Looking to pitch your idea at a startup competition?

You might have the greatest product or idea, but it takes a lot more to bring it to the market. You will be faced with many obstacles when launching a startup. Some of them include restricted assets and resources, worries of cash flow and the lack of exposure. One way to overcome these obstacles is by participating in startup competitions.

Participating in a startup competition could be one of the most powerful experiences for startups, especially in their early stages as it can help to bring their business to the next level. Even if the prizes are a great motivator to participate in such events, no one leaves empty handed. There is a lot to gain including possible investments, media exposure, and potential strategic partnerships.

In a previous post “The Startup Pitches That Won Incredible Awards“, we explained how to prepare an exceptional speech and get ready for a startup competition, along with a list of the winning startups and the prizes they won. But what are the perks and advantages that come with participating in such events and which events should you attend in 2019? 

Valuer.ai has created the ultimate list with some of the best pitch competitions worldwide and the possible prizes and awards you can win in 2019.

Staying relevant is key

In the startup culture, pitch competitions have become increasingly popular. Wherever you are living in the world, there are events that revolve around pitching. The winners receive exclusive prizes like cash or funding, helping them to bring their business idea to reality. However, it could be costly and time-consuming to participate in such events as startups, at least some of the time, are required to pay a fee to enter.

There is no limit to the number of startup competitions you can attend. But if you are attending every event year after year without success, the judges and audience might question your idea and product. Therefore, before choosing which competition’s to enter, it’s necessary to evaluate the event and select which one is going to bring the most benefits to you and your business.

Most events and pitch competitions have their own themes and topics so make sure your startup is eligible and relevant. For example, if your startup can classify itself as a social enterprise, look for competitions in the relevant niche. Participating in big and general startup events could be exciting but sometimes the smaller industry events could bring more value to your startup.

The quality of the audience varies from event to event. How can you benefit from the audience? One of the attendees could be your next investor, partner, team member or even a product buyer. Be selective to make the best out of a startup competition. Choose the events where the audience is similar to your target market and the attendees are investors your business could benefit from.

