NI startup pitch competition LEVELUP opens for applications

by Startacus Admin

https://mailchi.mp/startacus/levelup

Interesting and innovative early-stage NI startups now being sought for the LEVELUP pitch competition at Derry and Strabane Enterprise Week with £2k cash prize awarded to the winning NI startup

Applications are now open for the LEVELUP startup pitch competition for early stage NI startups that will take place during the LEVELUP 2021 event on 21st and 22nd April. 

Delivered by Startacus and in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council, LEVELUP is a 2-day hybrid event that forms part of Derry and Strabane Enterprise Week. (you can register your interest here for when tickets for the event sessions go live!)

Drawing on and looking at innovation and best practice from around the world, the event will seek to inspire change and encourage entrepreneurship at a local level, exploring how people, both locally and internationally, have created opportunity, economic growth and initiated real change. The event will focus on 6 core themes:

• Smart Places and Rural Innovation 

• Retail and High-Street

• Entrepreneurship & Innovation 

• Health & Wellness 

• Social Change 

• Inclusion & Diversity

The LEVELUP pitch competition is seeking to find NI startups that fit within one of these 6 core themes and which offer innovative solutions and show real growth potential.

In addition, there is a *Wildcard category for early stage NI startups offering disruptive and innovative solutions and products that fit outside of these core event themes - for example innovation in finance, cyber security, or education and so on. 

Eligible NI Startups must be 36 months old or less and have raised less than £100k (in terms of grants, funds and investment). 

Up to 14 NI startups will be shortlisted and selected to take part in the event, where they will pitch virtually to a panel of industry experts. The overall winning startup will be awarded a £2000 cash prize during the final session of the two-day hybrid event. 

Shortlisted NI startups who apply to the competition must be available to deliver a short 3-4 minute pitch to a panel of judges between 6pm and 7.45pm on 14th April so that their pre-recorded pitch can be viewed as part of the LEVELUP event on the 21st or 22nd April. Up to two founders / senior team members from a startup can take part in the pitch and answer questions from the judges.

Startup founders / or a senior representative of the team must also be available to join a live Zoom session currently scheduled for 3.40pm - 4.10pm on 22nd April when the LEVELUP startup winner will be announced. 

Pitch applications close at 11.59pm 11th April 2021 and startups may also be shortlisted by Startacus before this final date. Shortlisting decisions are final and any startups who miss the application closing date will only be invited to pitch if pitching slots become available.

Interested NI startups can also reach out directly to Alastair Cameron, Co-founder at Startacus via alastair@startacus.net to discuss applying. 

Applications can be made here where you can also review the competition full terms and conditions. Good luck to all who apply! 

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Published on: 25th March 2021