Opportunities
Startup competitions in United States (October 2026)
Open competitions a founder in United States can apply to, each checked against its official page. Calls named for United States come first, then regional and worldwide calls that include it.
83 listings
Closing this month (15)
- SHINE (Supporting Highly Innovative and New Entrepreneurs) Pitch CompetitionMuscogee County School District, StartUP Columbus, and Columbus State UniversityOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 2, 2026
- CCBC Annual Business Plan CompetitionCommunity College of Baltimore County (CCBC)OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 4, 2026
- WomanUp & Pitch CompetitionMichigan Women ForwardOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 4, 2026
- $150k Bay Area Pitch CompetitionHonors Fund by CEASOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 5, 2026
- San Diego Startup Week Pitch TournamentStartup San DiegoOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 5, 2026
- SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics WestSPIEOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 6, 2026
- America's StartupAmerica250OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 8, 2026
- Startup Competition Sikorsky Challenge 2026Sikorsky Challenge UkraineOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 10, 2026
- Call Startup AI 4 FutureSearch On Media Group / WMFOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 15, 2026
- Pitch CompetitionStartup ColoradoOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 16, 2026
- Queen's Entrepreneurship CompetitionQueen's Entrepreneurship CompetitionOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 18, 2026
- Demo Day Pitch CompetitionConfluence Tech HubOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 19, 2026
- TITAN Outstanding Female Entrepreneur AwardsInternational Awards Associate Inc.OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 21, 2026
- UBS Female Founder Award 2026UBSOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 25, 2026
- Innovation Challenge Fall 2026University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial CenterOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 30, 2026
Specific to United States (19)
- SHINE (Supporting Highly Innovative and New Entrepreneurs) Pitch CompetitionMuscogee County School District, StartUP Columbus, and Columbus State UniversityOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 2, 2026
- CCBC Annual Business Plan CompetitionCommunity College of Baltimore County (CCBC)OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 4, 2026
- WomanUp & Pitch CompetitionMichigan Women ForwardOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 4, 2026
- $150k Bay Area Pitch CompetitionHonors Fund by CEASOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 5, 2026
- San Diego Startup Week Pitch TournamentStartup San DiegoOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 5, 2026
- America's StartupAmerica250OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 8, 2026
- Pitch CompetitionStartup ColoradoOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 16, 2026
- Demo Day Pitch CompetitionConfluence Tech HubOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 19, 2026
- Innovation Challenge Fall 2026University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial CenterOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 30, 2026
- All-Star Pitch CompetitionNBA FoundationOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Army xTech Prize CompetitionsU.S. ArmyOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- CNM Ingenuity Startup Pitch EventsCNM Ingenuity, Inc.Status to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- DHS Prize CompetitionsDepartment of Homeland Security Science and Technology DirectorateOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- ELEVATE Health Tech ChallengeMedical Center of the Americas FoundationOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Pitch Competitions (IgniteHTX! & Lánzate Houston!)BakerRipleyStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Pitch Your Startup - TechRiseTechRiseRollingCompetitionDeadline: Rolling
- Startup World Cup - USA - Portland Regional CompetitionPegasus Tech VenturesOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Startup World Cup Philadelphia - USA Regional CompetitionPegasus Tech VenturesOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Sunstone CSU Startup Launch 2027California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)Opens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
Also open to founders in United States (64)
Regional and worldwide calls whose rules include United States.
- SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics WestSPIEOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 6, 2026
- Startup Competition Sikorsky Challenge 2026Sikorsky Challenge UkraineOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 10, 2026
- Call Startup AI 4 FutureSearch On Media Group / WMFOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 15, 2026
- Queen's Entrepreneurship CompetitionQueen's Entrepreneurship CompetitionOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 18, 2026
- TITAN Outstanding Female Entrepreneur AwardsInternational Awards Associate Inc.OpenCompetitionDeadline: October 21, 2026
- UBS Female Founder Award 2026UBSOpenCompetitionDeadline: October 25, 2026
- SXSW Pitch 2027SXSW, LLCOpenCompetitionDeadline: November 13, 2026
- Global Sustainability Challenge 2026-27Global Sustainability ChallengeOpenCompetitionDeadline: November 22, 2026
- Start Up Energy Transition Award 2027German Energy Agency (dena)Opens soonCompetitionDeadline: November 29, 2026
- Hello Tomorrow Global ChallengeHello TomorrowOpenCompetitionDeadline: November 30, 2026
- Saudi Makes Future Startup CompetitionWMF - We Make Future & Search On Media GroupOpenCompetitionDeadline: December 10, 2026
- South Summit Brazil – Startup CompetitionSouth SummitOpenCompetitionDeadline: December 14, 2026
- Edison AwardsEdison AwardsOpenCompetitionDeadline: December 15, 2026
- Global Business Tech AwardsDon't Panic EventsOpenCompetitionDeadline: December 23, 2026
- Diamond ChallengeHorn Entrepreneurship at the University of DelawareOpenCompetitionDeadline: January 14, 2027
- South Summit Madrid Startup CompetitionSouth SummitOpenCompetitionDeadline: January 31, 2027
- Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur CompetitionBlue Ocean Student Entrepreneurs CorporationOpenCompetitionDeadline: February 21, 2027
- LegalTech LaunchPad Startup Pitch CompetitionLegalTechTalkOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: March 27, 2027
- Startup Competition WMF2027WMF (We Make Future)OpenCompetitionDeadline: April 9, 2027
- WMF 2027 Startup CompetitionWMF (We Make Future)OpenCompetitionDeadline: April 9, 2027
- Entrepreneurship World CupGlobal Entrepreneurship NetworkOpenCompetitionDeadline: May 31, 2027
- Best Startup AwardGolden Tree Events LLCOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Cartier Women's InitiativeCartierStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Creative Business CupCreative Business NetworkOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- e-FestSchulze School of EntrepreneurshipOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Egypt Proptech ChallengeInforma MarketsOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) AI:360 Global Startup CompetitionExtreme Tech ChallengeOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Falling Walls VentureFalling Walls FoundationOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Founders Live Pitch CompetitionsFounders LiveRollingCompetitionDeadline: Rolling
- Get in the RingGet in the RingStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Global Startup AwardsGlobal Startup AwardsOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)Entrepreneurs' OrganizationOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Health Tech 2026 - Online Elevator Pitch Contest47PitchesOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Hult PrizeHult Prize FoundationOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- ICI 2026 Innovation AwardICI MeetingOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- iF SOCIAL IMPACT PRIZEiF DesignOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Inclusive Innovators Pitch Competition 2026The First Institute of Canadian Inventors (FICI)OpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Innovation 2026: Online Elevator Pitch Contest47PitchesOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Innovation World Cup SeriesTechprnrsOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Innovation Zero AwardsInnovation ZeroOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- LawTech 2026: Online Elevator Pitch Contest47PitchesOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- LegalTech Breakthrough AwardsTech BreakthroughOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Mansfield Bio-Incubator $125K International Pitch CompetitionMansfield Bio-IncubatorOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- MCCH Sustainable Food ChallengeMassChallenge SwitzerlandOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- MedTech Breakthrough AwardsMedTech BreakthroughOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- MedTech World Startup Pitch Competition | Middle EastMedTech WorldOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- MIT Climate & Energy PrizeMITStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Rice Business Plan CompetitionRice Alliance for Technology and EntrepreneurshipOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- SET AwardGerman Energy Agency (dena)Status to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- She Loves Tech Global Startup CompetitionShe Loves TechStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- SLINGSHOT 2026Enterprise SingaporeOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Smart Cities Global Startup ChallengeNorth Texas Innovation AllianceOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Snowflake Startup ChallengeSnowflakeOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Start-up Village | MOVE 2026TerrapinnOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Startup Awards 2026Golden Tree EventsOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- sTARTUp PitchingsTARTUp DayOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Startup World CupStartup World Cup, Inc. / Pegasus Tech VenturesStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Stevie Awards for Women in Business - Startup of the Year (Category B11)Stevie Awards, Inc.Status to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- SuperAI Genesis AI Startup CompetitionSuperAIOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- The Elevate PrizeThe Elevate Prize FoundationStatus to confirmCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- The Pitch by DeelDeelOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Wharton India Startup ChallengeWharton India Economic Forum (WIEF)Opens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- WIN AwardsWomen in InnovationOpens soonCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
- Women Startup Competition SeriesWomen Startup CompetitionOpenCompetitionDeadline: No fixed deadline
Questions founders ask
- How many competitions are open right now for founders in United States?
- 83 competitions are open for founders in United States right now: 19 named for United States, and 64 open through regional or worldwide calls.
- Which of these closes next?
- SHINE (Supporting Highly Innovative and New Entrepreneurs) Pitch Competition closes on October 2, 2026.
- How many have a deadline this month?
- 15 close in October 2026.