The list of startup competitions in 2019

2019
February
Mobility Pioneers
		The winning startup will be fast-tracked directly to the Pioneers Challenge Top 50 at Pioneers’19		7th		Munich, Germany
TechChill - Fifty Founders Battle
		€10,000 & chance to get fast-tracked to Startup World Cup Finals in San Francisco in May 2019		21-22nd		Riga, Lavia
4 Years From Now
		Space on exhibition, promotion and free international press, possible funding, entry to Accelerator program		25-27th		Barcelona, Spain
Get In the Ring
		Place at Global Meetup 2019 for a 3-day retreat and business networking opportunity		28th		Osaka, Japan (finals
March
The Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge
		Winner gets €500,000 and runner up €200,000. Other three finalists will win €100,000		1st - 1st of May		Amsterdam, Netherlands
G-Startup Worldwide
		$250,000		until November		Beijing, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, Silicon Valley, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Bangalore
Connect2Capital
		Possible Funding		7-8th		Gothenburg, Sweden
UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition Spain 2019
		5 finalist startups will be sponsored to pitch their idea to a panel of experts, governments and industry leaders at the 5th edition of the World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in Spain on 2-3 May 2019		Deadline to apply : 5th of March		Basque Country, Spain
SXSW Startup Night
		Funding opportuntiies, Media Exposure		9-10th		Austin, Texas
HATCH Pitch Summit
		$1,000,000		12th		USA
Polar Bear Pitching
		€10,000, media exposure and funding opportunities		12-13th		Oulu, Finland
Fast Pitch
		N/A		14th		Ohio, US
Skinnovation
		Possible funding from investors		14-16th		Innsbruck, Austria.
Hello Tomorrow
		One €100K Grand Prize for the best early stage startup and Equity-free & Eleven €15K prizes		14-15th		Paris,France
European Social Innovation Competition
		€50,000		20th		Paris, France
Start Summit
		20.000-25.000 CHF		21-22nd		St. Gallen,Switzerland
CV Summit
		$100,000 in funding		27th		Zug, Switzerland
The Proving Ground 2019
		Up to $17,500		28th		South Carolina,US
2019 Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge
		$100,000 in seed funding		28th		Idaho, US
April
Arch Summit
		Up to €250,000 in prizes		3-4th		Luxemburg
TiEQuest 2019
		$50,000 cash grand prize offered, as well as all-inclusive trips to Silicon Vallery for the top five finalists		4th		Toronto,Canada
Seedstars World Competition
		Equity investment of up to $1,000,000		4-5th		Lausannne, Switzerland
Rice Business Plan Competition
		$300,000 investment		4-6th		Lausannne, Switzerland
Entrepreneur 20X
		€2,500 EUR		9th		Palma Mallorca, Spain
Dublin Tech Summit
		Women in Tech Awards & possible funding for participation in Startup 100 Pitch Competition		10-11th		Dublin, Ireland
Startup Camp Pitch Marathon
		Cash Possible funding		12-13th		Berlin, Germany
Startup Turkey Demo Day
		Possible funding		15-16th		Istanbul, Turkey
Northwest Entrepreneur Competition 2019
		Total of $42,000 in prize money and $20,000 in professional resources,		18th		District Columbia, US
2019 GW New Venture Competition
		Over $300,000 in prizes		18th		District Columbia, US
Urban Future Prize Competition
		Over $300,000 in prizes		22nd		New York, US
ITS A START 2019
		Cash prize and opportunity to attend Beijing’s Overseas Talent Entrepreneurship Conference (OTEC).		25-27th		Toronto,Canada
May
EU-Startups Summit 2019
		Prize package worth of €70,000		2-3rd		Barcelona, Spain
infoShare Startup Contest
		€ 20,000		8-9th		Gdansk, Poland
NIBS Worldwide Business Plan Competition
		Cash Prize		9th		Online
TNW Pitch Competition
		Potential Investment		9-10th		Amsterdam, Netherlands
International Business Model Competition
		$30,000		10-11th		Provo, Utah
Startup World Cup
		$1,000,000		11th		North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
Webit.Festival Europe
		€ 200,000 seed investment		13-15th		Sofia, Bulgaria
Viva Technology
		TBA		14-16th		Paris, France
Innovation of Things World Series
		Promotion		15-17th		California, USA
The Mark Challenge
		Monetary and other prizes		16th		Monaco
Latitude59's Pitch Competition
		Investment from Nordic Angel Program for up to €250 000, equity free cash & more prizes		16-17th		Tallinn, Estonia
Collision Pitch
		Monetary prize		20-23rd		Toronto, Canada
Podim Challenge
		All-inclusive & tailor-made one week program for 2 team members in one of the global startup hubs		21-22nd		Maribor, Slovenia
Spark.me Startup Competition
		Sponsored trip to attend TechCrunch Disrupt in San Franscisco		25-26th		Tivat, Montenegro
June
Arctic 15
		Opportunity for a syndicate deal from Nordic & Baltic angel investors		5-6th		Helsinki, Finland
MidemLab Music Startup Competition
		Possible funding		6th		Cannes, France
Web2day
		Possible funding		5-7th		Nantes, France
Techsylvania Pitch Competition
		All expenses paid trip to Silicon Valley		8-11th		Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Heureka VC Pitch
