Startup competitions in Europe 2027: the deadline calendar

The next startup competitions in Europe for 2027 events are Global Industrie’s Startup Competition on November 10, 2026 (Global Industrie and JEC World are Sesamers clients), the ACHEMA Start-up Award on November 30, the BIO-Europe Spring Startup Spotlight on December 11, and the South Summit Startup Competition and DMEA nova Award, which both close on January 31, 2027. Most household names, VivaTech, Web Summit and Slush among them, haven’t published a 2027 date yet.

This calendar covers only competitions, pitch contests and startup zones attached to an event. Accelerators and standalone grants have their own pages, our guides to European accelerators and incubators and startup grants in Europe.

Thirty calls, sorted by status then deadline

The table lists 30 calls, open ones first.

Two calls close before December

Global Industrie, November 10. The Startup Competition at Global Industrie closes on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The jury meets on November 17 and the winners are announced on November 24, according to Global Industrie. Winners get a free stand at the show in Lyon (Eurexpo) on March 15-18, 2027, plus coaching and visibility.

The stand is the prize.

Already shut. The 4YFN Awards closed on October 26, 2026, at 17:00 CET. They run at 4YFN27, alongside MWC in Barcelona on March 1-4, 2027, and the winner takes an extra €20,000 from GSMA Foundry on top of the finalist prizes (4YFN). JEC World’s Startup Booster has also closed applications, and its 20 finalists are to be named on January 11, 2027, ahead of the show at Paris Nord Villepinte on March 2-4. The Grand Winner receives €5,000, and winners get a booth at JEC World 2028 (JEC World). Slush 100 closed its 2026 cycle on September 7, 2026, with a €500,000 prize at 0 percent equity (Slush).

Three windows in January and February

DMEA nova Award, January 4-31. DMEA’s nova Award opens on January 4, 2027 and closes on Sunday, January 31. The package is worth €10,000, split into €3,000 in cash and €7,000 in media, and the award sits inside DMEA in Munich on April 13-15, 2027 (DMEA). The window lasts four weeks, so draft the application in December.

South Summit, January 31. The South Summit Startup Competition closes on Sunday, January 31, 2027, for the Madrid edition on June 2-4. The organizer describes the reward as “one of 5 awards” and publishes no cash amounts (South Summit).

Vitafoods Europe, February 19. The Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge closes on Friday, February 19, 2027. Vitafoods Europe itself runs in Barcelona on May 18-20 (Vitafoods Insights). Its prize page says category winners choose one of two prizes, and the page text doesn’t list them.

Still waiting on VivaTech, Web Summit and Slush

Nineteen calls in the table, plus the 2027 Slush 100, carry the same line. Dates will be updated when the organizer publishes them. That list includes the names most founders plan their year around.

VivaTech’s startup award page still shows only its 2026 cycle, now closed. The prize is a spot in the Startup Corner at VivaTech 2027, exposure, and an invitation to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200, and it’s open to exhibitors only. Web Summit’s PITCH page has an “Apply for 2027” button with no date next to it. The Slush 100 page has no 2027 date.

START Summit in St. Gallen runs on March 18-19, 2027, and its page gives no 2027 deadline. Its 2026 prizes included a CHF 260,000 Summiteer pool; 2027 amounts aren’t confirmed (START Global). Falling Walls Venture says applications reopen in February 2027, with no exact date (Falling Walls).

Three trade shows run startup zones with a pitch attached. ISE in Barcelona (February 2-5, 2027) has 56 Pioneer Pods of 3 square meters, a pitching stage and matchmaking. The start-up package at embedded world in Nuremberg (March 16-18, 2027) costs €2,890 plus VAT for a 5-square-meter stand, a pitch and an award application. At Money20/20 Europe, the paid Growth pod includes entry to the pitch competition. Budget the paid ones as a booth purchase with a pitch slot included.

How to read a call before you spend a week on it

Check who pays whom. Slush 100’s 2026 prize was €500,000 at 0 percent equity. The embedded world package costs €2,890 plus VAT. Both carry a euro sign, and they’re two different deals.

Read eligibility before the prize. VivaTech’s award is for exhibitors only.

Note the hour and the time zone. 4YFN closed at 17:00 CET, seven hours before midnight.

Count back from the show. Global Industrie closes four months before its doors open on March 15.

Questions about the 2027 deadlines

Common questions

What are the next startup competition deadlines in Europe for 2027?

Global Industrie's Startup Competition closes on November 10, 2026. The South Summit Startup Competition and the DMEA nova Award both close on January 31, 2027, and the Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge on February 19, 2027.

When do VivaTech, Web Summit and Slush open their 2027 calls?

Dates will be updated when the organizer publishes them. As of November 3, 2026, VivaTech's award page showed only the closed 2026 cycle, Web Summit's PITCH page had an "Apply for 2027" button with no date, and the Slush 100 page had no 2027 date.

Can I still apply to the 4YFN Awards or the JEC Startup Booster?

No. The 4YFN Awards closed on October 26, 2026, at 17:00 CET. JEC World's Startup Booster has closed applications, and its 20 finalists are to be named on January 11, 2027.

Which 2027 competitions have a confirmed cash prize?

DMEA's nova Award includes €3,000 in cash inside a €10,000 package. The JEC Startup Booster Grand Winner receives €5,000, and the 4YFN Awards winner takes an extra €20,000. South Summit publishes no cash amount.

Why aren't accelerators in this calendar?

This page lists only programs tied to an event. Accelerators, incubators and standalone calls are in our guides to European accelerators and incubators and startup grants in Europe.

Two dates for your calendar today

So put November 10 in your calendar today. Draft the DMEA and South Summit applications in December, before both close on January 31. Open the organizer’s page again the week you apply, because a date on this page is as good as the day we read it.

The Sesamers Weekly brief lands every Monday.

Keep going: which startup competitions are worth entering · the best startup events of 2027 · startup grants in Europe · European accelerators and incubators

Disclosure: Global Industrie and JEC World are Sesamers clients.

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