Startup Pitch Competition
Join the most high-stakes pitch competition in AI. This is not a pitch competition built around visibility. It is designed as a direct pathway to international scale.
The Ultimate Transatlantic Runway
We don’t award trophies. We fund your international scale. Pitch live on the Amsterdam Cube Stage in front of tier-one venture partners, sovereign allocators, and Fortune 500 decision-makers, and unlock a friction-free gateway to the world's largest technology markets.
Zero equity required. Strictly evaluated on technical merit and codebase velocity. Strictly capped at startups with under €10M in total funding.
WHY COMPETE? THE HX DIFFERENCE
For three days in Amsterdam, the entire AI ecosystem is in one room.
No Trophies. Real Market Scale.
Most pitch competitions award trophies and certificates. We believe early-stage builders need customers, capital, and global distribution. Our prizes are designed to provide immediate launchpads in both the European and North American tech corridors.
Technical, Code-Level Validation
We have eliminated "idea-only" slide decks and generic SaaS pitches. Our evaluation process is led by elite developers, venture partners, and enterprise CTOs who conduct rigorous technical codebase audits. Get the ultimate seal of technical validation for your engineering team.
Direct Access to Silent Capital
Bypass the noise of public forums. Pitching on our stage puts your product directly in front of over 300 pre-vetted growth-equity allocators, global GPs, and sovereign wealth managers actively looking to deploy high-conviction capital.
Competition Overview
The HumanX Pitch Competition is the world’s premier, developer-first startup tournament. Designed to showcase the absolute edge of global machine learning, frontier AI, and quantum architectures, this competition brings together hundreds of technical entries from the most elite R&D labs and startup hubs.
Only the top 25 pre-vetted teams will secure the mic to pitch live across three high-energy semi-final sessions in Amsterdam. From there, only 5 elite finalists will advance to the central Cube Stage, pitching directly to a world-class executive jury of Lead Venture Capital Partners and Fortune 500 Enterprise Chief Technology Officers.
This is a high-visibility, zero-equity battle of engineering novelty, technical moats, and deployment velocity. It is built to bypass high-level marketing fluff and expose our audience of major enterprise buyers to raw, game-changing innovation.
The Grand Prizes
FIRST PLACE
The Transatlantic Scaling Runway Access
The first-place winner receives the ultimate international acceleration package, built to seamlessly bridge your operations directly into the US enterprise and venture ecosystem.
Guaranteed US Market Footprint
A complimentary, premium Scaleup Package at HumanX Las Vegas 2027. This includes a dedicated, pre-built Scaleup Kiosk situated in the high-gravity startup showcase zone.
Fully Sponsored Founders' Travel
Fully covered round-trip transatlantic flights for two (2) founders directly to HumanX Las Vegas
Premium Summit Lodging
Four (4) nights of fully covered deluxe accommodation at the official HumanX Las Vegas venue hotel.
Capital & Matchmaking Access
Direct, priority entry into the premium VentureConnect Plus concierge matchmaking loop and a guaranteed, exclusive invitation to our off-site GP-LP VIP Dinner in Las Vegas.
SECOND & THIRD PLACE
The Scaleup Launchpad
The runner-up teams are immediately equipped with the physical and digital tools required to capture growth capital and enterprise procurement pipelines across hemispheres.
Global Exhibition Space
A complimentary, premium Scaleup Package at the winner's choice of either the subsequent HumanX Las Vegas or HumanX Amsterdam summits.
Enterprise Showcase Kiosk
A dedicated, turnkey scaleup kiosk on your selected show floor (Las Vegas or Amsterdam) to run live product demos and capture active buyer pipelines.
Capital Matchmaking Integration
Full, priority access to on-site matching engines, digital directories, and curated VC meeting suites at your selected flagship event.
Strict Eligibility Requirements
To preserve our high-signal ecosystem, all applicants must pass our technical gatekeeping review.
Funding Ceiling
Startups must have raised under 10 million EUR in total dilutive capital.
Operational Age
Startups must be under five (5) years of active operations.
Product Readiness
You must possess an active, functional codebase, proprietary model, or working MVP. No slide-deck-only submissions are accepted.
Physical Presence Required
Startups must have an active physical presence on the exhibition floor (holding a startup kiosk, including standard exhibition modules or our subsidized Single Day Lite "Founder Scholarship" kiosks) to apply and compete on stage.
Core Timeline & Milestones
From the first application to walking on the stage, every key step on the road to Amsterdam is mapped out below.
31 JULY
Application Deadline
The application gate closes (11:59 PM CEST). No late submissions or email requests will be accepted.
29 JULY – 12 AUGUST
Judging Period
Applications are reviewed to identify the standout startups competing for a place in the Top 25.
18 AUGUST
The Top 25 Semi-Finalists Announced
The 25 elite startups selected to pitch live in Amsterdam are announced globally.
23 SEPTEMBER
Live Semi-Finals Arena
On day 1, the semi-finalist cohorts pitch live across three high-energy stage sessions.
24 SEPTEMBER
Live Grand Finals
On day 2, the top 5 finalists take the central Cube Stage to battle for global victory.
READY TO TAKE THE STAGE?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Settle your GTM strategy, prepare your codebase links, and secure your place in the transatlantic corridor.
