Deadline: March 9, 2026
Applications are open for the Next Startupper Award 2026. The Next Startupper Award celebrates student entrepreneurs driving positive change through innovation. This inter-school and university competition offers aspiring founders the opportunity to pitch their impact-driven solutions to leading tech and entrepreneurship experts at VivaTech.
Do you have an entrepreneurial project in development? Are you ready to accelerate your venture by presenting your innovative solution to leading tech and entrepreneurship experts? This competition gives you a powerful platform to gain visibility, receive expert feedback, and connect with investors and industry leaders who can propel your project forward.
Benefits
For the 6 finalists
- Speaker Passes (4-day VIP access)
- Pitch at VivaTech on the Pitch Studio Stage
- A masterclass with the CEO of Welcome to the Jungle
- Dedicated program during the 4 days of the event
For the winner
- All of the rewards previously mentioned
- Pitch on the Main Stage of VivaTech
- €5,000 check
- A startup corner at the 2027 edition
Eligibility
- Have the ability to communicate and pitch in English.
- Be a current student enrolled in a school or university.
- Have an entrepreneurial, innovative, and tech/digital-oriented project or startup created less than three years ago.
The six finalists will be selected based on the criteria below, with attention to gender parity and diverse representation of schools and countries of origin.
Evaluation Criteria
- Entrepreneur Profile: Display clear vision and ambition, team complementarity, market and customer knowledge, technical and commercial skills, and ability to articulate ideas effectively (pitch deck)
- Positive Impact: Demonstrate meaningful social and/or environmental positive impact through your project
- Innovation: Show relevance, originality, and technological innovation compared to existing alternatives in the market
- Scalability: Present a feasible, realistic, and viable solution with strong technical, economic, and environmental sustainability
Application
For more information, visit Next Startupper Award.
