​When? October 22, 2026 | 5:00 PM
Where? The Jerónimo Martins Grand Auditorium, Nova SBE Campus, Lisbon (Carcavelos)

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​🔥 START Lisbon’s biggest pitch night is back and this year, there’s more at stake than ever.

​Get ready for an evening bringing together early-stage startups, investors, founders, students, industry leaders, and the wider startup community for a high-energy startup pitch competition and networking experience.

​10 ambitious startups will take the stage to pitch their ventures to a jury of investors, industry experts, and thought leaders competing for two incredible opportunities on the international stage.

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​🏆 Why You Can’t Miss It

​This year, the winning startup gets two tickets to the global stage:

​🎤 START Summit - St. Gallen, Switzerland
The winner earns the opportunity to pitch at START Summit on March 18-19, 2027, one of Europe’s leading student-led entrepreneurship conferences, bringing together thousands of founders, investors, companies, and innovators.

​🌎 Startup World Cup Grand Finale - San Francisco
The winner will also earn the opportunity to compete at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco on November 6, for the chance to win a $1 million investment prize.

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​✨ What to Expect

​AGENDA

• ​🎤 Welcome & Opening Remarks

• ​🚀 Pitch Competition - Part I

  • ​5 innovative startups take the stage.

• ​💡 Keynote Speech

  • ​Featuring a special guest speaker (To be announced).

• ​🥂 Networking Break

  • ​Food & drinks will be served.

• ​🚀 Pitch Competition - Part II

  • ​5 more startups take the stage.

• ​💡 Keynote Speech

  • ​Featuring a special guest speaker (To be announced).

• ​⚖️ Jury Deliberation & Audience Voting

  • ​Cast your vote for the best pitch!

• ​🏆 Winner Announcement & Closing Ceremony

• ​🥂 Drinks & Community Time

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​💙 About

​What is START Lisbon?

​START Lisbon is a chapter of START Global, a leading student-run initiative connecting entrepreneurial students, startups, investors, and industry leaders across Europe. Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship, create meaningful connections, and empower the next generation of founders.

​What is Road to START Summit?

​Road to START Summit (RtSS) is START Lisbon’s official startup pitch competition for START Summit in St. Gallen. It gives early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ventures in front of an expert jury and the Lisbon startup community with a chance to take their journey to the international stage.

​What is Startup World Cup?

​Startup World Cup is a global startup competition connecting entrepreneurs with investors and startup ecosystems around the world. The Lisbon winner will have the opportunity to compete at the Grand Finale in San Francisco on November 6 for a chance to win a $1 million investment prize.

​One night. 10 startups. Two global opportunities. One winner.

​Ready to see who makes it to the next stage? 🚀