What Startup World Cup does

Startup World Cup, Inc. is a privately held global startup pitch competition platform founded in 2014 and operated by Pegasus Tech Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm headquartered in San Francisco, with offices at 500 Terry Francois Street and an event footprint extending globally. The company runs 100+ regional competitions across six continents, with winners advancing to an annual Grand Finale in San Francisco to compete for a US$1 million direct investment prize from Pegasus Tech Ventures, plus potential additional investment of up to €1 million from regional partners such as Caixa Capital in Portugal. Its primary products include the Startup World Cup Competition (core pitch platform), a Mentor Program connecting entrepreneurs with hundreds of global mentors, a SWC Fund targeting US$50 million to invest in Grand Finale finalists across Health IT, AI, IoT, Robotics, Big Data, AR/VR, and FinTech, and mobile applications on iOS and Android. The business model is event-driven and community-led: competition entry is free for startups, and revenue is generated primarily through corporate sponsorships from a named roster of Big Tech, financial services, consulting, and consumer brands, optional regional exhibition booth fees, fund management fees (3% on the SWC Fund with 20% GP carry), and carried interest from prize and follow-on investments. Customer segments are horizontal: startups at any stage seeking global investor access, venture capitalists and investors seeking deal flow, and corporations seeking innovation sourcing and partnership opportunities. Recent strategic activity includes geographic expansion into Greece and Liberia, channel partnerships with Pepperdine Graziadio, International Accelerator, TechCon SoCal, and RegTech Africa, and a 2026 hackathon partnership with Perfect Corp. introducing AI/AR build events alongside the traditional pitch format.

Name

Startup World Cup

Legal name

Startup World Cup, Inc.

Website

https://startupworldcup.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Startup World Cup operates a global startup pitch competition platform with 100+ regional events across six continents, culminating in a Grand Finale in San Francisco offering a US$1 million investment prize. It serves startups, investors, and corporate sponsors via event sponsorship, mentorship, and a related $50 million venture fund managed by Pegasus Tech Ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Pitch Competitions and Global Entrepreneurship Events

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

Keywords

• Startup pitch competition
• Global startup network
• Venture capital platform
• Startup mentorship program
• Startup pitch events

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships from major technology companies (Dell, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Amazon, Oracle, Cisco, and others) who sponsor the competition events and gain access to the startup ecosystem.
2. Exhibition Booth Fees: Some regional competitions offer optional exhibition booths that startups can purchase, though there is no application fee to enter the competition.
3. SWC Fund Management: The SWC Fund targets US$50 million with a 10-year term, 3% management fee, and 20% profit distribution to GPs. General Partner is Pegasus Tech Ventures with LPs investing minimum US$250,000. Fund invests in top startups from SWC Grand Finale.
4. Investment Returns: Pegasus Tech Ventures provides a US$1 million direct investment to the Grand Finale winner, with potential additional investment of up to €1 million from Caixa Capital for regional winners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Startup World Cup operates a global startup pitch competition network hosting 100+ regional events across six continents, with regional winners advancing to an annual Grand Finale in San Francisco competing for a US$1 million direct investment prize from Pegasus Tech Ventures. The platform also includes a Mentor Program connecting entrepreneurs with global advisors and the SWC Fund, a US$50 million venture capital vehicle that invests in top finalists across Health IT, AI, IoT, Robotics, AR/VR, FinTech, and other emerging technology sectors.

Product overview

Startup World Cup operates as a unified global competition platform combining multiple complementary services. The core offering is the annual startup pitch competition featuring 100+ regional events across six continents, culminating in a Grand Finale in San Francisco where winners receive a $1 million investment prize. The platform integrates a Mentorship Program connecting entrepreneurs with global mentors, a Dance Challenge for community engagement, and the SWC Fund for direct investment in top startups. A dedicated mobile application (iOS/Android) enables participant access to events and information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWC Fund: Venture capital fund targeting US$50 million to invest in top startups from the Startup World Cup Grand Finale finalists, managed by Pegasus Tech Ventures.

Products and services

• Startup World Cup Global Pitch Competition The flagship annual startup pitch competition with 100+ regional events across six continents; regional winners advance to the Grand Finale in San Francisco to compete for a US$1 million direct investment prize from Pegasus Tech Ventures. Free to apply for legally registered startups from seed to growth stage.
• Startup World Cup Mentor Program Network of experienced global mentors (successful innovators, investors, and professionals) providing guidance, insights, and connections to entrepreneurs and startups participating in the Startup World Cup ecosystem.
• SWC Fund (Venture Capital Investment Vehicle) A venture capital fund managed by Pegasus Tech Ventures (General Partner) with a US$50 million target size, 10-year term, 3% management fee, and 20% profit carry to GPs. Limited Partners commit a minimum of US$250,000; the fund invests in 1-5 top startups per Grand Finale cohort across Health IT, AI, IoT, Robotics, Big Data, AR/VR, FinTech, and other emerging technology sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12,000 startup applicants from 50+ regions competing annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, strategic, regional and core.

