The world’s leading startup pitch competition, Startup World Cup, is returning to Cyprus for the second time.

Presented by Mellow and organized by Aivitam Ventures in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures, this prestigious competition offers local and international startups the opportunity to compete for a $1 million investment prize at the Grand Finale in San Francisco. The application process for the Cyprus regional finals is now open, with a deadline of May 20, 2025

Last year, two startups —Fincom and DISPL—represented the island at the Grand Finale. Fincom secured an impressive 4th place out of 100 countries and cities, marking a remarkable achievement on the global stage.

The Startup World Cup is a premier global startup event, connecting top entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders. Regional competitions take place in over 100 locations worldwide, including North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. In Cyprus, the regional finals will once again bring together over 100 startups from various industries, offering them a platform to showcase their ideas and compete for a spot at the Grand Finale in San Francisco on October 17, 2025. Finalists will receive coverage for their round-trip flights, along with additional prizes from partners, totaling $10,000 in value.

Eligible startups must have a registered entity and a strong connection to Cyprus (e.g., Cypriot founders or team members). Startups from Ukraine, Greece, Israel, and the wider MENA region are also invited to participate in the Cyprus regional finals.

The application process is straightforward:

1. Submit your application by May 20, 2025.

2. Provide details about your startup and attach a pitch deck.

3. Receive updates via email and gain access to the networking platform to connect with mentors, angel investors, and VC funds.

4. Venture capital analysts will select the top 10 startups for the final round.

5. Pitch your startup at the live competition in Limassol on 5 July 2025.

The Cyprus finals will take place in Limassol on 5 July 2025, as part of the SWC2025 event, which will include a conference format, panel discussions, stage interviews, and more. Selected startups will pitch in front of an independent jury, top investors, and industry experts. The event provides unparalleled networking opportunities, one-on-one meetings with investors, and media exposure for the winning startup.

Additionally, this year’s headline speaker will be Uri Levine, the renowned entrepreneur and co-founder of Waze, the world’s largest driving traffic and navigation app, and an investor in Moovit. 

He will deliver a special keynote speech, a networking book session, and conduct an exclusive training course for the competition’s finalists, offering them invaluable insights and mentorship.

The Startup World Cup is more than just a competition—it's a gateway to global investment, industry recognition, and strategic partnerships. Don't miss your chance to be part of this game-changing event!

Dmitry Dosov, GP at Aivitam Ventures: 

"Cyprus is steadily evolving into a dynamic startup hub, with immense potential and a growing pool of opportunities. The foundation is already being laid, but there is still a long way to go. Our mission is to contribute to this transformation by supporting local entrepreneurs in scaling their ideas and gaining international recognition. Together with our partners, we aim to turn Cyprus into a strong contender on the global innovation stage and guide the next generation of startups on their path to success."

Pavel Shynkarenko, Founder & CEO, Mellow: 

“At Mellow, we’re passionate about nurturing entrepreneurial talent in all its forms, making our partnership with the Startup World Cup a natural and exciting fit. This competition provides local startups an exceptional platform to showcase their innovations, connect with investors, and secure essential funding to accelerate their growth. We’re proud to support this inspiring event and are genuinely excited to help ambitious entrepreneurs turn their visions into reality.”

Anis Uzzaman, Founder and CEO, Pegasus Tech Ventures: 

“We are thrilled to partner up with Aivitam Ventures for the Startup World Cup Cyprus Regional and are delighted by the quality and enthusiasm of the competing startups. Each year, we have been able to reach more entrepreneurs in more cities around the world and connect more innovation ecosystems to Silicon Valley and the rest of the world. We hope this partnership creates new, valuable opportunities for the competing startups in Cyprus.” 

Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus: 

“Exciting to see how fast the Cypriot startup ecosystem is evolving, particularly with new startups betting their solution framework approach on adopting AI technologies.

According to ecosystem analysts such as Startupnlink, since 2020, the number of startups in Cyprus has grown 5x, and we are now growing faster than ever. The results speak for themselves, and we now need to rethink how we embrace every startup and innovative company that has as its vision to change the world through Cyprus.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Startup World Cup Cyprus Finals for their persistence in awakening the innovation ecosystem and encouraging it to step up.”

Aivitam Ventures and Pegasus Tech Ventures are organizers of the Startup World Cup regional finals in Cyprus.

Aivitam Ventures is all at once — a venture fund, startup builder, and provider of global PR and marketing for startups and tech companies. Under Forbes’ license, the company has successfully held two events in 2023 – Forbes Cyprus The Future of Fintech Summit and Forbes Cyprus 20 Women in Tech Awards.

In March 2024, we launched The Future Media, a global media platform.

Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley with $2 Billion in assets under management. Pegasus offers intellectual and financial capital to emerging technology companies around the world.

• Title Partner: Mellow

• Silver Partner: Dream Play

• Silver Partner: Invest Cyprus

• Bronze Partner: Cybergizer

• Bronze Partner: Sendpulse

• Venue Partner: BrainRocket

• Media Partner: The Future Media

• Global Organizer: Pegasus Tech Ventures

• Cyprus Organizer: Aivitam Ventures