STARTUP WORLD CUP
# 1 Startup Competition in the World
INVESTMENT PRIZE: $1 Million
Startup World Cup is hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures. It is a global conference and competition that brings together the top startups, VCs, entrepreneurs and world-class tech CEOs.
Startup World Cup is held in over 100 + regional events across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Each regional winner will compete in the Grand Finale for $1 Million Investment Prize on October 17, 2025 at Hilton Union Square, San Francisco.
STARTUPS
- Pitch to win a $1M Investment Prize
- Network with top-tier investors
INVESTORS
- Meet top global startup founders
- Expand your deal pipeline and explore new markets
- Network with other investors and corporate representatives
East Bay Regional Awards
- FIRST PLACE WINNER – THE HAYWARD HORIZON AWARD – will be awarded $10,000 cash prize and a chance to compete for a $1 Million investment prize in the Grand Finale
- SECOND PLACE WINNER – EAST BAY SBDC AWARD – will be awarded $5,000 cash prize.
- THIRD PLACE WINNER 1 – CITY OF SAN LEANDRO AWARD – will be awarded $2,500 cash prize.
THIRD PLACE WINNER 2 – FREMONT BANK AWARD – will be awarded $2,500 cash prize.
East Bay Regional Finalist
Coreshell Technologies
East Bay Regional Winners
First Place Winner – Hayward Horizon Award
Coreshell Technologies
Second Place Winner – East Bay SBDC Award
Cache DNA
Third Place Winner – City of San Leandro Award
Nanowear
Third Place Winner – Fremont Bank Award
Hadron Energy
East Bay Regional Schedule
| 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Registration & Networking Refreshments will be provided Conference Room doors will be closed starting 5pm |
| 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Opening Remarks – Cal State East Bay & City of Hayward Startup World Cup Introduction – Pegasus Tech Ventures Keynote Speaker |
| 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm | Pitch Presentations – Five of Top 10 |
| 6:15 pm – 7:00 pm | Panel – East Bay Regional Support for Startups SBA, CALOSBA, CSUEB, NorCal SBDC, City of Hayward, Activate Berkeley, Berkeley Startup Cluster, Startup Tri-Valley, and DVTI |
| 7:00 pm – 7:10 pm | Brief Break |
| 7:10 pm – 7:55 pm | Pitch Presentations – Five of Top 10 |
| 8:00 pm | Finalist and Winners Announced |
| 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Celebration and Networking Food & Beverages will be provided |
* You can download the Startup World Cup – East Bay Regional brochure here.*
We encourage NorCal Startup teams, Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Investors to attend and to network .
Startups Applying to Compete
All startups in Northern California are encouraged to apply to compete.
- Startups in any domain, at any stage, can apply.
- Startup must be a legal entity not just an idea.
- Apply (Instructions) and submit complete pitch slides (refer to pitch deck template as a guideline to follow)
- Apply starting June 2, 2025
- Application deadline – August 17, 2025
- Top 10 selected and announcement – August 29, 2025
- Regional Final – September 10, 2025
Workshops & Advising to Assist Pitch Applicants
- Pitch Deck Guidance Workshop – Cover the recommended pitch deck template and required slides – July 29, 12 – 1 pm: Register here
- Perfect Your Pitch – Cohort-based Intensive Pitch Preparation & Practice Sessions – August 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Register here
- Build Traction and Partnership Workshops – How to gain early customers and strategic alliances to accelerate growth, August 12 & 14, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, Register for Session #1, Register for Session #2.
- FREE individual one-on-one advising with NorCal SBDC advisors: Book Your Free Session
Top 10 Startup Finalists
Cache DNA
Coreshell Technologies
Epixego Inc.
Hadron Energy
Nanowear
Quino Energy, Inc.
Rockfish Data
Sylvatex
Tallied Technologies Inc.
Tomato.ai
JUDGES
Shawn Flynn
Managing Director, Silicon Valley Highpoint Capital
Host, The Silicon Valley Podcast
George Parrish
Chief Evangelist, Bay Angels
Executive Director, Entrepreneur Lab
John Busch
Executive Leader and Startup Advisor, Berkeley SkyDeck
Former VP GM, Applied Materials
Simon Ng
CFO, Quark Pharmaceuticals
Deal Flow Committee, Bay Angels
Izzet Darendeli
Associate Professor, Cal State East Bay
Founder/Innovation Consultant
Selina Zhang
Chair of Deal Flow Committee, Bay Angels
Advisor, Berkeley SkyDeck
Panel – East Bay Regional Support for Startups
Nancy Mangold PhD
Executive Director,
East Bay SBDC
Chris Horton
San Francisco District Director,
US Small Business Administration
Jermaine Carter-Gibson
NorCal Local Engagement Specialist,
California Office of the Small Business Advocate
Anthony Muscat PhD
Provost &
VP, Academic Affairs,
Cal State East Bay
Matthew Joehnk
Director,
Tech Futures Group, NorCal SBDC
Paul Nguyen
Chief Economic Development Officer,
City of Hayward
Abbey Thompson PhD
Fellowship Manager,
Activate Berkeley
Eleanor Hollander
Economic Development Director,
Berkeley Startup Cluster, City of Berkeley
Yolanda Fintschenko PhD
Executive Director,
Startup Tri-Valley
Jags Krishnamurthy
Chair,
Diablo Valley Tech Initiative
Directions & Parking
Address: 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. Hayward, CA 94544
Parking: Event is at UU-S – highlighted on the campus map here. Parking is available in Lot A & B.
Attendees will receive their complimentary parking permits a few days prior to the event.
Speakers
Aisha Wahab
California Senator,
SD-10
Cathy Sandeen
President,
Cal State, East Bay
Angela Andrews
Council Member,
City of Hayward
(Platinum Sponsor)
Bill Reichert
General Partner,
Pegasus Tech Ventures
Brenna Teigler
CEO,
Electrochemistry Foundry
PLATINUM
SPONSOR
GOLD
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SILVER
SPONSOR
BRONZE
SPONSOR
