, and a discounted demo booth
None
Madrid, Spain
ChangeNOW Summit — Call for Solutions 2027
Startup zone
Rolling call gathering around a thousand impact ventures to ChangeNOW in Paris, with booths, jury pitches and investor meetings.
Selected solutions can take up to four slots: a three-day exhibition booth, a pitch in front of a high-level jury with 30 minutes of private investor meetings and dealflow lounge access, a 45-minute workshop, and a booth at the Impact Job Fair
None
Paris, France
PODIM Conference — Pitching Competition 2027
Competition
PODIM takes 150 startups to Maribor, five of whom pitch in the main-stage final for a package worth over USD 10,000.
The top 150 applicants secure a startup spot at PODIM, and five finalists pitch on the main stage. The winner receives a package valued at over USD 10,000, made up of a Fundraising Bootcamp training programme, access to a database of more than 4,000 investors and a three-day PODIM London Springboard trip. All participating startups get access to the PODIM Deal Room, which arranges 50+ curated one-to-one meetings over the two conference days.
None
Maribor, Slovenia
IAA MOBILITY — IAA Startups 2027
Startup zone
Fitted booths in Munich from 4 to 16 sqm for around 100 founder-controlled startups founded in 2016 or later.
An all-inclusive fitted booth in the IAA startup areas — package S 4 sqm with 2 exhibitor passes and a EUR 200 ticket budget, M 9 sqm with 4 passes and EUR 300, or L 16 sqm with 6 passes and EUR 600 — including furniture, signage, lighting, power and branded materials, with a 43-inch monitor on M and L.
None
Munich, Germany
SiGMA Europe — Startup Pitch 2027
Competition
A free pitch in Malta for early-stage iGaming, fintech and AI companies that have raised no more than EUR 3 million.
Entry is free. Six finalists pitch live before judges scoring innovation, market potential, product viability, scalability, industry relevance and team. The winner takes a prize stack that includes a EUR 21,300 startup marketing package, EUR 20,000 in AWS cloud credits, up to EUR 400,000 in discounted technology tools, EUR 5,000 of education and EUR 2,000 of talent-acquisition credit plus corporate set-up discounts. Every selected startup gets Startup Lounge workspace, its logo on the Startup Village branding wall, one Premium and four Standard event passes, PR across SiGMA magazines, website and newsletters, and networking with 30+ VCs.
None
Ta' Qali, Malta
Deep Tech Atelier — Startup Pitch Competition 2026
Competition
A pitch competition in Riga for IP-rich deep tech startups at TRL 4, with ten finalists taking a bootcamp, semi-finals and final.
Ten finalists are picked across the competition's categories. They go through a training bootcamp on 13 May 2026, semi-finals on 14 May and the final and award ceremony on 15 May at Fantadroms in Riga, with mentorship and exposure to the investors and corporates in the room. The organisers state that selected participants receive prizes, but do not publish the amounts.
None
Riga, Latvia
Cambridge Tech Week — Innovation Alley 2026
Startup zone
A curated stand at Cambridge's Guildhall and Corn Exchange, GBP 350 for startups and GBP 1,500 for scaleups, with pitch entry included.
A stand in the curated Innovation Alley showcase at Cambridge's Guildhall and Corn Exchange on 16-17 September, alongside 80+ AI, MedTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech and advanced-engineering companies, plus automatic entry into the CamTechWeek Pitch Competition, where five selected companies pitch on the main Corn Exchange stage to an eminent panel of investors and industry leaders and get national and international media exposure. Stands cost GBP 350 + VAT for startups and GBP 1,500 + VAT for scaleups.
None
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Digital Dragons — Indie Zone 2026
Startup zone
A EUR 749 equipped booth at Digital Dragons in Krakow for independent game developers, with Arena pitch and awards eligibility.
A EUR 749 Indie Zone place: a fully equipped branded booth with desk, chair, computer, monitor and peripherals, internet and power, one Regular Pass and one Business Pass, plus eligibility to pitch at the Digital Dragons Arena (five minutes plus two minutes of Q&A, up to six projects selected) and to enter the Indie Dragons Awards, where winners take statuettes and sponsor-funded prizes.
