Here are the best startup pitch competitions you should consider joining in 2018. For each startup pitch competition we explained a few details:
- The name
- Why you should participate
- What you can win
- How much exposure it will generate you, based on their
- amount of website views per month
- Location
- Application URL
Since some startup pitch competitions offer more value to each type of startup, we decided to order the list alphabetically.
Enjoy the list and consider applying to the ones in your area. Do you know of other startup pitch competitions which aren’t on this list? Shoot us an e-mail at hello [at] pitchskills.com
New to pitching? Here’s how to get started.
1. Read the PitchSkills Blog for the basics of startup pitching (beginners)
2. Get The Ultimate Pitch Guide for advanced pitching strategies (advanced)
Here are the best startup pitch competitions of 2018
#1 Arch Grants Startup Competition
| Name | Arch Grants Startup Competition | |
| Why participate? | Arch Grants is looking for innovative technologies, products, or services, wrapped within scalable for-profit business models with the potential to make national or international impact. | |
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| Apply | http://www.archgrants.org/ |
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#2 BETAPITCH
| Name | BETAPITCH | |
| Why participate? | BETAPITCH is a global startup competition initiated by betahaus. This startup competition takes place globally and has it’s finals in Berlin. | |
| What can you win? | A flight to Silicon Valley + Cash (how much has not been revealed yet) | |
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| Location | Vienna, Berlin, JönKöping, Hamburg, Tirana, Sofia, Lisbon, Mostar, Cairo | |
| Apply | https://www.betapitch.net/ |
#3 CodeLaunch Startup Expo
| Name | CodeLaunch Pitch Day | |
| Why participate? | CodeLaunch is an annual seed accelerator for people and groups with ideas for “apps” who are seeking seed funding. The CodeLaunch Pitch Day is the culmination of the competition and a showcasing of the best competitors. If you have an idea for an app and nothing more, you still are qualified to apply. | |
| What can you win? | Benefits for the overall winner of CodeLaunch vary year-to-year. In 2017, the overall winner benefited from over $35K in seed services including a weekend-long Hackathon where Code Authority’s software development team worked towards building their MVP. | |
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| Location | Texas | |
| Apply | http://www.codelaunch.com/ |
#4 Elevator Pitch FEST
| Name | Elevator Pitch FEST | |
| Why participate? | StartUP Academy features a structured program of workshops and pitch events, as well as face-time with investors. Events are designed to help startups go from concept to company. | |
| What can you win? | The attention from a lot of investors | |
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| Location | New York & San Fran Sisco | |
| Apply | https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/ |
#5 Founder Showcase
| Name | Founder Showcase | |
| Why participate? | Present your startup in front of hundreds of Silicon Valley investors, founders and the press. | |
| What can you win? | The attention from a lot of investors | |
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| Location | Silicon Valley | |
| Apply | http://www.foundershowcase.com/crowdpitch/ |
#6 Get In The Ring
| Name | Get In The Ring | |
| Why participate? | Compete against thousands of startups globally, win awards, get exposure and create fans to scale up your business. | |
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| Location | 100+ countries worldwide | |
| Apply | https://getinthering.co/competition/ |
#7 G-Startup Worldwide
| Name | G-Startup Worldwide | |
| Why participate? | G-Startup Worldwide is a global startup competition held around the world to find the most innovative, early stage startups, invest $1,000,000 in them, support them with a global network and enable them to change the world. | |
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| Location | Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beijing, Riyadh, Silicon Valley, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Bangalore | |
| Apply | http://g-startup.com/ |
#8 Hatch Pitch
| Name | Hatch Pitch | |
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| Location | Houston | |
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#9 Hello Tomorrow Challenge
| Name | Hello Tomorrow Challenge | |
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| Location | Paris | |
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#10 MIT 100k Entrepreneurship Competition
| Name | MIT 100k Entrepreneurship Competition | ||
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| Location | Boston | ||
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#11 New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition
| Name | New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition | |||
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| Location | New York | |||
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Click the button and get direct access!
#12 PitchForce
| Name | PitchForce | |||
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| Location | San Fran Sisco | |||
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#13 QuickPitch Competition
| Name | QuickPitch Competition | |
| Why participate? | Get in touch with experienced Tech Coast Angels and San Diego Venture Group Investors | |
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| Apply | https://quickpitchsd.com/ |
#14 Startup Battlefield
| Name | Startup Battlefield | |
| Why participate? | Startup Battlefield brings the world’s top early stage startups together on one stage to compete for the coveted Disrupt Cup, a $50,000 prize, and the attention from press on a large scale. | |
| What can you win? | $50,000 | |
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| Location | New York & San Fran Sisco | |
| Apply | https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/ |
#15 Startup Pitch Night
| Name | Startup Pitch Night | ||
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#16 Startupfest $200K Investment Prize
| Name | Startupfest $200K Investment Prize | |||
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| What can you win? | $200,000 | |||
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| Location | Montreal | |||
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#17 SXSW V2V
| Name | SXSW V2V | |||
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| Location | Texas | |||
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#18 TechCrunch Disrupt
| Name | TechCrunch Disrupt | |||
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| What can you win? | $50,000 | |||
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| Location | Berlin, San Fran Sisco, New York | |||
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Did your startup get an investment already?
#19 The Startup Conference
| Name | The Startup Conference | ||
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| Location | California | ||
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#20 U Pitch Competition
| Name | U Pitch Competition | |
| Why participate? | Are a student entrepreneur and want to take your to the next stage. | |
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| Location | Chicago | |
| Apply | http://futurefounders.com/startup/upitch/https://quickpitchsd.com/ |
#21 Startup Of The Year
| Name | Startup of the year | |
| Why participate? | Helps founders gain access to top tech investors, mentors, influencers, as well as media exposure to millions of readers | |
| What can you win? | Media exposure to millions of people! | |
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| Location | Boston | |
| Apply | https://www.startupofyear.com/ |
#22 Startup Runway
| Name | Startup Runway | |
| Why participate? |
Our mission is showcasing the top 10% of women- and minority-led startups across the Southeast and connecting them with sophisticated investors who understand early stage companies. |
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| What can you win? | Media exposure to millions of people! | |
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| Location | Atlanta | |
| Apply | https://startuprunway.co/ |
Did your startup get an investment already?
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PS: Did your startup already raise funding? Check out The Ultimate Pitch Guide, it will prevent you from making expensive mistakes when pitching to investors.
