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description: The world's largest global startup pitch competition
og:description: The world's largest global startup pitch competition
og:image: https://website-media.deel.com/hero_right_658w_deel_pitch_main_page_14714b624e.png
og:title: The Pitch by Deel
og:type: website
og:url: https://www.deel.com/the-pitch-by-deel/
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:description: The world's largest global startup pitch competition
twitter:image: https://website-media.deel.com/hero_right_658w_deel_pitch_main_page_14714b624e.png
twitter:title: The Pitch by Deel
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The Pitch by Deel
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WELCOME TO
The global stage for startup founders
The Pitch is the global tournament that rewards the world's best founders. The 2026 season is wrapped. Join the waitlist for 2027 or pre-apply to skip the line.
Join the waitlist for 2027
Sponsored By
win a life-changing capital investment in your startup
Up to 10 Global Champions win $1M in investment & Up to 100 Regional Winners win $50k in investment
One pitch can change your startup’s trajectory.
Compete locally
Apply online in three minutes. Selected applicants will pitch our judges onsite in a local venue selected for your region. Up to 100 winners from this round will receive a $50,000 SAFE investment.
Win globally
Our finalists will have their travel covered to pitch at the global finale. 10 Finalists will compete to win the grand prize: a $1,000,000 SAFE investment.
Join a community. Get perks.
All applicants will get free access to our exclusive marketplace of startup perks and benefits, and an invite to join our online startup community. Get exclusive software discounts and access networking opportunities with elite investors and founders
What The Pitch Is
A chance to win a $1,000,000 investment
The Pitch is your chance to showcase your startup on a global stage. Network with elite founders and celebrity judges and win funding to accelerate your growth.
Apply online in three minutes
Get global exposure for your startup
Network onsite with elite investors and celebrity judges
Join the waitlist for 2027
Eligibility
Who should apply
The Pitch is open to startups typically at pre-Seed, Seed and Series A stages that meet the following criteria:
Already have full-time founders
Based in any country in the world
From any industry
Have a registered legal entity
Building a product or service with scaling potential
Join the waitlist for 2027
View terms
HoW IT WORKS
Compete locally. Win globally.
Apply online in about three minutes. If selected, you’ll pitch live at a regional final in your area. Finals take place in Tel Aviv, Dubai, Singapore, Berlin, London, Paris, and New York from March to May 2026. From those events, up to 100 startups will receive a $50,000 SAFE funding, and travel coverage to attend the Global Finals, where up to 10 winning startups will receive the $1,000,000 SAFE grand prize.
Join the waitlist for 2027
See terms
something for everyone who applies
Join a community. Get exclusive perks.
All applicants get free access to our exclusive startup perks marketplace with top software deals, plus an invite to our global online startup community. You’ll get opportunities for ongoing mentorship, real connections with top founders and investors, and a space to trade insights with other builders going through the same thing.
Join the waitlist for 2027
View Perks
Event Details
Apply to participate live at one of seven regional events across the globe. Winners from these events will attend the Global Finals.
Join the waitlist for 2027
Interested in sponsoring The Pitch?
Partner with The Pitch to connect with the world's most promising startups. Sponsors gain brand visibility across global events, exclusive access to the world’s top founders, and the chance to shape the future of entrepreneurship.
Become a sponsor
FAQs
Who could apply to The Pitch 2026?
Any seed-stage startup with a minimum viable product (MVP) could apply. We were looking for companies at the pre-seed or seed stage that had incorporated (we could help with that!) and were ready to scale.
How much did it cost to apply to The Pitch 2026?
Absolutely nothing. The Pitch was completely free to enter. No application fees, no participation fees, no hidden costs. We believed the best ideas should compete on merit, not on who could afford to pay.
What happened if you made it to The Pitch 2026 Global Finale?
You would compete for up to $1M in investment and received unprecedented global exposure. Finalists got access to Deel's network of investors, mentors, and industry leaders, plus extensive media coverage and the chance to present at our flagship event.
How long did the application take for The Pitch 2026?
The application was designed to be fast and founder-friendly. Most applicants completed it in under 5 minutes. We asked for essential information about your startup, your product, and your traction—nothing excessive.
What criteria were used to evaluate The Pitch 2026 applications?
We evaluated based on product strength, market opportunity, team capability, traction metrics, and scalability potential. Both AI analysis and human expert review ensured fair, comprehensive assessment of every application.
When did you hear back about your The Pitch 2026 application?
Applications were reviewed on a rolling basis. If you advanced to Golden Tier, you were notified with next steps.
Was in-person attendance required for The Pitch 2026 regional finals and grand finale?
Yes. All stages of The Pitch required in-person participation.
Who judged The Pitch 2026 regional finals and grand finale?
Judges were announced closer to each event.
What was the structure of The Pitch 2026 investment?
Our structure was designed to be founder-friendly and complementary to traditional venture capital firms, which was why a16z, Ribbit, and others were comfortable partnering alongside us in this program.
The $50K investment conformed to YC standards and was done via SAFE with a 20% discount to the next priced round and no valuation cap. If you were raising a round right then, we could also join the round. As part of entering The Pitch competition, you were required to take this investment, but our intention with such an investment was to support founders without taking large ownership stakes or competing with lead investors. Companies selected also received access to our network, go-to-market support, ecosystem perks, and strategic introductions. As a corporation, Deel required certain standard rights as it managed these investments (e.g. information rights), but our goal was to support you as much as you needed/wanted.
All terms could be discussed at a later stage.
Did you have to submit a 2-min pitch video to apply to The Pitch 2026?
No, your live pitch moment was on the stage on D-Day only. You needed to apply via the application survey to briefly explain what your product was; the video format was not mandatory.
What did selected startups need to prepare for The Pitch 2026?
Qualified startups had to deliver a 2-minute live presentation with supporting slides.
Did presentations need to be in English for The Pitch 2026?
Yes. All events were conducted in English, and presentations had to be delivered in English regardless of location.
What did The Pitch 2026 regional winners receive?
Regional winners received:
$50,000 SAFE investment
Travel and accommodation for the grand finale
Additional partner and sponsor perks (to be announced)
What did The Pitch 2026 grand finale winners receive?
Grand finale winners received:
$1,000,000 SAFE investment
Networking and promotional opportunities
All regional-level prizes and benefits
Did The Pitch 2026 grand finale winners receive both investments?
Yes. Grand finale winners received both the $50,000 regional investment and the $1,000,000 grand prize.
Was travel and accommodation covered for The Pitch 2026 regional finals?
Accommodation was provided for participants traveling from out of the country for regional events. Flights were the responsibility of participants.
Was travel and accommodation covered for The Pitch 2026 grand finale?
Accommodation was covered for regional winners. Flights were not included.
Did you need to be incorporated to apply to The Pitch 2026?
You didn't need to be incorporated at the time of applying, but you had to be incorporated by the time of the competition. We strongly recommended getting incorporated before you applied. It would make the process smoother and ensure you were ready to move quickly if selected.
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