Each year, sTARTUp Day attracts over 3,500 attendees, including investors, industry leaders, and your potential clients – all eager to discover the next big thing in the startup world. This is not just a competition; it’s an opportunity to connect, learn, and showcase your vision to the people who can help you turn it into reality.

We are seeking early-stage startups ready to make their mark. This is your chance to pitch your idea in front of investors and win life-changing prizes that will boost your business growth. Whether you are developing a cutting-edge DeepTech product, innovating in fintech, or creating solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we want to hear from you.

The Head Organizer of sTARTUp Day, Jana Saastamoinen, describes sTARTUp Pitching as “the heart of sTARTUp Day.” For her, the competition goes far beyond the prizes. Each year, it brings together innovators and investors, creating a space where businesses can flourish. “This competition isn’t just about awards,” she explains. “It’s about supporting innovation, building meaningful connections, and empowering startups to make their mark on the world.”

What’s at stake?

The sTARTUp Pitching competition offers an impressive array of prizes designed to support your startup at various stages of its growth. This year, the stakes are high, with over €500,000 worth of investments and services up for grabs. Among the highlights:

• EstBAN is once again leading a syndicate investment of up to €200,000 for the most promising startup. This is a significant boost for teams looking to take their project to the next level and attract further investment.
• Baltic Sandbox Ventures is offering an additional €200,000 investment. It focuses on early-stage DeepTech and Life Sciences startups. Its mission is to help founders tackle complex technical challenges that have the potential for major commercial applications.
• Opus11, known for backing early-stage teams with strong growth potential, will provide a €140,000 investment. This straightforward approach ensures that the winning startup gets the full support needed without any strings attached.
• Swedbank joins the prize pool with €10,000 in equity-free cash, providing a valuable runway for the winning team to accelerate their growth journey.
• A top-performing startup will receive legal support worth €10,000 from Sorainen, an award-winning international law firm. This prize offers crucial advice for navigating the legal complexities of scaling a business, ensuring that startups are set up for success from the start.
• OVHCloud will contribute up to €100,000 in cloud services, supporting the technical backbone of startups looking to scale their operations efficiently.

These prizes, combined with tailored pitch training and mentoring from industry experts, create a comprehensive support system that empowers startups to succeed globally.

Reflections from previous winners

Previous sTARTUp Pitching competition saw fierce participation from over 320 startups, showcasing the diverse and dynamic landscape of the startup ecosystem. Among the standout winners was Esgrid, which secured the €200,000 syndicate investment from EstBAN. Esgrid impressed the jury with its ESG data infrastructure solution to revolutionize sustainable procurement and finance.

Wayren received € 125,000 in investment from Baltic Sandbox Ventures for its innovative communication platform designed for mission-critical networks. The technology's potential to revolutionize connectivity in critical conditions stood out to the investors, demonstrating the startup’s technical expertise and market readiness.

eID Easy, a digital identity marketplace focusing on electronic signatures, received a €100,000 syndicate investment from .Contriber Ventures. This startup's solution to combat fraud and enhance security made it a clear favorite among the investors, who praised the team’s strong execution and a clear path to commercialization.

How to Apply?

If you believe your startup has what it takes to compete among the best, don’t wait. The application window is open now, and submissions will be accepted until December 17, 2024. The top 30 startups will be selected to pitch at sTARTUp Day in January 2025, where they will have the chance to present their ideas to a panel of experienced investors and an enthusiastic audience.

However, before pitching on the main stage, the selected startups will benefit from training sessions by David Beckett to refine their pitch and receive valuable feedback. This preparation has proven to be a game-changer for past participants, helping them secure not only competition prizes but also follow-on investments and partnerships.

To apply, visit Dealum: sTARTUp Pitching 2025 Application

We asked Karin Künnapas, EstBAN’s Executive Director, what qualities attract Estonian Business Angels Network investors to startups. “In recent years, our investors have shown the most interest in fintech, business, and HR software startups, with growing attention toward deep tech, health tech, and biotech companies,” she explains. EstBAN investors also place a strong focus on the founding team. “We always evaluate the team as a whole, preferring diverse and well-rounded groups. It’s not just about the founders’ backgrounds and experience, but also the team dynamics, how their skills complement each other, and their ability to reach ambitious goals,” says Künnapas. She notes that while a great idea is important, the true success of a startup depends on the team’s ability to execute it. Teams with multiple founders are particularly favored. “You could say that alone you get there faster, but together you go further,” she adds, underlining the value of collaboration in building successful startups.

We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table this year. Apply now and prepare to make your mark on the startup world at sTARTUp Day 2025!

Let the pitching begin – see you on stage!