 The best university startups from around the world come together to network, exhibit and pitch for a chance of becoming the world's best university startup!
In 2020, the World Cup is hosted by Venture Cup China in Wenzhou, China on October 17th - 20th 2020.Â
Community of the best university startups worldwide
Venture Cup Denmark hosted the first University Startup World Cup back in 2015 with 37 university startups from around the world. It turned out to be a great success, and it has been running ever since in Copenhagen, Denmark.Â
Despite reaching millions of readers worldwide, meeting some of the largest companies in Denmark and winning significant cash prizes, one of the most remarkable things about the World Cup turned out to be the international network that the participants achieved after spending 5 days in Copenhagen. And even though some of the participants have since changed career path, are no longer studying and is not part of the international startup ecosystem, the network is still active today.Â
The goal with University Startup World Cup is to feature the best university startups from around the world and give them a network which will help them grow - both businesswise and personally.Â
startups every year
finalists participating
countries
students reached
country partners
say USWC led to future business growth
would recommend others to participate
would consider using Denmark as a test market
would consider moving to CPH to work on their startup
reached on Social Media
Testimonials from participants
"The week in Copenhagen was very inspirational – full of new ideas, knowledge and amazing people. And we are extremely grateful to the USWC team for all the help and support that they have been providing all though the event. University Startup World Cup pushed our team to reach new limits."
Laava Tech, Estonia - USWC 2018 Winner
"It was eyeopening to witness so many ventures committed to better business models and to the SDGs. Seeing unity for a common goal and way of doing business was inspiring. We’re truly grateful to have been invited and given an opportunity to represent our country while developing credibility in a new market. On top of the opportunity of making your dream of global impact more of a reality, is the shared learnings and new friendships you return home with. It was a truly incredible experience and I loved every minute of it!."
Health-Bridge, Canada - USWC 2019 winner
"University Startup World Cup was our first competition outside of our university so we didn’t know what to expect! But in a short week, we had enough feedback to completely redesign our pitch, fine-tune our presentation, and were able to meet professionals in our field with valuable thoughts on our startup, willing to help us in the long run. It was an amazing launchpad of an experience overall."
Sunthetics, U.S.A.
"The University Startup World Cup isn’t just a platform to showcase your business, establish networks and compete in a competitive environment. It is an opportunity to make lasting friendships and establish impactful business links that have the capacity to forge the future. It is an experience."
RAB-Microfluidics, UK - USWC 2017 Winner
About University Startup World Cup 2020
The World Cup will take place in Wenzhou, China, on October 18th - 20th, and it will be a great opportunity to meet key players from the Chinese ecosystem, including investors, entrepreneurs, companies and other student startups. A total of around 60 of the best university startups will participate and we promise that it will be defining moment for your startup.Â
As a participant, who are you?
- You're part of a startup with two co-founders and one of them has to be affiliated to a university.
- If you are being represented by a country partner, they cannot be a co-founder within the team, but mentorship is allowed.
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You classify as either early stage or growth stage (see the definitions in FAQ)
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You want to be part of a network of international student entrepreneurs
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You see the possibilities in meeting with key players from the Chinese startup ecosystem
What will you get out of participating?
You will be invited to join around 60 other startups to meet and greet with Chinese investors, companies, and tech experts. You will be part of a network that you can use long after the University Startup World Cup if you need contacts on a specific market, scalability advice or a couch to crash on when traveling the world!
Sounds pretty amazing, right? And we haven't even mentioned the honor and promotion that go hand in hand with being awarded the world's best university startup! Previous years, we've reached millions of readers worldwide via articles and social media.
So stay tuned, and read more about how you apply!
How do you apply?
- See the four categories below and determine in which category your startup fits
The 4 categories are; Healthtech, Greentech, ICT (information communication technology) and Smart City. There are four categories for each early stage and growth stage, with a total of 8 category winners and 2 overall winners. Only 2 members per startup is allowed to attend.
Healthtech
Greentech
ICT
Smart City
Application portal is open now and will close on June 14th. All teams must submit their application through the YouNoodle platform.
Country Partners
Venture Cup Denmark works closely with several Country Partners around the world. These are usually Universities or organisations that focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and startups. The Country Partner will get promotion from Venture Cup Denmark through our website, social media channels, and on some print materials. They will also be invited to attend the event, where accommodation and some food will be covered.
In return, the Country Partner will agree to nominate at least 3 teams from their country. The teams will still need to go through the application process. They will also promote the event on their own channels.
See a list of our current Country Partners under 'Partners'. If you are interested in becoming a country partner, click the button below.
University Startup World Cup 2019 Winners
Overall and Social
Health-Bridge
University of Toronto York, Canada
We tackle the language barrier in health care using technology.
Environmental
Lupinta
Malmö University, Sweden
A new, innovative alternative for soy-based food products.
Health
VIOBAC
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Preventing catheter associated urinary tract infections with UVC light
Economic
AMaPro
RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Empowering people to sustainably manufacture affordable prostheses for everyone.
