Deadline: September 14, 2018
The 5th edition of the Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is now open. The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is a worldwide renowned startup competition designed specifically to address the needs of deeptech entrepreneurs across several different industries and technologies. The Challenge was created in 2013 by two PhD students Xavier Duportet and Arnaud De La Tour who realised that the resources needed to propel emerging technologies were different from those of traditional web and mobile innovation.
The Challenge gives scientists and deeptech entrepreneurs around the globe a platform for their research and projects, providing participants with equity-free funding, global visibility and connections with key players in the deeptech innovation network and other fellow entrepreneurs. To date, previous early-stage participants have raised more than $240 million in funding.
Do you have a deep-tech startup or project that uses advanced technology to answer a societal or industrial challenge? Apply now. The Grand Finals will be held in Paris on March 13-15th during the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Tracks
Choose your main industry or technology focus:
- Aeronautics
- Data and AI
- Digital health
- Energy
- Food, Agriculture and Environment
- Global Health
- Industrial Biotech
- Industry 4.0
- New Materials
- New Mobility
- New Space
- Wellbeing
Prizes
The grand winner, selected among track winners, will be awarded 100k€ (15k€ + 85k€).
- One €100k grand prize: for the best early-stage startup – equity-free, no strings attached – powered by bnp paribas
- Eleven €15k prizes: for the best early-stage startup in each track – equity free, no strings attached – powered by our main partners
- 70 finalists (around 6 finalists per track) will have the opportunity to pitch in front of a 200 select audience, competing for the 15k€ prize per track.
- The Top 500 most promising startups will be selected by Hello Tomorrow and are invited to the Hello Tomorrow Summit in Paris on March 14th & 15th 2019 to interact with sector specific and invite-only investors, top executives, accelerators and fellow founders. They are also invited to the Investor Day on March 13th 2019, for one-on-one meetings with 200 top-tier VCs, which will take place the day before the Summit.
- Meetings & interviews with international media
- Be endorsed as one of the top 500 deeptech startups worldwide
Eligibility
You are eligible if:
- You are based anywhere in the world. That’s right, anywhere.
- Your project is in its early-stage of development (seed or series a). They also accept projects that are about to be spinned-out from academic labs as long as they have a strong proof of concept
- Your activity is based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing technology.
- You have a proof of concept, a prototype, a scientific validation of your claim, or are in the process of producing one.
- Your project has the potential to have a strong impact on the industry you target, and on society or the environment in general.
- You foresee an economically viable application on the market within 15 years.
- Your team is made up of two persons or more. Your project is not part of a larger company.
Projects don’t have to be incorporated to apply to the competition but they should have clear development plans and goals.
All previous Global Challenge participants are welcome to reapply as long as they have not been a Grand Winner or Track Winner.
Boosting local ecosystems: Is your team based in one of these regions?
To boost Asian, African and South American deeptech ecosystems, we are organising local finals that will happen ahead of the Global Summit. If you’re based in one of the countries below, by applying to the Global Challenge, you also get the chance to connect with local coporates and investors and get a fast-track to the Global Summit!
The following countries will be hosting Local Finals:
- Japan – open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Japan
- Turkey – open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Turkey
- Singapore/Southeast Asia – open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Hong Kong
- Ghana/Africa – open to projects/startups based or incorporated in any African country
- Brazil – open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Brazil
If your team is not based in a country covered by a Local Final, don’t worry! It won’t affect your application to the Global Challenge and you still have just as much chance of being selected as one of our Top500 or even finalists, and will enjoy the full experience of the Global Challenge and Global Summit!
Application
Top 500 startups, which are invited to the Summit will be notified on October 24th. The finalist will be announced January 8th.
Apply to the Global Challenge.
For more information, visit Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge.
