Cape Town Startup of the Year – Pitch Battle

Startup Grind Cape Town Pitch Battle – 2025 Edition
Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned Cape Town’s Startup of the Year?

This is your chance to pitch in front of investors, industry leaders, and fellow founders, and take your startup from local hero to global contender.

We’re searching for bold, tech-driven, scalable startups ready to showcase their vision and unlock opportunities that could transform their business forever.

What’s in it for you?

Title of “Startup of the Year” – Cape Town Chapter
Automatic qualification for the Global Startup Grind Pitch Battle in February 2026 (pitch to Silicon Valley VCs)
Your pitch featured for 12 months on our chapter’s YouTube channel and added to the official All-Star Pitch Battle playlist (83k+ subscribers)
One-year spot in the Akha Venture Studio valued at R350,000, including:

Fully equipped office space for 12 months in a vibrant, collaborative founder environment
Admission to our 12-month Venture Building Programme is designed to accelerate your growth.
Mentorship from seasoned founders, investors, and industry experts
Access to investor networks and funding opportunities
Invitations to exclusive networking events, workshops, and growth resources
Business support services, including legal, financial, marketing, and operational guidance

Mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders
Additional prizes and perks to be announced

Who can apply?
Tech-driven startups with scalable business models and an MVP or live product. Revenue is preferred but not required.

Format:

1-minute pitch with 1 slide
Panel of judges and live audience Q&A

Date: 18 September 2025

Location: Cape Town (venue TBC)

Application Form - Click here to Apply

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, email: startcpt@startupgrind.com

Brought to you:

Agenda

5:30 PM: Networking and Food

6:00 PM: Welcoming

6:15 PM: Pitch Battle

6:45 PM: Fireside Chat

7:30 PM: Winner Announcement

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Host

Kyle Telfer - Spark Eighteen (Co-founder (Africa))

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Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-cape-town-presents-cape-town-startup-of-the-year-pitch-battle/.