None
Krakow, Poland
KEY Energy Transition Expo — Start-Up & Scale-Up 2027
Startup zone
Innovation District space at KEY in Rimini for Italian-registered energy-transition start-ups, with pitch slots and a EUR 889 registration fee.
An exhibition space in the Innovation District with desk, stool and branding, event access and a digital catalogue listing, use of the business meeting platform, a parking pass, staff accreditations and 50 invitation tickets, plus three-minute pitch slots and media promotion
None; participation carries a EUR 889 registration fee, with travel and accommodation borne by the participant
Rimini, Italy
Canarias Destino Startup — Concurso de Pitch 2026
Competition
A EUR 10,000 cash prize in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for entrepreneurs of any nationality seeking third-party funding.
EUR 10,000 in cash for the best startup, awarded in the name of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, plus EUR 3,000 sponsor runner-up prizes (sustainable, social and medical categories in past editions), and a pitch in front of investors and strategic players at the event
None
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Ecomondo — Call for Start-up 2026
Startup zone
Twenty places in the Innovation District at Ecomondo in Rimini for green-tech start-ups, subject to an EUR 820 administrative fee.
An exhibition station in the Innovation District with desk, stool and branded signage, official exhibitor status and a listing in the online catalogue, access to the one-to-one business meeting platform, 2 exhibitor badges, 50 invitation tickets and 1 parking pass, plus networking with investors and venture capitalists
None; admission carries an administrative fee of EUR 820 + VAT
Rimini, Italy
Hinterland of Things Conference — Startup Exhibition 2027
Startup zone
An all-inclusive EUR 2,199 booth in Bielefeld for B2B tech startups, with 100 exhibitors selected from the applicant pool.
An all-inclusive EUR 2,199 exhibition package: a furnished 2 sqm booth with personalised signage, a 16:9 Full HD display for demos, WiFi and power, two conference tickets and two after-party tickets, plus website branding and a listing in the event booklet and on the exhibitor wall.
None
Bielefeld, Germany
tech&fest — tech&pitch 2027
Competition
A three-minute pitch on stage in Grenoble for start-ups that have not yet closed a Series A, with mentoring and press coverage.
A three-minute pitch on stage before a jury of experts, investors and the festival audience, plus exclusive mentoring hours with jury experts, a dedicated article in DL Entreprises and on ledauphine.com, and promotion on the tech&fest social channels
None
Grenoble, France
LEARNTEC — International Start-up Area 2027
Startup zone
A fitted 6 sqm stand in Hall 1 at LEARNTEC in Karlsruhe for EUR 2,994.60 net, open to firms under ten years old.
A fitted 6 sqm stand in the International Start-up Area in Hall 1 for EUR 2,994.60 net: recyclable carpeting, PC desk, bar stool and brochure stand, 1 sqm of logo space on the cabin wall, 3 KW power, a 5 Mbit network line plus WLAN, daily stand cleaning, two exhibitor passes and access to shared seating islands and storage.
None
Karlsruhe, Germany
Falling Walls Science Summit — Falling Walls Venture 2026
Competition
Twenty-five science-based startups are flown to Berlin to pitch venture capitalists, with travel partly covered and full summit access.
Twenty-five finalists are flown in to pitch venture capitalists and global science leaders in Berlin, with accommodation and part of the travel costs covered, full access to the Falling Walls Science Summit and its networking events, professional video and photography of the pitch, and membership of the Falling Walls community. The winner presents again on Breakthrough Day and takes the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year title in the Science Start-Ups category.
None
Berlin, Germany
Smart Country Convention — Startup Area 2026
Startup zone
A ready-to-use 3 sqm booth in Berlin from EUR 2,500, for companies founded from 2020 working on public-sector digitalisation.
A ready-to-use 3 sqm booth with lockable counter, power and WiFi, company name signage, access to the startup networking area, five visitor tickets and two exhibitor passes, plus a logo listing on the website and event app. The basic package is EUR 2,500 and the EUR 3,000 package adds a pitch slot on the Startup Stage; prices exclude VAT.
None
Berlin, Germany
embedded world — start-up Area 2027
Startup zone
A EUR 2,890 package in Nuremberg covering 5 sqm of fitted stand, a forum pitch and award entry, for embedded firms under five years old.
