$8.8M in funding through pitch competitions
There’s $8.8M in non-dilutive funding available for founders and creators right now through pitch competitions.
When we just started Frich, we won the NYU–Yale pitch competition. But what came after mattered even more than the prize itself. We gained our first users, got press attention, and even met a VC who later wrote us a $250K check (our first big investor check!). It was one of those early sparks that created momentum before we had traction, and looking back, I wish we had continued applying to more pitch competitions.
That’s why I've put together this list of active, verified pitch competitions founders can enter regardless of your industry - whether you're a creator, beauty/CPG founder, tech builder, or anything in between.
MAJOR GLOBAL PITCH COMPETITIONS
- Startup World Cup: $1M prize
- Slush 100: Up to €1M investment
- TechCrunch Startup Battlefield: $100K
- Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge: €100K
- Extreme Tech Challenge: Up to $1M potential
- MassChallenge Pitch Finale: $50K–$500K equity-free
- Founders Live: monthly events
- She Loves Tech: Up to $100K for female founders
<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: Focus on creating your best work instead of crunching numbers with FreshBooks. It’s our team’s favorite tool to help you run your business. Think - invoicing, payment & expense tracking...basically all the annoying stuff taken care of for you! Psst...we have a 75% discount code for you🎁 (Don't forget to use the code: FRICH2026_75F6) </div>
US PITCH COMPETITIONS
- 43North: $1M top prize
- Women Who Tech: $50K+
- Black Ambition: up to $1M
- Shark Tank Casting: Funding on the show
<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: ask our founders for an intro to the producer of Shark Tank!</div>
INTERNATIONAL (OPEN TO GLOBAL FOUNDERS)
- Seedstars World: up to to $500K investment
- Global Startup Awards: amount depends on the competition
- CleanTech Open: $100K
- XPRIZE (various): prize pools often $5M–$100M
CREATOR & MEDIA PITCH COMPETITIONS
- Snap 523 Creator Accelerator: $10K
- Adobe Creative Residency: $5K–$50K
- Sundance x Adobe Fellowship: ~$10K–$50K
- Tribeca Creators Market: $1.2M
BEAUTY PITCH COMPETITIONS
- Sephora Accelerate Program: Grant + potential funding
- Sephora Beauty Grant (Fifteen Percent Pledge): $100,000
TECH / AI / FINTECH / HEALTH / DEEP TECH PITCHES
- Money20/20 Startup Pitch Competition: ~$100,000 prize
- TechCrunch Startup Battlefield: $100,000 equity-free
- MedTech Innovator Global Competition: $350,000 grand prize + $25K finalist awards
- Digital Health Hub Foundation Awards @ HLTH: $500,000+ prize pool, ~$50,000 top-tier grants
- HLTH USA Startup Pitch Tournament: ~$50,000 prize value
- Finovate Startup Awards: Recognition + investor exposure (no fixed prize amount)
- Village Capital (Fintech, Climate, Future of Work tracks): ~$50K-range non-dilutive awards depending on program
SOCIAL IMPACT PITCHES
- Global Good Fund Fellowship: $10,000 leadership grant
- Echoing Green Fellowship: $100,000 stipend per fellow
- Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards: $100,000 for 1st place, $60,000 for 2nd, $30,000 for 3rd
- Village Capital Impact Tracks (Climate / Inclusion / Health): Non-dilutive grants varying by cohort
Good luck!
