Top 10 Startup Competitions for AI Startups in Europe 2025: A Comprehensive Guide
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence is at the forefront of innovation. For aspiring founders and AI enthusiasts in Europe, 2025 offers a myriad of opportunities to showcase their ideas and connect with key players in the industry through various startup competitions. Below is a carefully curated list of the Top 10 Startup Competitions for AI Startups in Europe in 2025, complete with essential details and links to their respective websites.
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1. Meta AI Startup Program
Focus: Open-source AI foundation models
Location: Paris, France (Station F)
Timeline: Program runs from January 8, 2025, for 6 months
Details: A 4-month acceleration program that provides technical mentoring from Meta FAIR research teams, access to the Hugging Face platform, Scaleway's computing power, and business support without taking fees or equity.
Who Should Apply: Startups across the EU utilizing or planning to integrate open foundation models.
2. EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition
Focus: Seed and pre-seed startups
Location: Malta
Timeline: April 24-25, 2025; applications close on January 31, 2025
Details: A competitive platform featuring 15 selected startups, with a prize package exceeding €750,000 including funding opportunities, Google Cloud credits, and mentorship from notable investors.
Who Should Apply: European seed and pre-seed startups seeking funding and visibility.
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3. EIC Accelerator
Focus: Startups and SMEs with disruptive innovations
Location: Europe-wide
Timeline: Ongoing application process with multiple cut-off dates throughout 2025
Details: Grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments up to €10 million are available, alongside coaching, mentoring, and networking opportunities. The total budget for 2025 is €250 million.
Who Should Apply: Startups and SMEs with innovative products or services poised for significant market impact.
4. SkyDeck Europe, Milano Accelerator Program
Focus: Tech startups in AI, clean energy, and medtech linked to academia
Location: Milan, Italy
Timeline: Applications open in January 2025 (Batch 20); biannual application process
Details: An accelerator program offering resources from Berkeley and Silicon Valley, designed for Europe-focused tech startups aiming to utilize academic connections.
Who Should Apply: Startups in AI, clean energy, and medtech sectors with academic collaborations.
5. Slush 100
Focus: Early-stage startups
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Timeline: November 19-20, 2025
Details: A premier startup competition at the Slush event, providing investment opportunities from leading European funds and offering hands-on mentoring for selected startups.
Who Should Apply: Early-stage startups aiming for investment and mentorship.
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6. AI Festival Startup Competition
Focus: AI-driven startups and companies
Location: Milan, Italy (Università Bocconi)
Timeline: February 26-27, 2025
Details: A competitive pitch event for AI startups, including B2B meetings, an expo area, and presentations judged by investors and industry experts.
Who Should Apply: Both Italian and international startups with innovative AI projects.
7. Startupbootcamp AI & Web3 III Accelerator
Focus: AI and Web3 startups
Location: The Netherlands (Hybrid)
Timeline: Applications open from December 2, 2024; check website for 2025 start date
Details: This accelerator program focuses on industry-specific mentorship and resources, creating a network for entrepreneurs in the AI and Web3 spaces.
Who Should Apply: Startups looking for growth in the AI and Web3 domains.
8. TechChill Startup Contest
Focus: Early-stage tech startups
Location: Riga, Latvia
Timeline: February 5-7, 2025
Details: Hosted at the leading tech event in the Baltics, this startup contest provides opportunities for networking with investors, workshops, and visibility in the tech community.
Who Should Apply: Early-stage startups seeking connections within the Baltic region.
9. TNW Conference Startup Competition
Focus: Growth-stage startups
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Timeline: June 19-20, 2025
Details: A segment of The Next Web Conference focused on showcasing best growth-stage startups, along with networking opportunities with European founders and policymakers.
Who Should Apply: Growth-stage startups eager to connect with industry leaders.
10. Latitude59 Pitch Competition
Focus: Early-stage startups
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Timeline: May 21-23, 2025
Details: A unique event featuring a pitch competition with an intimate atmosphere, nominally offering a €1 million prize and opportunities for matchmaking with potential investors.
Who Should Apply: Startups looking for investment and personalized networking experiences.
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FAQ
Q: What competition is focused on open-source AI foundation models?
A: The Meta AI Startup Program in Paris offers a 6-month acceleration program emphasizing open-source AI foundation models. Learn more about the Meta AI Startup Program.
Q: Where can seed and pre-seed startups compete for funding in 2025?
A: The EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition in Malta provides seed and pre-seed startups with a chance to win a prize package over €750,000. Check out the EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition.
Q: Which event offers substantial funding for disruptive innovations?
A: The EIC Accelerator supports startups and SMEs with grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments up to €10 million. Discover the EIC Accelerator.
Q: Where can tech startups in AI, clean energy, and medtech find support?
A: SkyDeck Europe, Milano Accelerator Program in Milan is designed for tech startups in AI and other fields, providing resources from Berkeley and Silicon Valley. Learn more about SkyDeck Europe.
Q: What competition is taking place in Helsinki for early-stage startups?
A: The Slush 100 competition is well-known for early-stage startups seeking investment and mentorship in Helsinki. Explore Slush 100.
Q: Which event is specifically for AI startups in Milan?
A: The AI Festival Startup Competition offers AI startups a chance to showcase their projects through a pitch competition in Milan. Check details for the AI Festival Startup Competition.
Q: Where can AI and Web3 startups apply for acceleration?
A: The Startupbootcamp AI & Web3 III Accelerator in the Netherlands provides mentorship and resources for AI and Web3 startups. Learn more about Startupbootcamp.
Q: Which event in Riga is ideal for early-stage tech startups?
A: The TechChill Startup Contest in Riga serves as a major tech event with a contest, networking, and workshops for early-stage tech startups. Discover TechChill.
Q: What competition caters to growth-stage startups in Amsterdam?
A: The TNW Conference Startup Competition targets growth-stage startups looking to network with investors and policymakers in Amsterdam. Explore the TNW Conference.
Q: Where can I find an intimate pitch competition for early-stage startups?
A: The Latitude59 Pitch Competition in Tallinn focuses on early-stage startups, with an emphasis on fostering startup-investor connections. Learn more about Latitude59.
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.