A EUR 2,890 plus VAT package from NürnbergMesse covering 5 sqm of stand space with construction and basic equipment, marketing services, a pitch during the start-up session in the Exhibitor Forum, entry to the embedded award with media value of up to EUR 45,000 in WEKA FACHMEDIEN titles, and start-up coaching with BayStartUP. A start-up City zone is added for the 2027 edition.
None
Nuremberg, Germany
OMR Festival — Gründer*innen Pitch 2027
Competition
A pitch for impact-minded early-stage teams that are at least half female, ending on stage at the OMR Festival in Hamburg.
Around ten teams are picked for an exclusive pitch and networking evening with venture capital and angel investors in Berlin in March, and the top three then pitch on stage at the OMR Festival in Hamburg, gaining reach in front of the festival's digital-economy audience and access to the OMR 5050 expert network. No cash prize is published.
None
Hamburg, Germany
SaaStock Europe — Global Pitch 2026
Competition
A knockout pitch across the Dublin conference for B2B SaaS startups under USD 3 million ARR, with up to EUR 1 million at stake.
SaaStock's own competition runs as a knockout across the conference: opening rounds at the pre-conference Startup Day, semi-finals during the event and the final on the main stage. At the 2025 Dublin edition a top 50 pitched on day one, 20 went through on day two and five reached the main-stage final, judged in front of VCs from funds including Octopus Ventures, Antler and Frontline Ventures. The winner took an investment package worth up to EUR 1 million; earlier editions carried a EUR 200,000 package. Finalists also get exposure to the SaaStock investor and operator community.
The prize is an investment package, so the winning company negotiates terms with the participating funds; SaaStock does not publish a fixed equity stake.
Dublin, Ireland
Infosecurity Europe — Cyber Startup Programme 2027
Startup zone
Stand space in the Cyber Startups Zone at ExCeL London, plus an award for cybersecurity firms under five years old.
Selected companies get exhibition stand space in the Cyber Startups Zone on the Infosecurity Europe floor at ExCeL London, access to founder-focused conference sessions, and introductions to investors, CISOs and enterprise buyers. The programme also carries the Cyber Startup Award: finalists pitch live to a panel of industry leaders and get PR and branding support, and the overall winner takes an official logo and trophy, a complimentary exhibition stand in the Discovery Zone at the next edition, two hours of PR consultancy, two hours of branding workshops and two VIP party tickets. Dedicated Founder, Investor and Startup Enabler ticket types run alongside the zone.
None
London, United Kingdom
Innovation Zero World Congress — Innovation Zero Awards 2027
Competition
Awards across six climate and energy sectors, each with a Promising and a Mature Solution winner, open to companies anywhere.
Winners are featured in the Innovation Zero Green Solutions Catalogue, receive a finalist badge and logo rights for their own marketing, get an Award Spotlight on the Innovation Zero World Congress Main Stage, are included in the congress marketing campaign, and are given a 50 per cent discount on exhibiting packages. Awards run across six sectors — Energy and Power, Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain, Land and Water, Industry, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification, and Built — with two winners in each: a Promising Solution at TRL 4-6 and a Mature Solution at TRL 7 and above.
None
London, United Kingdom
MOVE — Start-up Village 2026
Startup zone
One-square-metre pods at ExCeL London for mobility and transport technology start-ups, allocated by application and selection.
One-square-metre pods in the Start-up Village, released to genuine start-ups on application and subject to selection, put more than 150 start-ups from around the world in front of the MOVE floor at ExCeL London. A limited number of confirmed start-ups also get a slot in the pitching competition, presenting to a panel of industry professionals and investors; the winner is named MOVE start-up of the year and receives coverage in the MOVEMNT publication. Village participants get access to investors, media and large mobility corporates, plus the MOVE GROOVE party and the official afterparty.
None
London, United Kingdom
The AI Summit London — Start-Up & Investor Village 2027
Startup zone
Showcase pods for AI start-ups at The AI Summit London, with an optional pitching tier ending in a final before London VCs.
Two participation tiers. The Start-up Pod gives a showcase space in the Start-up Expo alongside the investor community and the summit's exhibitor floor. The Start-up Pod plus Pitching Competition tier adds a five-minute presentation in the opening round, with the strongest performers going through to a live Q&A final in front of a panel of London venture capitalists. The winning start-up receives a complimentary featured pod at the Start-up Village the following year and a speaking opportunity on a selected stage.
