Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC)
Entrepreneurship World Cup (Global Entrepreneurship Network in partnership with Misk Foundation / Saudi Arabia)
$20K-$200K (equity-free)
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 4 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Equity-free global pitch contest
The Entrepreneurship World Cup is one of the largest global pitch competitions, run annually through national pitch competitions in 200+ countries that feed a global finals. It is open to founders at every stage (Idea, Early, and Growth) across all industries, and US founders enter through the open application / US national qualifier. EWC awards a total of US$1,000,000 in 100% equity-free (non-dilutive) cash prizes split across stage tracks plus AI-focused sub-tracks, with the top Early-Stage grand prize at $200,000. Beyond cash, finalists receive bootcamps, mentorship, investor networking, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the global finals (held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). It is recurring annually, with applications typically open from late fall through spring.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $20,000 – $200,000
- Realistic amount
- Tens of thousands of founders enter for ~12 cash-prize winners (plus AI sub-tracks) at the global finals, so for nearly all entrants the realistic value is the bootcamp, mentorship, and investor exposure rather than cash.
- Deadline
- Applications are open and close May 31, 2027; global finals are in November 2027.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Open to founders at every stage — Idea, Early (MVP & traction), and Growth (scaling & revenue)
- Open to startups across all industries; AI-focused sub-tracks available
- Open to applicants worldwide, including US founders (enter via the open application / US national qualifier)
- Prizes are 100% equity-free; no fee to apply (per official program description)
- Finalists must be able to travel to the global finals (all-expenses-paid trip provided to Riyadh)
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Equity-free cash prizes have no published use restrictions — any legitimate business expense
- Product development and scaling
- Hiring and go-to-market
- Working capital
How to apply
-
1
Choose your stage track and apply online
Select Idea, Early, or Growth stage (and any relevant AI sub-track) and complete the online EWC application during the open window (Nov 2025-May 2026 for the 2026 cycle).
~5 hrs
-
2
Progress through national/qualifier review
Applications are reviewed and entrepreneurs advance through national pitch competitions / qualifier rounds. US founders compete through the US qualifier path.
~5 hrs
-
3
Attend the virtual bootcamp (top 250)
The top ~250 startups globally are invited to a virtual bootcamp (July 2026) with mentorship and pitch training.
~20 hrs
-
4
Pitch at the Global Finals (top 100 / 12 winners)
The top 100 advance as finalists and travel (all expenses paid) to the Global Finals in Riyadh, where 12 winners split the $1M in equity-free prizes. Prepare a polished stage pitch and Q&A.
~25 hrs
Because EWC funnels through national qualifiers and stage tracks, your effective odds depend heavily on which stage you enter — the Idea track is far less crowded with strong-revenue companies than the Growth track, so enter the stage where your traction is genuinely strongest rather than the one with the biggest prize. The cash is fully equity-free, which is rare at this prize size; the trade-off is that the global finals (and most of the marquee experience) are hosted in Riyadh, not the US.
Deadline & timing
For the 2026 cycle, applications opened in November 2025 and ran through May 2026; top 250 startups attend a virtual bootcamp (July 2026), the top 100 advance as finalists, and 12 winners are announced at the Global Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in September 2026. The competition recurs annually.
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