Top 25 Startup Competitions for Deeptech Startups in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide
As the deep tech landscape continues to evolve, 2025 is set to host numerous competitions that can provide critical support for innovative startups. From funding opportunities to invaluable networking, these competitions cater specifically to deep tech entrepreneurs aiming to solve complex challenges. Here’s a detailed look at the Top 25 Startup Competitions for Deeptech Startups in 2025, complete with information on dates, locations, prizes, sectors of focus, and links to their official websites.
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1. Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge
When: March 13-14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Prize: €100,000 (Grand Prize), €25,000 (2nd prize), equity-free
Focus: Early-stage deep tech across various sectors
Highlights: The competition provides an excellent networking platform with industry professionals and VCs. Past winners have raised over $3 billion.
2. Deep Tech Competition (University of Colorado Boulder)
When: Check the website for 2025 dates
Where: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Prize: Up to $50,000
Focus: Startups rooted in physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics
Highlights: Open to all teams developing deep tech ventures, requires founder's agreement.
3. EIC (European Innovation Council) Accelerator
When: Ongoing with calls for proposals throughout the year
Where: Europe
Funding: €1.4 billion in 2025
Focus: Digital technologies, clean/resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies
Highlights: Offers investments between €10-€30 million per company.
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4. Fifty Founders Battle (TechChill)
When: February 7, 2025
Where: Riga, Latvia
Prize: Up to €610K investment opportunity
Focus: Startups should not have raised over €700,000 in equity
Highlights: Provides media exposure and the chance to network with investors.
5. TNW Startup Competition
When: Check the website for 2025 dates
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Prize: Varies
Focus: Broad tech including deep tech startups
Highlights: Access to an extensive network of companies and investors.
6. Deep Tech Momentum
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Europe (exact location varies)
Prize: Not a direct prize, but access to investors, mentors, and corporate partners
Focus: Early-stage deep tech startups
Highlights: Offers 1:1 matches between founders, investors, and corporate customers.
7. Deep Tech CEE Challenge
When: Check the website for 2025 dates
Where: Central and Eastern Europe
Prize: Up to €1,000,000 in equity funding
Focus: Deep tech in electronics, cleantech, and medical biotech
Highlights: Aims to unlock the potential of the CEE region.
8. Berlin Deep Tech Award
When: Check the website for 2025 dates
Where: Berlin, Germany
Prize: Recognition and opportunities, unspecified monetary award
Focus: AI, photonics, quantum technologies, robotics, and Web3
Highlights: Focus on solutions/products primarily developed in Berlin.
9. Deep Tech Trailblazer Awards
When: Ongoing, apply anytime
Where: India
Prize: Funding opportunities and recognition
Focus: IT, Med/Health Tech, FinTech, AgriTech, Enterprise Tech
Highlights: Evaluated by a panel of experts and business leaders.
10. SET (Startup Energy Transition) Award
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Global
Prize: Access to global network and potential investments
Focus: Climate tech and sustainable energy
Highlights: Connects innovators with investors and partners.
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11. TOA (Tech Open Air) Startup Pitch Competition
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Berlin, Germany
Prize: €25,000
Focus: AI, VR/XR, Space, Climate Tech, Web3, SynBio, or Health Tech
Highlights: For pre-seed and seed stage startups with no more than €500K raised.
12. Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC)
When: Varies, finals in summer
Where: Global
Prize: Not specified, but exposure and funding opportunities are available
Focus: AI, robotics, semiconductors
Highlights: Finalists pitch their innovations to a panel of judges.
13. DeepEST Forum
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: New Nordics
Prize: Opportunities for networking and learning
Focus: Early stage deep tech companies
Highlights: Networking and learning opportunities for deep tech professionals.
14. Tech&Fest Deeptech Awards
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: France
Prize: Free stand at tech&fest
Focus: Energy & Environment, Defense & Security, Industry & Materials, AI, Health
Highlights: Highlights transformative deep tech projects.
15. Skinnovation
When: May 28-29, 2025
Where: Austrian Alps
Prize: Not specified, focus on networking
Focus: AI, deep tech, quantum computing
Highlights: Features workshops and networking.
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16. Techsylvania
When: June
Where: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Prize: Not specified, focus on networking
Focus: Technology and innovation
Highlights: Includes keynotes and panel discussions.
17. Arctic15
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Arctic region
Prize: Networking opportunities
Focus: Innovation and business
Highlights: Brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts.
18. Newlab
When: Ongoing
Where: Various
Prize: Not a direct prize but provides resources
Focus: Advancing critical technology startups
Highlights: Provides capital, infrastructure, and piloting opportunities.
19. Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: San Francisco
Prize: Varies, but provides exposure
Focus: Startups across various tech sectors
Highlights: A highly competitive event.
20. Podim Pitching Competition
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Slovenia
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: Features various startups and investors.
21. Infoshare Startup Contest
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Poland
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: Part of a larger tech event.
22. SXSW Pitch
When: March 2025
Where: Austin, Texas
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: Part of the SXSW event.
23. X-Pitch
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Barcelona
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: Part of a larger technology-focused event.
24. Global Startup Awards
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Global
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: International startup recognition.
25. Startup Competition at South Summit
When: Check website for 2025 dates
Where: Spain
Prize: Varies
Focus: Startups across various sectors
Highlights: A major startup event in Europe.
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FAQ
Q: What competition is best for early-stage deep tech startups?
A: Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is renowned for supporting early-stage deep tech startups that tackle societal and environmental challenges. Learn more about Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge.
Q: Which deep tech competition provides significant funding opportunities?
A: EIC (European Innovation Council) Accelerator offers funding of €10-€30 million, focusing on startups with high-potential innovations in digital and clean technologies. Discover the EIC Accelerator.
Q: What competition focuses specifically on Central and Eastern European startups?
A: Deep Tech CEE Challenge targets startups in Central and Eastern Europe, offering up to €1,000,000 in equity funding. Find out more about Deep Tech CEE Challenge.
Q: Which event is known for its networking opportunities with investors?
A: Deep Tech Momentum offers an invite-only bootcamp that facilitates one-on-one connections between founders, investors, and corporate partners. Check out Deep Tech Momentum.
Q: Where can startups compete for recognition in Berlin?
A: Berlin Deep Tech Award recognizes Berlin-based companies developing innovative deep tech solutions, offering them opportunities for networking and exposure. Learn more about Berlin Deep Tech Award.
Q: Which competition supports climate tech innovations?
A: SET (Startup Energy Transition) Award focuses on startups working on sustainable energy innovations and offers access to a global network of investors. Explore the SET Award.
Q: What competition is part of the Tech Open Air event in Berlin?
A: TOA (Tech Open Air) Startup Pitch Competition features startups focusing on advanced technologies and offers a €25,000 prize for innovative concepts. Visit TOA Startup Pitch Competition.
Q: Can you name a competition for startups in the Arctic region?
A: Arctic15 is a startup event that takes place in the Arctic region, fostering discussions on innovation and bringing together entrepreneurs and investors. Find more about Arctic15.
Q: Which competition targets healthcare tech startups?
A: Deep Tech Trailblazer Awards recognizes exceptional deep tech startups in various sectors, including health tech, providing funding opportunities and networking. Learn more about Deep Tech Trailblazer Awards.
Q: What competition is well-known for its pitch format and global reach?
A: Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is a global competition that encourages startups with groundbreaking innovations across multiple fields, providing exposure and potential funding opportunities. Discover Extreme Tech Challenge.
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.
