upSTART, the startup pitch competition at Digital DNA returns for 2018
by Startacus Admin
upSTART, the startup pitch competition that brings together a whole host of top UK, Irish and European tech startups, Investors and Judges is BACK for 2018 at Digital DNA.
Now in its third year, upSTART once again returns to annual leading Irish business and tech two-day conference, Digital DNA which 
hosts over 3,000 delegates from across the world in Belfast City, Northern Ireland - this year on the 19th and 20th June.
Hosted by Startacus (that’s us) the one-day pitch competition will play out over 2 rounds, starting with approx 25 disruptive startups and culminating with 1 eventual winner who will walk away with a £5k cash prize and a whole host of partner prizes.
Startups will also be given the opportunity to exhibit their startup for the whole two days of the event, take part in an investor and judges networking social, as well as 1-2-1 investor meetings.
There will be a guaranteed £5k cash prize to the winning upSTART 2018 startup, plus a whole host of winner prizes which will be announced over the coming weeks.
What upSTART 18 will be looking for...
-
AI, Data, AR and VR, Fintech, Wearable Tech / IoT, Cyber Security, SaaS with an additional wildcard section for any tech / digital startup that can demonstrate innovation and high-growth potential.
-
Both pre and post-investment startups (under £750k) will be eligible to apply.
-
Startups must be able to clearly demonstrate how their innovation has the potential to disrupt the marketplace.
-
Startups who apply to pitch must be available to be in Belfast during the period of Digital DNA 2018 on the 19th and 20th June 2018.
-
Applications to pitch at upSTART at Digital DNA 2018 are now open. Apply here.
The good news is that It is once again FREE to pitch at upSTART at Digital DNA 2018 and all shortlisted startups will be given one free ticket to attend the two day Digital DNA event.
Last year the upSTART competition was fierce and over the coming weeks we will be sharing the legacy of upSTART to date. But to give you some indication of quality, 2017 pitching startups inlcuded Good-Loop, Kodama, ProtectBox, Small Robot Company, Wia, Locate a Locum, Kompas, WeSavvy Nova Leah and 2017 winner 
Reposit.
Also this year, alongside the opportunity to pitch your startup at Digital DNA, startups can also apply to exhibit on a pod in the dedicated upSTART startup and showcasing area, network with sponsors and be part of the buzz and excitement with dedicated upSTART podcasts, studio sessions and sponsor interviews.
Read here for full criteria and T&C’s and to find out more about upSTART 2018 and Digital DNA visit their dedicated upSTART 2018 information page.
To make that all important application you can also head straight to our F6S application page and for a flavour of what you can expect at Digital DNA 2018, check out this short video below of the 2017 event. Good luck to all!
Digital DNA 2017 overview
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
.jpg)
Carbon marketplace experts JustCarbon urge businesses to consider carbon credits to offset carbon emissions now or to bank them while market prices are low.
 (1).png)
The UK’s fastest-growing plant-based meat brand, THIS™ set to launch Seedrs campaign to support further innovation, bold marketing and international expansion.
New mentorship programme aims to enable Hootsuite employees to shed light on their lived and sector experience and support BYP Network members’ career development.
CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announce that they have raised over $3M in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.
.jpg)
Career Masterclass has launched a new website to showcase its offerings, as a strategic partner for businesses wanting to bolster D&I policies.
NI Startup? Fancy showcasing your startup at this year's Digital DNA event? We've got up to 10 spaces for NI startups to do just that. Here's the details!
Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.
Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.
Need a little extra motivation to get your daily step count up? Treekly will help you do your bit for the climate crisis with every step you take...
Published on: 9th April 2018
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Voicy lands €1.2 million pre-Seed from Global Founders Capital to build the GIPHY for sound 20th May 2022 Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.
- Zolar Lands €100 Million Series C On The Back Of Surging Demand For Affordable Green Energy 19th May 2022 Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.
- Metro Bank opens call for participants for second Magic Makers programme 17th May 2022 Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.
- Storyblok Raises $47M Series B to Make Headless Content Management the New Standard 17th May 2022 Storyblok secures major investment to further accelerate product innovation and growth into the US and Europe.