None
London, United Kingdom
SIDO Lyon — Start-up Village 2026
Startup zone
A turnkey stand on the SIDO Lyon show floor at EUR 850 excluding VAT, for B2B start-ups under four years old.
A turnkey exhibition stand in the Start-up Village on the SIDO show floor, priced at EUR 850 excluding VAT. The badge-scanning app is an optional EUR 580 excluding VAT add-on with an unlimited smartphone licence, and speaking slots are priced separately depending on the format.
None
Lyon, France
WMF – We Make Future — Startup Competition 2027
Competition
Rolling call for Italian and foreign startups to pitch at WMF in Bologna, with mentorship, acceleration and partnership awards.
Six finalists pitch on the WMF Mainstage for three minutes with a two-minute Q&A, with two winners chosen by jury and audience vote, while a further 140 startups - ten per challenge category - pitch on the Startup Stage. The prize pool was worth EUR 2.6 million in 2025 and awards take the form of mentorship, funding opportunities, acceleration programmes and strategic partnerships. Participants also get a place in the Startup District exhibition area, B2B networking with around 1,000 VC and open innovation stakeholders, innovation networking events, spots on the WMF international roadshow and access to Middle Eastern investors through the Saudi Makes Future event.
None
Bologna, Italy
TechBBQ — North Star Pitch 2026
Competition
Ten European companies under five years old pitch on the TechBBQ stage in Copenhagen, with training and travel covered.
Ten European startups pitch on stage at the TechBBQ summit in front of investors, media and partners, each with three minutes to present plus 2.5 minutes of jury Q&A. Selected finalists get mandatory pitch training and travel to Copenhagen is covered. The winner is named North Star of the year and gains visibility and investor connections; past winners report follow-up investor meetings and international exposure.
None
Copenhagen, Denmark
Infoshare — Startup Contest
Competition
Infoshare's contest for seed and early-stage tech4good teams, sharing a EUR 30,000 pool with EUR 20,000 for the winner.
A prize pool of EUR 30,000 funded by the Mayor of Gdansk, with EUR 20,000 in cash for the winner. Every finalist receives two Startup Passes giving access to all conference stages, matchmaking and networking, plus media exposure through partner outlets and GPU vouchers. The selected winner also gets a wild card into the InCredibles mentoring programme. Entries are judged on business potential, team, product innovation and pitch performance.
None
Gdansk, Poland
Dublin Tech Summit — Accelerate Hub 2026
Startup zone
Founder hub at Dublin Tech Summit offering on-site space, a curated advisor network and the Accelerate Stage programme.
A dedicated on-site space in the Accelerate Hub at the RDS, access to a curated network of advisors, mentors and service providers covering funding, validation and scaling, and the founder-focused Accelerate Stage with sessions on why investors reject deals, pitch preparation and investor access, investor storytelling and building to exit. The hub is powered by Irish BICs AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor and WestBIC.
None
Dublin, Ireland
Nordic Fintech Week — Nordic Fintech Awards 2026
Competition
Four-category awards for Nordic fintech startups and scaleups, decided at Nordic Fintech Week in Copenhagen.
Recognition across four categories — AI, Growth, New Entry and Impact — with two finalists named per category and winners announced at Nordic Fintech Week in Copenhagen. The jury is drawn from Mastercard, Enfuce, Revolut, Citi Ventures and Swedbank. Organisers describe the award as a signal to investors, partners and the wider ecosystem; no cash prize is published.
None
Copenhagen, Denmark
Techarena — TOP46 2027
Competition
Forty-six startups pitch live at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm, with a booth, investor introductions and matchmaking alongside.
Forty-six selected startups pitch live at Strawberry Arena in front of more than 10,000 corporate decision-makers, investors and media. Participating startups also get a dedicated booth in the startup exhibition, investor introductions, invitations to networking events, matchmaking and investor office hours, a startup lounge, and up to 25% off tickets. Recent winners are Epiminds (2026), Vesiro (2025) and Legora (2024).
None
Stockholm, Sweden
TechChill — Founders Battle 2027
Competition
TechChill's Riga pitch competition for Baltic, Nordic and CEE teams that have raised no more than EUR 700k in equity.