		Funding Opportunities		12th		Berlin,Germany
Israel Mobile Summit
		TBA		12th		Tel Aviv, Israel
The Founder Institute
		Possible funding		13th		Copenhagen, Denmark
Launch Festival
		Possible funding		19-20th		Sydney, Australia
Startup Extreme Competition
		TBA		24-26th		Voss, Norway
PIRATE Summit "Walk-the-Plank" Pitch Competition
		Business trip to San Francisco, London or Berlin		26-28th		Cologne, Germany
July
TOA DT50
		Up to € 50,000 plus many prizes		2-5th		Berlin, Germany
The Europass European TechStartup Awards
		Award		3rd		London, United Kingdom
BBVA Open Talent
		€50,000		10th		Madrid, Spain
PITCH at RISE
		US$100,000 worth of service products		9-12th		Hong Kong, China
Startup Fest
		Over $750,000 worth of prizes and investments		9-13th		Montréal, Canada
Unbound Pitch Competition
		Monetary prizes TBA		17-18th		London, UK
Sevan Startup Summit
		Up to $50,000 divided for each category		TBA		Yerevan,Armenia
VWFS Battlefield
		$50,000		TBA		TBA
CodeLaunch
		over $67,000		31st		Texas, USA
August
Y Combinator Demo Day
		$120,000		20-22nd		California, USA
September
Disrupt SF Startup Battlefield
		$100,000		5-7th		San Francisco, USA
Queens StartUP! competition
		$50,000		8-20th		New York, USA
ITU Telecom World Awards 2019
		Funding opportunities and media exposure		10-13th		Budapest, Hungary
SevenVentures Pitch Day
		Promotion		12th		Cologne, Germany
New York StartUP! 2018 Business Plan Competition
		$15,000		14th		New York, USA
Blast Roma Pitch Competition
		Possible funding, exposure, access to VIP events		19-20th		Rome, Italy
ElevateR Pitch: AI Edition
		over Can$1,000,000		21-27th		Toronto, Canada
Oslo Innovation Week
		Monetary prize		23-27th		Oslo, Norway
FinCon FinTech Startup Competition
		$2,500 Award		26-29th		Orlando, Florida
IT Arena
		$10,000, entry to accelerator programs and more prizes		27-29th		Lviv, Ukraine
Bitz & Pretzels
		Golden Pretzel Award		29th of September - 1st of October		Munich, Germany
October
Female Founders Competition
		$2,000,000		until November		Tel Aviv, Seattle, London, San Francisco, New York
Pitch for the Purse
		$150,000 - 1,000,000		until February		Canada
43 North
		$1,000,000		3rd		Buffalo, New York, USA
Pitch Competition: Canadian Innovation in Sustainable Textile and Apparel
		Can$ 10,000		3rd		Toronto, Canada
South Summit Startup Competition
		Participation in Startup World Cup		3-5th		Madrid, Spain
GITEX Future Stars 2019
		Grand winner gets $100,000		6-9th		Dubai, UAE
The New Energy Challenge 2018
		€100,000		18th		Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Aurora Chamber Business & Technology Summit
		$2,500		18th		Aurora, Canada
Ideaspace 7th Startup Competition
		Equity-free grant for product and market development and up to P 1,000,000 in equity funding		19th		Makati City, Philippines
SaaStock 2019 Dublin
		$25,000 & more prizes		14-16th		Dublin, Ireland
NOME Start-up Competition
		Possible funding		24th		Copenhagen, Denmark
Nordic Startup Awards
		Award		30th		Copenhagen, Denmark
University Startup World Cup Competition
		$25,000		TBA		Copenhagen, Denmark
EIT Digital Challenge
		Growth support from EIT Digital Accelerator worth 50,000 & cash prize of €50,000		TBA		Brussels, Belgium
Wolves Summit Great Pitch
		Winner will be invited to take part in the Grand Finale of Startup World Cup in San Franscisco		TBA		Warsaw, Poland
Tech BBQ
		Entrance to the Nordic Angel program		TBA		Copenhagen, Denmark
Venture Cup Denmark Startup Competition
		DKK 100,000		TBA		Copenhagen, Denmark
November
Varsity Pitch Competition
		£10,000		12th		London, United Kingdom
Madrid Mobile Summit Contest
		Participation in Mobile World Congress		13th		Madrid, Spain
U.Pitch National Elevator Pitch Competition & Showcase
		$10,000		15th		Chicago, Illinois, USA
The Arch Grants Global Startup Competition
		$50,000		16th		Washington DC, USA
Arab Startup Competition
		up to $160,000		18th		Arab Region
Ignite Capital Competition
		up to $15,000		TBA		Ontario, Canada
Startcon
		$1,000,000		TBA		Singapore, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Jakarta, Seoul, Shanghai, Regional VIC, Manila, Sydney, Auckland NZ, Chennai
MIT $100K Competition
		$100,000		TBA		Massachusetts,US
Web Summit PITCH
		TBA		TBA		Lisbon, Portugal
Creative Business Investors Pitch
		€ 5,000		TBA		Copenhagen, Denmark
Betapitch Global Startup Competition
		A flight to Silicon Valley + € 5,000		TBA		Berlin, Germany
Giant Health Event
		Cash prize, consulting, media packages and more prizes		TBA		London UK
StartUp Serbia Competition
		Media exposure and funding opportunities		TBA		Novi Sad, Serbia
December
The Vator Investment Club
		$150,000 - 500,000		31st		San Francisco, Oakland Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, Stanford, San Jose
Slush Pitch Competition
		TBA		TBA		Helsinski, Finland
Are you China ready?
		27 Semi-finalists get all-expenses paid trip to China and grand prize is $25,000		TBA		Guanghzou, China

