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2025-04-20 08:27 Top 10

Top 10 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe 2025

Top 10 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe 2025

The startup ecosystem in Europe is thriving, and 2025 is set to be an exhilarating year for founders and investors alike. From pitch competitions to networking extravaganzas, this list highlights the top events where early-stage startups can showcase their innovations and network with key industry players. Below is a comprehensive rundown of the Top 10 Startup Competitions for Early-Stage Startups in Europe for 2025, complete with essential details.
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1. TechChill Fifty Founders Battle

When: February 5-7, 2025
Where: Riga, Latvia
Who Should Participate: Promising early-stage startups from various industries in the Baltics, Nordics, and beyond.
Highlights: This annual pitch competition features 50 selected startups that get the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of international investors and local ecosystem players.
Networking Opportunities: Attendees include investors and founders, providing an excellent platform for making crucial connections.
Why Participate: A chance to gain visibility and secure potential investments from interested parties.
Learn more about TechChill Fifty Founders Battle

2. EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition

When: April 24-25, 2025
Where: Malta
Who Should Participate: Early-stage startups, particularly pre-seed and seed-stage.
Highlights: The pitch competition features 15 exciting startups competing for a prize package worth over €750,000, including funding opportunities from notable investors like Look AI Ventures and Techstars.
Networking Opportunities: The event attracts investors, tech leaders, and media representatives, creating valuable connections.
Why Participate: Unique opportunity to access funding and networking within Europe’s vibrant tech community.
Discover more about EU-Startups Summit
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3. START Summiteer (START Summit)

When: March 20-21, 2025
Where: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Who Should Participate: Early-stage startups founded in 2022 or later with less than CHF 500,000 in funding.
Highlights: The competition offers a prize of up to CHF 30,000, alongside a vibrant program that includes hackathons and showcases with 8,000 total attendees, including over 1,000 investors.
Networking Opportunities: Participants can connect with a diverse range of industry players and venture capitalists.
Why Participate: It combines competition with networking, making it a must-attend for budding entrepreneurs.
Learn more about START Summiteer

4. Slush 100

When: November 19-20, 2025
Where: Helsinki, Finland
Who Should Participate: Early-stage tech startups founded in 2021 or later with less than €2 million in equity funding.
Highlights: Startups compete for a prize pool of €1 million in funding amid a bustling environment with thousands of attendees from various sectors.
Networking Opportunities: The event facilitates matchmaking between startups and investors, making it an ideal networking hub.
Why Participate: A platform designed specifically to support and elevate startups in the tech scene.
Visit Slush 100

5. Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge

When: Ongoing throughout 2025
Who Should Participate: Early-stage deep-tech startups.
Highlights: This competition emphasizes sustainable and impactful solutions across various sectors, including energy and agriculture.
Networking Opportunities: Access to funding opportunities, visibility, and connections with other startups.
Why Participate: Focused on driving innovation and sustainable development, making it ideal for startups looking to make a difference.
Learn more about Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge
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6. VivaTech Startup Challenges and Awards

When: June 11-14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Who Should Participate: Tech startups across various industries.
Highlights: Brings together thousands of startups, tech leaders, and investors for competitions, thematic areas, and networking.
Networking Opportunities: A massive audience creates numerous connection opportunities with industry experts.
Why Participate: A key venue for securing funding and establishing valuable partnerships.
Discover VivaTech

7. ViennaUP Startup Festival

When: May 8-16, 2025
Where: Vienna, Austria
Who Should Participate: Startups across various industries.
Highlights: Features 50+ events catering to startups and investors, with over 10,000 participants expected.
Networking Opportunities: Different tracks for diverse audiences including startups, investors, and policymakers create abundant networking opportunities.
Why Participate: A great chance to gain visibility and meet potential investors and partners.
Learn more about ViennaUP Startup Festival

8. Web Summit ALPHA

When: TBA (November 2025)
Where: Lisbon, Portugal
Who Should Participate: Fast-growing tech startups with less than €5 million in funding.
Highlights: Offers access to investor meetings and global visibility, helping startups catch the eye of leading investors.
Networking Opportunities: Large international network encourages meaningful connections.
Why Participate: A chance to establish presence in the global tech landscape.
Learn more about Web Summit ALPHA

9. JEC Composites Startup Booster

When: Finalists announced January 13, 2025
Who Should Participate: Startups focused on Composites and Advanced Materials.
Highlights: Competing among 1,100+ innovative projects, this competition is a global first in the composites arena.
Networking Opportunities: Finalists gain visibility and develop valuable connections in the industry.
Why Participate: Prestigious platform for showcasing innovations in a niche sector.
Explore JEC Composites Startup Booster

10. TNW Conference

When: June 19-20, 2025
Where: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Who Should Participate: Startups focusing on technology, AI, and deep tech.
Highlights: Features over 1,000 founders and investors participating in discussions surrounding technological innovation and advancement.
Networking Opportunities: Attendees include policymakers, providing a holistic networking experience.
Why Participate: Engage with leaders in tech while exploring emerging trends.
Learn more about TNW Conference
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FAQ

Q: What is the TechChill Fifty Founders Battle?
A: TechChill Fifty Founders Battle is an annual pitch competition highlighting 50 early-stage startups from Europe, taking place in Riga, Latvia. Discover more about TechChill.
Q: When does the EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition take place?
A: The EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition is scheduled for April 24-25, 2025, in Malta, showcasing 15 selected early-stage startups. Learn more about the EU-Startups Summit.
Q: What is the prize for the START Summiteer competition?
A: The START Summiteer competition offers a prize of up to CHF 30,000 for early-stage startups and will be held in St. Gallen, Switzerland on March 20-21, 2025. More details on START Summiteer.
Q: What is unique about the Slush 100 competition?
A: Slush 100 takes place in Helsinki, Finland, focusing on early-stage tech startups with a total prize of €1 million in funding, scheduled for November 19-20, 2025. Explore Slush 100.
Q: How does the Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge support startups?
A: The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge focuses on deep-tech startups, encouraging innovation across various sectors throughout 2025, with ongoing deadlines. Find out more about Hello Tomorrow.
Q: What is the VivaTech Startup Challenges and Awards event?
A: VivaTech in Paris is a major tech event from June 11-14, 2025, offering networking and pitch opportunities for tech startups across various industries. Learn more about VivaTech.
Q: When is the ViennaUP Startup Festival scheduled?
A: The ViennaUP Startup Festival will take place from May 8-16, 2025, and offers a wide range of networking events with over 10,000 participants. Discover ViennaUP.
Q: What benefits does the Web Summit ALPHA program provide?
A: The Web Summit ALPHA program, occurring in November 2025 in Lisbon, is tailored for fast-growing tech startups, providing access to investors and global visibility. Explore Web Summit.
Q: What areas does the JEC Composites Startup Booster focus on?
A: The JEC Composites Startup Booster is dedicated to innovating in Composites and Advanced Materials, with finalists announced on January 13, 2025. Learn more about the JEC Composites Startup Booster.
Q: What topics does the TNW Conference cover?
A: The TNW Conference, scheduled for June 19-20, 2025, in Amsterdam, connects startups and investors around themes such as AI and Deeptech. Visit TNW Conference.

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.