Deel, the leading global HR and payroll platform, today announced the launch of The Pitch, an international competition designed to identify, support, and fund the world’s most promising seed-stage startups. Leveraging Deel’s global presence, the program aims to provide founders with equal opportunities, evaluating talent based on merit rather than geography or personal networks.
The Pitch will engage over 20,000 startups across seven global regions, with a total investment pool of up to $15 million. Up to 100 regional winners will each receive a $50,000 investment, while up to ten global champions will secure $1 million each to scale their ventures.
The competition sets a new standard for global venture funding. Traditional venture capital is often limited by local networks, whereas The Pitch breaks these barriers by combining a high-stakes tournament with expert reviews that analyze a broad range of data to identify high-potential startups. With a final selection rate of just 0.05%, The Pitch is expected to be more selective than the world’s leading startup accelerators.
Applications are now open to seed-stage founders worldwide. The journey will lead to seven in-person regional finals in major tech hubs including Singapore, New York, London, and Berlin, culminating in the global finale in May 2026.
The competition is presented by J.P. Morgan, with additional support and partnerships from a16z, dLocal, Google, Orrick, Prodware, Ribbit Ventures, and Stripe. For more details, application instructions, and links to livestreams, visit the Deel Pitch page.