Where are these competitions located?

The perks of entering a startup competition

The prizes that come with your participation are only the tip of the iceberg. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, the opportunities that come with such events could benefit you tremendously. It isn’t always about winning, it is also about meeting the right people and receiving exposure. So if you are only looking to enter competitions for the prizes, open your eyes to the other possibilities.

If you are questioning whether attending a competition is worth your time, ask yourself “is this competition going to help us reach our goal?“. Depending if you are looking for some new partnerships, team members, a potential investor, or media exposure, would the event help you achieve any of these goals?

To better understand the advantages that could come with such events, Valuer.ai has listed the potential opportunities that come with presenting at startup competitions.

TechBBQ, an annual Danish technology startup summit | Photo from TechBBQ

Winning exclusive prizes

The greatest motivator that encourages people to participate in startup competitions are the prizes. The prizes are different in each event and could vary from a couple of thousands to millions of dollars. Startups can take advantage of their prize and use it to scale their startup and move forward towards their goals and ambitions.

However, in many cases, the prizes are not limited to monetary ones. Some of the pitch competitions offer covered business trips to some of the greatest startups events in the world, entry to accelerator programs and access to co-working spaces and incubators.

Receiving constructive feedback

You might be thinking that your product is the greatest in the world and there is nothing stopping you from conquering the world. It is important to receive some feedback to know how others perceive your product and idea.

Perhaps the people sitting in the judging panel have years of experience in the field that allows them to detect any holes in your business that you need to address. Judges can often give you constructive criticism that will help you improve and guide you in the right direction. Even the potential clients can provide you with their insight and opinion on your product that will help you adapt or develop your idea further.

Unfortunately, feedback is often avoided and feared in the startup world. Entrepreneurs tend to gracefully accept positive feedback but at the sight of negative feedback, they become quite defensive. Lucas Pols, CEO, and Founder of Spark xyz, has highlighted the importance of feedback and how to receive it in order to benefit your startup.

In his words,

“If we can get back to listening to each other and truly hearing the other person, it could be the difference between your startup succeeding and failing.”

Growing your network

Startup competitions bring together extraordinary groups of highly-skilled entrepreneurs with different experience levels and backgrounds who are looking to connect with like-minded people, share their ideas and create long-lasting relationships.

You never know who you will meet during the event. One of the most commonly shared sayings among entrepreneurs is “Your network is your net worth.” And it’s true. As your business network is growing, you will realize that more and more doors are opening. A person you meet today might have a significant impact in the next few years.

Let’s not forget that many venture capitalists (VC’s) and angel investors attend such events looking for the next big thing to invest in. Meeting investors who will not fund your company could be valuable since they can lead you to other investors. Networking usually happens off stage at the exhibition or at the after-event parties the hosts are organizing.

Building your confidence

If there is one trait that you need as an entrepreneur, it is confidence. From the moment you decide to start a business, you have to believe in yourself and your ability to successfully make deals, negotiate with partners and lead your team. Investors are looking to invest in confident people that are sure of their products and ideas as its an indicator of their competence and credibility.

However, no matter how confident you are, pitching at a competition can be stressful. It is a personal experience, you have to bare your soul and in just a couple of minutes present your mission and vision in front of hundreds of people and expect to get feedback from top leaders. It won’t always be positive. However, going through the process can help you build your confidence even more. Later in life, you might look back and say “If I competed in a startup competition with that big of an audience, then I can do this.”