• RegTech AfricamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 May 2026Hosting Startup World Cup Abuja Regional Challenge with Mehtic Technology winning the 2026 competition and advancing to global finals in Silicon Valley.
• Pepperdine Graziadio Business SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Integration of Los Angeles Regional competition into the MFC Showcase for the first time. One MFC winner advances to Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco competing for $1 million investment prize.
• Perfect Corp.flagshipTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026Partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures and Startup World Cup to host Silicon Valley Hackathon running May 5-7, 2026. Provides AI-powered API suite including AI Skin Analysis, Virtual Try-On, and Generative AI Text-to-Image Creation. Awards $2,500 in total cash prizes.
• International AcceleratormajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 31 March 2026Selected by Pegasus Tech Ventures to host the Austin Regional Tournament for Startup World Cup 2026, one of the world's largest global startup pitch competitions spanning 100+ regional events.
• Liberian Ministry of Posts and TelecommunicationsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Co-organizer of Startup World Cup Liberia Regional Competition during Liberia Technology Summit 2026, along with Liberia Telecommunications Authority and Ducor Energy Technology Solutions.
• TechCon SoCalmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 December 2025Named the official U.S. regional for Startup World Cup, with event scheduled for May 22-23 at San Diego State University. Offers startups pathway to compete for $1 million investment in global grand finale.
• Startup GreeceregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 September 2025Co-organizer of inaugural Greek event in Athens on September 10, 2025, featuring startups across AI, fintech, healthtech, and other sectors competing for $1 million investment prize.
• Pegasus Tech VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilicon Valley-based venture capital firm that organizes and powers Startup World Cup. Provides the $1 million investment prize to Grand Finale winner and manages the SWC Fund. Founded and operated by Pegasus Tech Ventures as the parent organization.
• Unicorn Factory LisbonregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Startup World Cup Portugal 2026 competition to be held June 17-18, 2026.
• Corporate Sponsors (Dell, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Amazon, Oracle, Cisco, EY, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, PwC, Stripe, L'Oréal, Johnson & Johnson)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor technology and financial corporations sponsoring the competition and gaining access to the global startup ecosystem for potential partnerships and business development opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seedstars: Global startup competition and venture builder operating in 90+ emerging markets, with regional competitions leading to a global summit and investment from a Seedstars World VC fund. Closely mirrors SWC's regional-to-global competition funnel.
• Web Summit (PITCH): Web Summit hosts PITCH, a startup competition running alongside its flagship tech conferences (Web Summit, Collision), attracting thousands of startups competing for visibility and investor introductions. Comparable scale and global sponsor base.
• TechCrunch Disrupt: TechCrunch's flagship global startup competition featuring the Startup Battlefield pitch contest with a major equity investment prize. Directly comparable as a high-profile, multi-stage startup pitch competition with strong sponsor and media presence.
• Hello Tomorrow: Global deep-tech startup competition operating regional challenges culminating in a Global Summit pitch finale with investor matching. Comparable as a category-focused global startup competition with multi-region qualification structure.
• Mass Challenge: Global zero-equity accelerator running cohort-based programs across multiple geographies with a Grand Finale pitch competition. Comparable as a global accelerator + competition hybrid focused on early-stage startup deal flow.
• Slush: Major European tech conference anchoring a startup pitching competition and investor matchmaking. Comparable as a large-scale, sponsor-driven global startup event with pitch competition format.
• SXSW Pitch: SXSW Pitch is a high-profile startup pitch competition held across multiple tracks at the SXSW festival in Austin. Comparable as a media-amplified pitch competition targeting early-stage startups seeking visibility and investor introductions.

Emerging players

• Hult Prize: Global student-led startup competition with regional rounds leading to a Global Final and a US$1M prize. Comparable as a regional-to-global pitch competition funnel aimed at early-stage founders, though focused on social entrepreneurship.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator Demo Day: Premier Silicon Valley accelerator running biannual Demo Days where portfolio startups pitch to top-tier investors. Comparable as the gold-standard startup showcase format that has influenced the global pitch competition model.
• 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups): Large-scale global venture firm and accelerator operating programs across dozens of countries with Demo Day pitch events. Comparable as a globally distributed startup accelerator with regional competition and investor-matching elements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swc2020
• YouTubeyoutube.com/startupworldcup
• Facebookfacebook.com/pegasusswc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startupworldcup
• Instagraminstagram.com/startupworldcup
• TikToktiktok.com/@startup_world_cup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup World Cup