Ukraine has begun accepting applications for the national stage of one of the largest pitch competitions in the world — Startup World Cup 2026. The winner of the local selection will have the opportunity to present their project in Silicon Valley and compete for the grand prize of $1,000,000 for the development of innovations.
Ukraine has begun accepting applications for the national stage of one of the largest pitch competitions in the world — Startup World Cup 2026. The winner of the local selection will have the opportunity to present their project in Silicon Valley and compete for the grand prize of $1,000,000 for the development of innovations.
As reported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, participation in the competition is a chance for Ukrainian teams to reach the international level and attract the attention of global investors. The organizers of the Startup World Cup emphasize that this platform opens up access to the best experts in the industry.
Startups that have a well-established team and are ready to present their product to the international community are eligible to participate in the selection. The main criteria for applicants are the presence of an innovative component, the potential for scaling, as well as the first results of work: a minimum viable product (MVP), a customer base or sales.
The final part of the Ukrainian selection is scheduled for May 28, 2026 and will take place within the framework of the 2U Tech Forum 2026 technology forum. The team that takes first place will travel to San Francisco, USA, in the fall. The world final, where the best startups from different countries will gather, will traditionally take place on November 18–20.
You can apply for participation in the Ukrainian stage by May 15, 2026 at the link .
Recall that last year, the winner of the Ukrainian selection of the international startup competition Startup World Cup was the startup Wantent. The startup’s product allows you to test viewers' reactions to video content using AI algorithms and determine how to increase engagement with viewing. The technology is based on several deep learning models that detect emotions, analyze gaze direction and facial microexpressions.
