Entrepreneurship World Cup (2025)

The Entrepreneurship World Cup is one of the largest and most diverse pitch competitions and support programs of its kind. Every year, tens of thousands of entrepreneurs from 200 countries compete for US$1 million dollars in cash prizes and millions more worth of investment, support and publicity through national pitch competitions, bootcamps and a global finals event attended by leading investors.

However, the Entrepreneurship World Cup is more than just a pitch competition. Co-hosted by Monsha’at and the Global Entrepreneurship Network with support from more than 100 partners world-wide, the competition connects applicants at all levels – from idea stage through growth stage – with world-class connections, resources and mentorship opportunities to enhance their skills and take their ventures to the next level, regardless of whether or not they top the podium.

Since launching in 2019, the competition has attracted 400,000 registrations from 200 countries and connected founders with over US$4 million in cash prizes and another US$250+ million worth of perks plus free support and services.

Previous winners include:

• FluidAI (formally NERv Technology Inc.), a smart medical device manufacturing startup based in Canada;
• TurtleTree, a biotech company from Singapore producing a new generation of nutrition through cell-based technology;
• Todoc, an electroceutical startup from South Korea making cochlear implants more accessible to individuals with hearing loss; and
• White Helmet, a company from Saudi Arabia that provides a platform to manage and monitor construction operations remotely.
• MisMar, an automotive tech startup reshaping the car after-sale market, based in Saudi Arabia. 

The Entrepreneurship World Cup is co-hosted by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Monsha'at, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority in Saudi Arabia, with support from more than 50 strategic partners around the world.

The competition was conceived by the Misk Global Forum in 2019 and developed in conjunction with GEN. The EWC brand is used with permission from the Misk Foundation.

Why You Should Enter EWC 2025

The Entrepreneurship World Cup is more than just a pitch competition. It gives everyone who enters access to the knowledge, networks and for some, the capital they need to start and scale a company.

• IDEA STAGE: Do you have an idea for a new company, but aren’t sure how to start or find the resources you need to take the next step? EWC helps you unleash your idea with a chance to win $50,000 in cash prizes and to meet and network with top investors locally and internationally. Being an EWC alumni will give you access to an international community.
• EARLY STAGE: Do you have an emerging startup and want to accelerate its trajectory? EWC empowers early-stage founders with a chance to sharpen your skills through a global pitch competition, a bootcamp for global finalists and win up to $100,000 in cash prizes. You will also have a chance to meet and network with peers and top investors locally and internationally. Being an EWC alumni will give you access to an international community.
• GROWTH STAGE: Have you already found your market fit, started gaining serious traction and have an initial round of funding secured? EWC provides you with a global network of potential collaborators and expert mentors to help you achieve exponential growth – and a chance to win a no-strings attached check for $200,000. Plus, a chance to meet and network with peers and top investors locally and internationally. Being an EWC alumni will give you access to an international community.

Section 1: Categories

• All applicants must fit one of the following three (3) categories. 
• These categories offer multiple stage-appropriate definitions and classification points, and within this framework, at least one (1) defining criteria must apply to qualify for that stage. 
• EWC Global, in the application review, reserves the right to recategorize an applicant’s self-reported Stage classification. 
• Idea Stage
  • Self-Funding and Conceptual: Your company (or concept) is self-funding directly from founders + family/friends to build a prototype or initiate business operations (No Revenue)
  • Unregistered Entity: Your company has not been legally registered as a legal entity and is building a business plan as a pathway to initiate business activities (No Revenue)
  • Registered Entity / No Prototype: Your company could be recently legally registered but does not have an MVP or commercially viable product (No Revenue)
  • Registered Entity / Prototyping: Your company could be registered and is actively working to develop an MVP (No Revenue)
  • Aspiring Entrepreneur: You work on a university research project that will turn into a company (tech spin-off) 
• Early Stage 
  • Seeking Validation: Your company has a commercially viable MVP that is seeking early user/customer validation in the market (Nascent Revenue)
  • Seeking Early Funding: Your company is ready for (or actively seeking) its first equity investment
  • Early Signs of Growth: Your company shows early evidence of market validation and evidence of business growth in your home market (Generating Revenue)
  • Early Equity Funding: Your company successfully earned seed / angel funding and preparing for Series-A funding
  • Early International Sales: Your company shows signs of international sales but development is still nascent
  • Nascent Bootstrapping: Your company shows evidence of small organic growth and is not seeking equity fundraising (bootstrapping)
  • Steps Toward Governance: Your company is Intent or starting to develop a board of directors
  • Creating Departments: Your company is growing and there is movement to hiring company executives (part-time or full-time) relieving the CEO/Founder from some parts of the company's operations 
• Growth Stage 
  • Consistent Growth: Your company shows evidence of strong local market validation with consistent growth for at least three years
  • Defined Departments: Your company developed an operating structure containing departments with a settled executive team that has clear department hiring standards
  • Strong Governance: Your company has an active and engaged board of directors
  • Repeatable: Your company shows clear evidence of a repeatable business model that has predictable recurring sales in multiple markets
  • Equity Fundraising for Scalability: Your company successfully closed a Series-A (or beyond) round
  • Evergreen: Your company can prove strong organic growth without fundraising (you are bootstrapping)
  • Exit-Ready: Your company has reached its growth limit or plateau and you are exit-ready (seeking acquisition or private equity)

Section 2: Phases of Participation

• Phase 1: Applications + EWC Global Pool
  • Applicants are on-boarded automatically by the competition website and segmented into appropriate categories based on their stage: Idea, Early, Growth.
• Phase 2: EWC 250 Selection
  • All registered participants compete against one another in a Global Pool to identify the most-promising startups among each of the three stages. Up to 250 contestants advance past the EWC Global Pool and will be invited to participate in the EWC Virtual Bootcamp in Phase 3.
• Phase 3: EWC Virtual Bootcamp
  • All EWC 250 contestants are invited to participate in a structured virtual bootcamp comprising one cohort organized by Idea Stage, Early Stage and Growth Stage. Teams participate in a cohort-level workshop and mentorship sessions designed to explore unique challenges, uncover applicable solutions and refine their pitch and presentation.
  • EWC 250 contestants are evaluated at the discretion of EWC judging committee(s) based on the results of due diligence and other factors tied to the Bootcamp. The top 100 are selected as the “EWC 100” Global Finalists.
• Phase 4: EWC 100 Selection
  • The EWC 100 are invited to compete in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – receiving complimentary travel – at the EWC Global Finals.
• Phase 5: EWC Global Finals
  • All EWC 100 contestants will travel to Riyadh to pitch on the main stage for prizes including a share of USD $1 million.