Mastering your pitch

Normally when participating in a startup competition you are given a set time constraint to present your idea in the most compelling way. And let’s face it – pitching is important! An entrepreneur should be able to convince the audience that the idea is great. If the audience doesn’t believe in the idea, who is going to buy your product?

Startup competitions force you to practice your pitch. It is a good way to start mastering the art of pitching. The more you practice, the better you get and the more people begin to believe in your idea.

At some pitch competitions, you encouraged to present a pitch deck – a brief presentation in powerpoint form which provides an overview of your business plan. Check out our post on the secrets to creating a great pitch deck for an in-depth checklist and examples of what to include in your pitch deck!

Gaining media exposure and free publicity

If they select your startup for the finals and you get on stage, all the eyes are on you. Especially when participating in startup competitions that are happening on a global scale and attract international visitors. Examples of such competitions are the PITCH-Websummit in Lisbon or Collision Pitch in Toronto. Big events attract local and global media. Expect to see journalists from many parts of the world attending such events, looking to write about the next success story or any honorable mentions.

In case your startup is among the winners, it is almost certain that your accomplishment will be written about. You will attract readers with you and your product. So don’t underestimate the power of a startup competition and the publicity that will follow. Don’t forget about the publicity you can get from the audience while you are on stage and presenting your product. The audience could be your target market and presenting in front of them could cultivate their interest and eventually lead them to become your first buyers.

Getting a spot at the exhibition

Most of the times the event hosts are giving to the participants their own exhibition booth where they can display the product in their own way. Having your own exhibition spot gives you more personal space and it’s a lot less nerve-wracking having one to one interactions than pitching your idea in front of hundreds of people, light beaming down on you, sweat patches visible for all to see.

Exhibitions are a great way to connect with fellow entrepreneurs that are in the same industry and can help you expand your network. Also, it’s a good opportunity to meet prominent Business Angels and Venture Capitalists that are wandering through the exhibition space and are looking to expand their business portfolio.

Being recognized for your hard work

You have been spending all this time and energy to bring your idea to reality because you are passionate about it and a strong believer that one day it will work out. Being an entrepreneur is not an easy task and many times you will be disappointed. The whole idea of entrepreneurship comes at a great cost whether it’s time, money or emotional investment.

When winning a startup competition, it can motivate you to keep doing what you are doing because it feels good to know that other people believe in your idea too. Winning creates a sense of purpose and identity and being able to say that you won a global competition makes you stick out from the rest of the pack.

Winning presentation tips

1. Practice – it’s true what they say – practice makes perfect! Practice your speech in front of the mirror, your friends, rehearse and refine continuously until it leads to the final presentation.

2. Tell the story and show the product – judges, investors, and media are human beings and they connect with a good story. Think of a good pitch just like a Hollywood movie – you need a cool intro, an engaging middle, and an epic finale. In his blog post, Paul Alex Gray is explaining how to use storytelling to win your audience.

3. Keep it short and simple – a winning pitch should be straightforward and simple, cut off the superfluous material and slides that don’t give any value to your proposition.

“You really need to be able to convey what you do in the first 30 to 60 seconds,” Sanjay Parekh

4. Be prepared – what would the judges possibly ask you? Watch videos on YouTube or read relevant articles that will help you prepare for any possible questions that may come up.

5. Know your numbers – backing up your idea with some stats will strengthen your credibility and will make your points stand out. How big is the market? Are there any competitors? What is the break-even analysis? What are the estimated revenues?

6. Be authentic – no one likes copycats! So be yourself and tell your story in your own unique way.

In conclusion

Startup competitions could take your business to a new level if done right. It’s important for you to evaluate each competition and participate where you think it will bring the most benefits.

Winning a competition is the cherry on the cake. There is a plethora of advantages and perks that come with your participation in pitch competitions such as networking opportunities, gaining media exposure and receiving feedback that should be not overlooked when applying.

Any new company requires fundraising along with self-promotion. A good solution to build your brand is by taking part in challenging events. Events like this are picking up in speed and gaining popularity worldwide!