2025 Entrepreneurship World Cup Pitch Competition

The Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) is one of the largest and most diverse pitch competitions and support programs globally. Entrepreneurs from over 200 countries compete annually for a share of $1 million in cash prizes and millions more in investment, support, and publicity. The competition culminates in a global finals event attended by leading investors.

📅 Key Details

• Date Published: March 22, 2025
• Application Deadline: June 30, 2025
• Category: Contest, Entrepreneurs

🏆 About the Entrepreneurship World Cup

Since its inception in 2019, the EWC has connected founders with over $4 million in cash prizes and $250+ million worth of perks, including free support and services. It provides a platform for startups at all stages—Idea, Early, and Growth—to showcase their innovations and gain access to resources that can accelerate their growth.

🎁 Benefits

Total Prizes

• USD $1.5 million (5,625,000 SAR) in cash and/or investment for global winners.
• In-kind support for the top 100 global finalists.

Global Finals Cash Prizes

Early Stage

• Champion: $250,000
• 2nd Place: $200,000
• 3rd Place: $150,000
• 4th Place: $100,000
• 5th Place: $50,000

Growth Stage

• Champion: $175,000
• 2nd Place: $100,000

Sector-Specific (SpaceTech)

• SpaceTech for Mining: $100,000
• SpaceTech for Sports Analytics: $100,000
• SpaceTech for Health Monitoring: $100,000
• SpaceTech for Agriculture + Resource Management: $100,000

Idea Stage

• Champion: $50,000
• 2nd Place: $25,000

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• No entry fee is required.
• Open to startups worldwide.
• Startups must be legally registered or planning to register in their country of residence.
• Startups must be 10 years or younger by the date of the Global Finals (based on company registration date).
• Previous EWC Global Winners (2019–2024) can participate but are only eligible for different prize categories.
• Employees of the organizers, affiliates, subsidiaries, and immediate family members are not eligible.
• Applicants must agree to the Terms and Conditions of the competition.

📜 Rules

• Applications must be submitted on the official application platform.
• Each application must have at least one representative authorized to act on behalf of the startup.
• The representative must be at least 18 years old.
• Applications must be completed in English.
• Intellectual property protection is the responsibility of the applicant.
• Only completed applications submitted by the deadline will be considered.
• Applicants must participate in media and press opportunities related to the competition.

🛠️ Categories

Idea Stage

• Self-funding and conceptual (no revenue).
• Unregistered or recently registered entities working on prototypes or business plans.
• Aspiring entrepreneurs working on university research projects.

Early Stage

• Seeking validation, early funding, or showing early signs of growth.
• Companies with nascent revenue or early international sales.

Growth Stage

• Consistent growth for at least three years.
• Defined departments, strong governance, and repeatable business models.
• Companies ready for scalability or exit-ready.

📅 Phases of Participation

1. Phase 1: Applications + Global Pool (February 1 – June 30, 2025)

   • Open call for applications.
   • Applications reviewed by an international panel of judges.

2. Phase 2: EWC 250 Selection (July 2025)

   • Top 250 applicants advance to the Virtual Bootcamp.

3. Phase 3: Virtual Bootcamp (August 2025)

   • Training and mentorship sessions for the EWC 250 cohort.
   • Top 100 finalists (EWC 100) selected.

4. Phase 4: EWC 100 Selection (September 2025)

   • EWC 100 finalists invited to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Global Finals.

5. Phase 5: Global Finals (November 2025)

   • Finalists pitch on the main stage for a share of $1 million in cash prizes.

✈️ Travel and Awards

• Travel Scholarship:

  • EWC 100 finalists receive a full travel scholarship for one designated traveler (Founder, Co-Founder, or CEO).
  • Includes round-trip flight, visa, hotel accommodation, and local transportation.

• Additional Team Members:

  • Other team members can join at their own expense.

📊 Evaluation Criteria

• EWC Global Pool: Evaluated by an international panel of judges.
• EWC Global Finals: Judged by a panel designated by the EWC Global team.

📌 Application Process

• Applications must be submitted via the official application platform.
• Deadline: June 30, 2025

For more details, visit the Entrepreneurship World Cup website.
To apply, visit the application portal.

Prepare your pitch, showcase your innovation, and join the global stage at the Entrepreneurship World Cup 2025! 🌟

• USD $1.5 million (5,625,000 SAR) in cash and/or investment total for the global winners plus in-kind support for the top 100 global finalists.
• Global Finals Cash Prizes: Early Stage
  • Early Stage Champion: $250,000
  • 2nd Place: $200,000
  • 3rd Place: $150,000
  • 4th Place: $100,000
  • 5th Place: $50,000
• Global Finals Cash Prizes: Growth Stage
  • Growth Stage Champion: $175,000
  • 2nd Place: $100,000
• Global Finals Cash Prizes: Sector-Specific
  • SpaceTech for Mining: $100,000
  • SpaceTech for Sports Analytics: $100,000
  • SpaceTech for Health Monitoring: $100,000
  • SpaceTech for Agriculture + Resource Management: $100,000
• Global Finals Cash Prizes: Idea Stage
  • Idea Stage Champion: $50,000
  • 2nd Place: $25,000