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Top 15 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe in 2025

Top 15 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe in 2025

The startup landscape in Europe is continuously evolving, with numerous competitions designed to promote innovation and growth in various sectors. For early-stage startups, participating in these competitions can provide essential funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Here's a comprehensive guide to the Top 15 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe in 2025, complete with event details and links for more information.
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1. EU-Startups Pitch Competition

When: April 24-25, 2025
Where: Valletta, Malta
Prize: €390,000
Eligibility: Pre-seed/seed startups
Details: This prestigious competition is part of the EU-Startups Summit and features 15 promising startups selected from over 1,500 applicants. The event will include networking, keynotes, and fireside chats.
Learn more about EU-Startups Pitch Competition

2. START Summiteer

When: March 2025
Where: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Prize: CHF 10,000
Eligibility: Early-stage startups
Details: A great opportunity for founders to pitch their startup ideas to a panel of judges and gain exposure. It's geared towards promising startups looking for capital.
Discover START Summiteer
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3. Latitude59 Pitch Competition

When: May 21-23, 2025
Where: Tallinn, Estonia
Prize: €1 million in funding
Eligibility: Innovative startups from various sectors
Details: This competition highlights the best startups in emerging technologies and offers connections with investors. It's known for its uplifting atmosphere and extensive networking opportunities.
Explore Latitude59

4. Slush 100

When: November 19-20, 2025
Where: Helsinki, Finland
Prize: €1 million
Eligibility: Early-stage startups
Details: Slush is one of Europe’s largest startup events, and Slush 100 focuses on giving startups the spotlight to showcase their innovations to investors.
Visit Slush 100

5. S+T+ARTS Prize

When: June 2025
Where: Various locations throughout Europe
Prize: €20,000 per category
Eligibility: Startups integrating art and technology
Details: This competition recognizes innovative collaborations between artists and technologists, emphasizing European cultural heritage.
Learn about S+T+ARTS Prize

6. ABB Startup Challenge

When: February 2025
Where: Online and Europe
Prize: $30,000
Eligibility: Startups in collaboration with ABB
Details: This challenge seeks innovative solutions in industrial technology, offering startups a chance to collaborate with a leading company in engineering.
Discover ABB Startup Challenge

7. Impact Festival Pitch Competition

When: September 2025
Where: Cologne, Germany
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Startups with social and environmental impact
Details: This competition aims to connect impactful startups with investors committed to making a difference. It promotes businesses focused on sustainable solutions.
Learn more about Impact Festival
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8. Web Summit ALPHA

When: November 2025
Where: Lisbon, Portugal
Prize: Investor meetings and visibility
Eligibility: Early-stage startups
Details: The ALPHA program at Web Summit provides selected startups with a platform to pitch and meet influential investors, making it an invaluable opportunity.
Explore Web Summit

9. Tech.eu Summit

When: March 25-26, 2025
Where: London, UK
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Founders and investors
Details: Tech.eu Summit gathers industry leaders and startups, offering pitch sessions and networking for those looking to connect and grow.
Learn more about Tech.eu Summit

10. Bits & Pretzels

When: September 29 - October 1, 2025
Where: Munich, Germany
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Startups across all industries
Details: A festival where startups can pitch to investors while enjoying high-quality networking opportunities with industry leaders.
Discover Bits & Pretzels

11. ViennaUP Startup Festival

When: May 8-16, 2025
Where: Vienna, Austria
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Startups and scale-ups
Details: This event focuses on connecting entrepreneurs with potential investors, mentors, and support networks.
Explore ViennaUP

12. Hello Tomorrow Global Summit

When: March 13-14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Deeptech startups
Details: A unique opportunity for startups in deeptech to pitch and network with investors and industry experts focused on groundbreaking technologies.
Learn more about Hello Tomorrow

13. PropTech Startup Europe Awards

When: October 2025
Where: Various locations
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: PropTech startups
Details: Part of the StartUp Europe initiative, this competition aims to spotlight innovative solutions in the real estate sector.
Discover PropTech Awards

14. VivaTech Startup Competition

When: June 11-14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Startups in tech industries
Details: Vivatech is Europe’s largest technology showcase, and startups can win visibility and connections by pitching their solutions here.
Explore VivaTech

15. Austrian Startup Summit

When: April 1st, 2025
Where: Vienna, Austria
Prize: Not explicitly stated
Eligibility: Startups at all stages
Details: Focused on fostering innovation, this summit brings together founders and investors for collaboration and investment opportunities.
Learn about Austrian Startup Summit
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FAQ

Q: What is the main highlight of the EU-Startups Summit in 2025?
A: The EU-Startups Summit features a pitch competition for early-stage startups with a prize package worth €390k. Learn more about EU-Startups Summit.
Q: Which startup competition offers a substantial funding opportunity?
A: The Latitude59 Pitch Competition offers up to €1 million in funding. Find out more here.
Q: What is the application deadline for the EU-Startups Pitch Competition?
A: The application deadline for the EU-Startups Pitch Competition is January 31, 2025. Discover more about the competition.
Q: What unique aspect does the Skinnovation event in Austria offer?
A: Skinnovation focuses on networking in a scenic location in the Austrian Alps, held from March 26-28, 2025. Learn more about Skinnovation.
Q: Which competition is specifically recognized for PropTech innovations?
A: The PropTech Startup Europe Awards showcase innovative solutions in the real estate sector. Read more about it here.
Q: How many attendees does the Bits & Pretzels event attract?
A: The Bits & Pretzels event in Munich expects over 5,000 attendees from the startup ecosystem. Explore Bits & Pretzels.
Q: What is the prize for the S+T+ARTS Prize competition?
A: The S+T+ARTS Prize awards €20,000 in each category, with a deadline of March 5, 2025. Find out more about S+T+ARTS Prize.
Q: What type of startups does the START Summiteer competition cater to?
A: START Summiteer provides a prize of CHF 10,000 for participating startups, with a deadline for applications on February 21, 2025. Learn more about START Summiteer.
Q: Where and when is the Slush event scheduled for 2025?
A: Slush will be held in Helsinki, Finland, on November 19-20, 2025. Discover Slush.
Q: What is the focus of the Tech.eu Summit in 2025?
A: The Tech.eu Summit focuses on gathering entrepreneurs and investors, taking place on March 25-26, 2025, in the UK. Learn more about Tech.eu Summit.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
2025-05-06 07:56 Top 15