Closing in 6 dSXSW
Deadline Nov 13 · Finals Mar 16, 2027
Finalist showcase at SXSW Pitch 2027 before investor judges, plus award package, media and investor exposure; since 2009, 723 past participants have raised or generated $22.5B+ with 74% securing funding
- Eligibility
- Early-stage startups worldwide applying through an open call; 2026 edition drew 600+ applications for 64 finalist slots judged by 40 investor judges. An application fee applies and is non-refundable even if not selected
- Format
- Applications opened Jun 23, 2026; regular entry Sep 14 - Nov 13, 2026 ($225 fee); final deadline Nov 13, 2026 → live pitch Mar 16-17, 2027 in Austin, Texas; 8 sector tracks, 64 startups showcased
Emerging & Frontier TechnologiesEntertainment, Media, Sports & Digital PlatformsLife Sciences, Healthcare & AssistiveTechMobility, Manufacturing & Industrial SystemsSaaS, Enterprise & Developer PlatformsSmart Data, Security & FinTechStudent Startups (presented by University of St. Thomas, Minnesota)Sustainability, Energy & AgTech
Note|A long-running pitch stage with AI & machine learning as a core track; regular entry closes Nov 13, 2026 — good for North American exposure.
OpenSusHi Tech Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Government)
Deadline Dec 18 · Finals May 20, 2027
Grand Prize JPY 10 million; 20 semifinalists get booth fee waiver (JPY 300,000), VC/corporate pitch opportunities, investor networking, plus special awards from corporate partners and Tokyo Metropolitan Government promotion channels; 800+ startups applied last year
- Eligibility
- Startups with new technology or business model with growth potential and an existing product/service, aligned with the sustainable-city concept; must be able to exhibit at the venue all three event days; all materials and pitches in English
- Format
- Applications Oct 2, 2026 - Dec 18, 2026 → screening Jan-Feb 2027 → 20 semifinalists → Semifinal May 20, Final May 21, 2027 at Tokyo Big Sight; judged on social impact, economic impact, global expansion potential, pitch skills
Physical AIQuantumSmart CityResilienceLongevity & Drug DiscoveryContent
OpenWeb Summit (Qatar),PITCH sponsored by Jusour
Deadline Jan 1, 2027 · Finals Jan 31, 2027
No cash prize — PITCH title, trophy and main-stage exposure to investors, media and global partners; non-dilutive (no equity taken)
- Eligibility
- Exhibiting ALPHA and BETA startups with less than €5M raised and no discernible business model change in the last 3 years; open globally to early-stage companies
- Format
- Online application → top 35 selected for pitch training → live pitch on Centre Stage, Doha (Jan 31 - Feb 3, 2027); 2026 edition's top prize won by Dalton Lab for its AI innovation
AI & Machine LearningEnterpriseHealthtechFintech
OpenDeutsche Telekom × T-Mobile US
Deadline Jan 9, 2027 · Finals May 11, 2027
Prize pool up to €450,000: 1st €150,000, 2nd €75,000, 3rd €50,000, special award €25,000, plus an experience package for selected nominees worth up to €150,000; travel and accommodation to the Bonn finals covered by Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile US
- Eligibility
- Researchers, developers and startups worldwide; ideas must be trustworthy, measurable and relevant to real network environments — from early research and new architectures to prototypes and solutions ready to scale. Up to 12 teams selected after qualification
- Format
- Submission deadline Jan 9, 2027 → Top 12 announced Feb 17, 2027 → development phase Feb 22 - May 10, 2027 → pitch and award ceremony May 11-12, 2027 at Deutsche Telekom HQ, Bonn
AI-Native & Resilient Networks (incl. Autonomous Networks Level 5)Energy-Adaptable NetworksNext-Generation Products, Experiences & New Value Creation (6G & intelligent connectivity)
Note|Deutsche Telekom & T-Mobile US's flagship challenge with a €450K pool. This edition leans hard on AI-native and autonomous networks; the finals run in Bonn with travel and accommodation covered.
OpenNational Institute on Aging (NIA), U.S. National Institutes of Health
Deadline Jan 15, 2027 · Finals Nov 30, 2027
Up to $994,000 total cash prizes: $24,000 for up to 21 finalist teams plus $70,000 for 7 winning teams; entrepreneurial training, 1:1 mentorship from founders and investors, pitch coaching, and introductions to NIA/NIH SBIR-STTR funding
- Eligibility
- Early-stage entrepreneurs and researchers new to entrepreneurship proposing science-driven technologies for healthy aging; particular interest in solutions leveraging AI (data-driven / machine learning for early detection, risk prediction, personalized interventions, drug discovery). Team Lead must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to receive a cash prize
- Format
- Submissions open Dec 1, 2026 - Jan 15, 2027 → Stage 1 finalists announced May 2027 → accelerator Jun-Nov 2027 → final submission and pitch Nov 2027 → Stage 2 winners Jan 2028; informational webinar Dec 3, 2026
AI for healthy agingHealthy aging & care deliveryAlzheimer's & AD-related dementiasAging in placeCaregiving
Note|NIH's aging-focused challenge, close to $1M spread across finalists and winners plus a six-month accelerator. Note the catch: the team lead must be a US citizen or green-card holder to collect the cash prizes.
