The global stage for startup founders

Any seed-stage startup with a minimum viable product (MVP) could apply. We were looking for companies at the pre-seed or seed stage that had incorporated (we could help with that!) and were ready to scale.

Absolutely nothing. The Pitch was completely free to enter. No application fees, no participation fees, no hidden costs. We believed the best ideas should compete on merit, not on who could afford to pay.

You would compete for up to $1M in investment and received unprecedented global exposure. Finalists got access to Deel's network of investors, mentors, and industry leaders, plus extensive media coverage and the chance to present at our flagship event.

The application was designed to be fast and founder-friendly. Most applicants completed it in under 5 minutes. We asked for essential information about your startup, your product, and your traction—nothing excessive.

We evaluated based on product strength, market opportunity, team capability, traction metrics, and scalability potential. Both AI analysis and human expert review ensured fair, comprehensive assessment of every application.

Applications were reviewed on a rolling basis. If you advanced to Golden Tier, you were notified with next steps.

Yes. All stages of The Pitch required in-person participation.

Judges were announced closer to each event.

Our structure was designed to be founder-friendly and complementary to traditional venture capital firms, which was why a16z, Ribbit, and others were comfortable partnering alongside us in this program.

The $50K investment conformed to YC standards and was done via SAFE with a 20% discount to the next priced round and no valuation cap. If you were raising a round right then, we could also join the round. As part of entering The Pitch competition, you were required to take this investment, but our intention with such an investment was to support founders without taking large ownership stakes or competing with lead investors. Companies selected also received access to our network, go-to-market support, ecosystem perks, and strategic introductions. As a corporation, Deel required certain standard rights as it managed these investments (e.g. information rights), but our goal was to support you as much as you needed/wanted.

All terms could be discussed at a later stage.

No, your live pitch moment was on the stage on D-Day only. You needed to apply via the application survey to briefly explain what your product was; the video format was not mandatory.

Qualified startups had to deliver a 2-minute live presentation with supporting slides.

Yes. All events were conducted in English, and presentations had to be delivered in English regardless of location.

Regional winners received:

• $50,000 SAFE investment
• Travel and accommodation for the grand finale
• Additional partner and sponsor perks (to be announced)

Grand finale winners received:

• $1,000,000 SAFE investment
• Networking and promotional opportunities
• All regional-level prizes and benefits

Yes. Grand finale winners received both the $50,000 regional investment and the $1,000,000 grand prize.

Accommodation was provided for participants traveling from out of the country for regional events. Flights were the responsibility of participants.

Accommodation was covered for regional winners. Flights were not included.

You didn't need to be incorporated at the time of applying, but you had to be incorporated by the time of the competition. We strongly recommended getting incorporated before you applied. It would make the process smoother and ensure you were ready to move quickly if selected.