Twenty startups pitch in semi-finals and a final on the TechChill stage. The 2026 edition carried a prize pool of over EUR 1,000,000, made up of investment commitments and services: up to EUR 350,000 from BADideas.fund, up to EUR 200,000 from Outlast Fund, up to EUR 150,000 each from PurposeTech and Buildit 5G Fund, up to EUR 100,000 each from the Latvian Business Angels Network and FIRSTPICK VC, EUR 10,000 unrestricted from eazyBI, a full Draper University scholarship for up to two founders, EUR 6,000 of Pipedrive services and up to EUR 5,000 of legal services from Sorainen.
None to enter; several prizes are investment offers on the backing fund's own terms.
Riga, Latvia
VDS — Startup Competition 2026
Competition
Valencia Digital Summit selects around 50 international startups for a booth, tickets and a stage slot before 800-plus investors.
Selected startups receive a booth at VDS, event tickets and a stage slot in front of the summit's 800+ investors. The Top 25 pitch live at the City of Arts and Sciences, and the winner gains access to Santander X 100, a global community for investment and business growth.
None
Valencia, Spain
START Summit — Pitching Competitions 2027
Competition
Track-based pitching competitions at START Summit in St. Gallen, with prizes from CHF 50,000 down to credits and masterclasses.
Prizes differ by track: CHF 50,000 for the Swiss Sustainable Impact Award, CHF 10,000 plus 250k in credits for START Summiteer DeepTech, CHF 10,000 for the INSPIRED Digital Competition, a scale-up masterclass for HealthTech & Longevity, three months of Bluelion all-access for Robotics, and ecosystem access for AI Innovation. A Shark Tank format gives early-stage teams a live stage pitch.
None
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Bits & Pretzels — European Pitch Contest 2026
Competition
Pitch contest at Munich's Bits & Pretzels festival, naming a public top 50 and a Rising20 that pitch live in the pre-rounds.
Top 50 startups are announced publicly and featured prominently at the festival; the Rising20 selected from them pitch live in the pre-rounds with a festival invitation for one delegate, and the winner receives the European Pitch Contest Award.
None
Munich, Germany
World Summit AI — Pathfounders Battleground 2026
Competition
Pitch competition at World Summit AI in Amsterdam for pre-Series A, AI-native companies, with five finalists and no entry fee.
Five startups pitch to a judging panel chaired by Mike Butcher and the final two go to the mainstage; finalists get full two-day summit access and pitch in front of top-tier VCs, and the winner is named Pathfounder to watch with brand packs, a dedicated email campaign to over 500,000 people and a social media push
None
Zaandam, Netherlands
Money20/20 Europe — Startup Hub 2027
Startup zone
Fintech startup area at Money20/20 Europe in Amsterdam, with a branded pod, curated investor meetings and a chance to pitch.
A branded pod in the dedicated Startup Hub area, curated investor meetings through the VC Connect Programme, the chance to pitch on a Money20/20 stage in the Startup Pitch competition, and access to startup-only workshops
None
Amsterdam, Netherlands
sTARTUp Day — sTARTUp Pitching 2026
Competition
Two-round pitching competition at Estonia's sTARTUp Day in Tartu, with a prize pool worth over EUR 500,000.
Prize pool worth over EUR 500,000, including an EstBAN-led syndicate investment of up to EUR 200,000, up to EUR 200,000 deep tech investment from BSV, EUR 10,000 equity-free cash from Swedbank, legal support and cloud credits; the TOP30 get pitch training and the top five pitch on the main stage
None for the cash and service prizes; the EstBAN and BSV awards are investments negotiated with the startup
Tartu, Estonia
Web Summit Qatar — PITCH 2027
Competition
Web Summit Qatar's startup competition, open globally to early-stage teams, with a Centre Stage pitch slot and investor introductions.
Centre Stage pitch slot, investor introductions and event exposure
None
Doha, Qatar
SMM Hamburg — Start-ups@SMM 2026
Competition
Startup area at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg, offering a shared stand and pitch eligibility to young companies.
Shared stand in halls A3 and B6, two exhibitor passes, directory listing and pitch eligibility subject to availability
None
Hamburg, Germany