OpenHIPTHER
Deadline Jan 31, 2027 · Finals Mar 25, 2027
€40,000 investment for the overall winner (equity structure and vehicle to be confirmed); Top 20 announced end of February, online semifinals in early March, Final 8 live in Prague
- Eligibility
- Early-stage AI or cybersecurity startups from Europe and beyond; investment terms to be standardized and published in the official Competition Rules before applications open
- Format
- Applications Nov 16, 2026 - Jan 31, 2027 → eligibility review Feb 1-14 → jury evaluation to end of February → Top 20 → online semifinals ~Mar 10 → Final 8 → live final Mar 25, 2027 at HIPTHER AI Summit, Prague. Round One: 8 startups, 5-min pitch + 5-min Q&A; Final Four: 5-min pitch + 10-min interrogation
Artificial IntelligenceCybersecurity
RollingITU (United Nations)
Deadline TBA · Finals Dec 8
$20,000 equity-free grand prize; the session winner also gets a Grand Finale ticket at the AI for Good Global Summit 2027, speaker pass, startup pod, Frontier Stage pitch slot, access to the Innovation Factory Startup Accelerator Programme 2027, alumni network and judge mentoring
- Eligibility
- Early-stage AI startups worldwide with a working prototype, beta or MVP, registered and operational for at least 6 months, total funding raised below $1M; must have a company website and active social presence. No geography restriction. Ventures leveraging AI/ML for the SDGs preferred
- Format
- Rolling monthly online pitching sessions. Current 2026 cycle: applications open until Nov 23, 2026 → live pitching session Dec 8, 2026 (16:00-17:00 CET) → winner advances to the Grand Finale at AI for Good Global Summit 2027 in Geneva. The application form requires company details, funding stage, a pitch deck (max 15MB) and a solution description
AI for GoodClimateHealthRoboticsSDG-focused AI
Note|Backed by the UN's ITU, with monthly online pitch sessions open all year — a standing channel for AI for Good work in climate, health and beyond.
RollingPegasus Tech Ventures (Silicon Valley)
Deadline TBA
$1,000,000 investment prize at Grand Finale (San Francisco)
- Eligibility
- Global tech startups (AI, FinTech, SaaS, DeepTech etc.) via 100+ regional events worldwide
- Format
- Regional pitch competitions year-round → Grand Finale in San Francisco
AIFinTechSaaSDeepTech
Note|Silicon Valley–backed $1M investment prize; qualify through 100+ regional events worldwide, with rolling applications that suit teams at fundraising stage.
RollingNVIDIA
Deadline TBA
Cloud credits + go-to-market support
- Eligibility
- AI startups
- Format
- Online application
Note|Strictly an accelerator rather than a competition: cloud credits plus go-to-market support that most AI startups qualify for — nothing to lose by applying.
AnnouncedChain Of Events (now part of Hyve Group)
Opens Jan 8, 2027 · Finals Jul 6, 2027
Main-stage pitch before jury of Sequoia / NVIDIA / 20VC; global launchpad exposure; part of RAISE Week with 900+ attendees, 2,000+ companies, 350+ speakers, 80% C-levels & founders
- Eligibility
- Global early-stage AI startups, total funding ≤ €10M, min 2-person team, AI at the core
- Format
- Applications Jan-Jun → Top 100 → 10 finalists → live pitch at RAISE Summit Paris (RAISE the STAKES, part of RAISE Week; 2027 runs Jul 6-8 at Palais des Congres, expanded from 2 days after 2026 drew 9,000+ attendees)
AI infrastructureApplied AI
AnnouncedDeel
Opens Jan 1, 2027 · Finals Jun 30, 2027
Up to 10 global winners receive $1M investment; up to 100 regional winners receive $50k SAFE investment; travel subsidies to the global finals
- Eligibility
- Startups based anywhere in the world with a full-time founder, incorporated entity, no industry restriction; open to pre-seed, seed and Series A companies
- Format
- 3-minute online application → regional finals in Tel Aviv, Dubai, Singapore, Berlin, London, Paris and New York (Mar-May 2027) → global finals. Up to 100 regional winners get $50k; up to 10 global winners compete for $1M
Cross-sector / no industry restriction
AnnouncedSuperAI (Singapore)
Opens Mar 1, 2027 · Finals Sep 8, 2027
Share of the prize pool (equity-free); complimentary exhibition space at SuperAI 2028; additional rewards to be announced. Genesis 2026 ran with a $2.3M prize pool; all 10 finalists receive exhibition stand, speaker entitlements, 4 team tickets and full conference access
- Eligibility
- Seed or growth-stage AI startups with products ready for commercialisation; shortlisting from hundreds of global applicants to 10 finalists pitching on 8-9 Sep 2027; participation free (flights and accommodation not covered)
- Format
- Join the 2027 waitlist now; applications open later (no formal interview round, video application showcasing the product in real time) → 50 shortlisted → 10 pitch live at SuperAI, 8-9 Sep 2027, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Artificial Intelligence
