The search for technology innovation and entrepreneurial genius across the globe is on as startup proprietors and entrepreneurs can now apply for the 2018 TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Dubai, hosted by Area 2071.
The event which is set to kick off in April will feature early-stage startups focused only on the following three categories: governance, logistics and distribution. Five startups representing each category will be invited to compete onstage in Dubai. The finalists will receive notification by February 25th, 2018.
The 15 startups chosen to compete will benefit from expert pitch-off coaching from TechCrunch editors. Each team will emerge from their training ready to pitch their company in six minutes to a panel of judges, and field their questions for up to six minutes. The judges will bring their expertise as seasoned entrepreneurs, investors and technologists to pose some tough questions; a TechCrunch editor will moderate.The judges will select five finalists to pitch a second time to become the first-ever Startup Battlefield Dubai winner.
The overall winner will be crowned the first TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Dubai champion, bringing home the US$50,000 cash prize (TechCrunch takes no equity or fees). The winner also will receive an all-expense paid trip for two to San Francisco for Disrupt SF 2018 — TechCrunch’s flagship event — and will compete in that Battlefield (assuming the company still qualifies at the time).
Startup Battlefield Dubai will produce one winner for each of the three categories and one overall winner. All four winners will receive an invitation to join Area 2071’s incubator program, which includes support from a community of corporate partners, government entities, designers and lawyers. It also includes accommodation and visa sponsorship.
All 15 Startup Battlefield Dubai companies will enter the Startup Battlefield Alumni Community.
Apart from clear relevance to one of the three themes, qualifying startups should:
- Be early-stage companies in “launch” stage
- Be a resident from our eligible countries
- Have a fully working product/beta, reasonably close to or in production
- Have received limited press or publicity to date
- Have no known intellectual property conflicts
The application deadline is January 18th, 2018 at 9 pm PST, That’s just 15 days away, so get a move on!
Interested candidates can apply here
