Startup World Cup
Pegasus Tech Ventures
$1M grand prize (investment)
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 4 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Regional pitch to a $1M finale
Startup World Cup is a global pitch-competition series run by Silicon Valley VC firm Pegasus Tech Ventures, with 100+ regional competitions across six continents — including many US cities (Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and others). Regional champions advance to the Grand Finale in San Francisco, where 100+ winners compete for a headline $1,000,000 investment prize. Each US regional selects roughly a dozen-plus startups to pitch live before investors, entrepreneurs, and media; the regional winner earns a paid trip to the Silicon Valley finale. The flagship $1M prize is an equity investment (not non-dilutive cash), though some regionals attach their own local cash or in-kind awards.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $1M grand prize (investment)
- Realistic amount
- For nearly all participants the tangible value is exposure, investor access, and (for regional winners) a paid trip to the Silicon Valley finale rather than cash — only one global champion per cycle receives the $1M investment. Treat the $1M as a long-tail upside, not an expected outcome.
- Deadline
- No regional application is open now: all 2025-26 regionals have been held. The 2026 Grand Finale is November 4-6, 2026 in San Francisco; the 2026-27 regional schedule has not been posted.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Open to startups regardless of country — apply to the nearest regional competition (many in US cities)
- Geared to tech-enabled startups; exact stage requirements vary by regional host
- No application fee for the core competition (regional host terms apply)
- Regional winner advances to the San Francisco Grand Finale to compete for the $1M investment prize
Is the Startup World Cup legit?
Yes. Pegasus Tech Ventures has run it since 2016 and there is no application fee. The $1 million prize is an investment in your company, not a grant.
- Who runs it: Pegasus Tech Ventures
- Since: 2016
- Cost to apply: No application fee
- The prize: A $1 million equity or convertible-note investment, not a grant
Sources: startupworldcup.io · business.sherbrookerecord.com · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.
Past Startup World Cup winners
Recent winners:
- Coreshell Technologies, San Leandro, California · 2025 Grand Finale (October 17, 2025), $1M winner
- Intuition Robotics, Israel · 2025 Grand Finale, second place
- BuuPass, Kenya · 2025 Grand Finale, third place
- Vocxi Health · 2025 Silicon Valley Regional (May 1, 2025)
Names as published by press coverage (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with press coverage.
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What it covers
Eligible expenses
- The $1M investment is growth capital deployed at the company's discretion under the investment terms
- Regional cash/in-kind prizes (where offered) follow the host's terms
How to apply
-
1
Choose your regional competition
Identify the Startup World Cup regional nearest you (Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and 100+ others) and review that host's specific dates, stage requirements, and terms.
~1 hrs
-
2
Submit the regional application
Apply through the regional's portal (often via startupworldcup.io or the host's page) with a company overview, pitch deck, and team/traction details before that regional's deadline.
~6 hrs
-
3
Pitch live at the regional
Selected finalists (~12–15) pitch on stage before investors, executives, and media. Prepare a tight 5–7 minute pitch and live Q&A.
~15 hrs
-
4
If you win the regional, compete at the Grand Finale
Regional champions travel to San Francisco for the annual Grand Finale against 100+ other regional winners, competing for the $1,000,000 investment prize judged by leading VCs.
~20 hrs
Treat the regional as the real opportunity: the exposure to local VCs and the press from being a finalist often matters more than the distant $1M finale. Because there are 100+ regionals, pick one with a strong investor judging panel and a manageable applicant pool rather than defaulting to the marquee Silicon Valley regional. Remember the $1M grand prize is an equity investment — model the dilution before treating it as 'winnings.'
Deadline & timing
100+ regional competitions run on independent schedules throughout the year; applicants apply to the regional closest to them. The 2026 Silicon Valley Regional was held May 7, 2026 (Computer History Museum, Mountain View); the Philadelphia Regional application deadline was July 15, 2026. The 2026 Grand Finale is in San Francisco in November 2026.
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