The Pitch Black returns to ignite Malta’s Start Up Festival Week 2025! (Sponsored)
Malta’s flagship celebration of entrepreneurship, the Start Up Festival Malta, is back for its fifth edition. This time, it promises to be bigger than ever. Taking place from 20th to 24th October 2025, the newly expanded startup festival week offers five full days of innovation, opportunity and global collaboration, all set in the heart of the Mediterranean.
One of the key components of the festival is the Pitch Black competition, which will return for its second edition. Designed for early-stage startups, the competition offers selected teams the opportunity to present their businesses to a panel of experts. Each participant is given a limited amount of time to explain their business model, objectives and potential.
A stage for Europe’s brightest startups
Pitch Black 2025 is more than just a competition. It is a launchpad. The fast-paced contest offers startups a few minutes to pitch their business ideas in front of a seasoned panel of judges and mentors. With a format focused on clarity, impact and ambition, founders must distil their vision, business model and potential into a compelling short pitch.
This year introduces a semi-final round on 22nd October, where 14 startups, evenly split between pre-seed and seed-stage, will compete for a coveted spot in the final on 24th October. The top eight finalists (four from each category) will return to the stage to compete for prizes that go beyond capital.
Who’s it for?
Pitch Black is open to startups that fall into one of two categories:
- Pre-seed: companies that have raised €300,000 or less and are no more than five years old
- Seed: companies that have raised more than €300,000 and are no more than seven years old
Applications for both categories are open until 17 July 2025. Further details and the application form can be found via the organisers. For questions, applicants can contact [email protected] or visit the official website by clicking here.
What’s in it for you?
The pre-seed winner will receive a package valued at over €125,000, and the seed winner will receive a package valued at over €350,000. The packages include up to €100,000 in equity finance for the pre-seed winner and up to €300,000 in equity finance for the seed winner by the Malta Venture Fund. Each category winner will also receive
- Legal services from Guido de Marco Advocates
- Two hot desk memberships at Soho Malta
- Two tickets to the EU-Startups Summit
- Up to 70 hours of mentorship
- Branding and marketing support by Steve’s and Co
- Access to a Founders Taboo retreat
- One-day mentorship through SuperCharger Ventures
- A chance to pitch at the SuperCharger Demo Day
Interested in applying? Submit your application by 17 July 2025 and be part of this year’s edition of Pitch Black.
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