43North
An annual investment competition in Buffalo, New York. Five startups win US$1 million each for 5% equity, then relocate to Buffalo and join 43North's accelerator programme.
US$1m invested · 5% equity
Status unknown
Pitch competitions
Startup pitch competitions in the United States
12 programmes. Of these, 3 say they take no equity, and 4 have applications open.
The programmes
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EF Hult Prize
A year-long student startup competition for for-profit ventures that support at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal. One finalist team wins US$1M in seed investment.
US$1m invested · equity not published
Status unknown -
Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC)
A global competition for technology startups with impact. The 2026 edition, AI:360, selects startups to present live at a summit and startup showcase in California.
Funding not published · equity not published
ClosedAI:360 Global Startup Competition 2026: applications opened 16 June 2026 and closed 30 July 2026; the programme starts 19 November 2026. -
Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)
A competition for university students who already run a business while studying. Local and national rounds lead to Global Finals, where students compete for US$100,000 in cash prizes.
US$50k prize · equity not published
Status unknown -
Harvard President's Innovation Challenge
Harvard's annual venture competition for student founders from all 13 schools and select alumni. Winners share more than US$500,000, with advising and pitch coaching along the way.
Funding not published · equity not published
Open · closes 8 Dec 2026PIC 2027: applications close 8 December 2026. -
MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition
A student-run competition at MIT in three stages from December to May: Pitch, Accelerate and Launch. The Launch winner takes a US$100,000 grand prize.
US$100k prize · equity-free
Open · closes 28 Oct 2026Pitch 2026: applications opened 14 October 2026 and close 28 October 2026; the programme starts 2 December 2026. -
MIT Climate & Energy Prize
A student-run competition at MIT for student-led climate and energy startups from universities worldwide. Teams compete for more than US$100,000 in non-dilutive cash prizes, with mentoring.
US$100k prize · equity-free
Status unknown -
MIT Solve Global Challenges
MIT Solve's open innovation challenges for tech-based solutions in climate, health, learning and economic prosperity. Selected Solver teams join a nine-month programme and share more than US$1M in prize funding.
Funding not published · equity not published
Open · closes 6 Nov 20262027 Global Challenges: applications opened 22 September 2026 and close 6 November 2026. -
Rice Business Plan Competition
A student startup competition at Rice University in Houston. Invited university teams compete over three days for investment and cash prizes, and every team wins at least one prize.
Funding not published · equity not published
Opens 9 Nov 2026RBPC 2027: applications open 9 November 2026 and close 29 January 2027; the programme starts 8 April 2027. -
Startup World Cup
A global pitch competition run through more than 100 regional events; regional champions pitch at a grand finale in San Francisco for a US$1M investment prize.
US$1m invested · equity not published
Status unknown -
SXSW Pitch
An annual startup showcase at SXSW in Austin where selected finalists pitch new technology to judges and investors across eight technology categories, plus a student category.
Funding not published · equity not published
Open · closes 13 Nov 2026SXSW Pitch 2027: applications opened 23 June 2026 and close 13 November 2026; the programme starts 16 March 2027. -
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield
TechCrunch's pitch competition at Disrupt in San Francisco. The Battlefield 200 exhibit free and finalists pitch on stage for a US$100,000 equity-free prize.
US$100k prize · equity-free
ClosedDisrupt 2026: applications closed 8 June 2026; the programme started 13 October 2026.
By state, province or city
Massachusetts
Includes EF Hult Prize, Harvard President's Innovation Challenge, MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition and 2 more.
California
Includes Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), Startup World Cup and TechCrunch Startup Battlefield.
Fewer than three listed
- New York
- 43North
Related pages
Startup pitch competitions in the United States: questions founders ask
Which startup pitch competitions in the United States does TheIncubatorPro list?
We list 12 programmes: 43North, EF Hult Prize, Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), Harvard President's Innovation Challenge, MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition and 6 more. Each listing links to the programme's own pages and shows the day we last verified it.
Which startup pitch competitions in the United States take no equity?
3 of the 12 say they take no equity: MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition, MIT Climate & Energy Prize and TechCrunch Startup Battlefield. 8 do not publish their equity terms.
Which startup pitch competitions in the United States are open for applications?
Applications are open for MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition (closes 28 October 2026), MIT Solve Global Challenges (closes 6 November 2026), SXSW Pitch (closes 13 November 2026) and Harvard President's Innovation Challenge (closes 8 December 2026). The deadlines page lists every date we track.
Where do these startup pitch competitions run?
Cambridge (4), San Francisco (2), Alexandria (1), Austin (1), Boston (1), Buffalo (1) and 2 more. Delivery varies: each listing says whether the programme runs in person, remotely or both.
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