Applications Are Now Open For $1m SA Startup Pitch Event

Big news for startups! Applications are now open for the $1m SA Startup Pitch Event, a chance to win life-changing funding and shine a spotlight on your business. Startup Club ZA and The South African Future Trust have teamed up to launch The Big Pitch 2025, South Africa’s first-ever US$1 million startup competition. This isn’t just about money, it’s a platform to celebrate the country’s most exciting tech ideas and the people behind them.

Over the next six months, 20 startups will battle it out live on stage. Ten will compete in Johannesburg in April, and another ten in Cape Town in August. The top five from each city will then face off in the grand final at the Sandton Convention Centre in October. Winners won’t just get cash, they’ll also get media attention and connections with big-name partners.

“Core to our mission is spotlighting the exceptional startups, founders and solutions that are emerging across South Africa,” said Mathew Marsden, founder of Startup Club ZA. “The Big Pitch 2025 is more than just a pitch event for significant investment – it’s a platform to showcase our country’s most promising tech entrepreneurs and uncover the immense untapped potential within our innovation ecosystem.”

So, who can apply? Startups from anywhere in the world are welcome, but they need to tick three boxes:

1. Disruptive innovation (your idea must shake things up).

2. Commercial scalability (it needs to grow into a big business).

3. Solving real problems (using tech to make life better).

The clock is ticking! Applications for the Johannesburg round close on April 8. If you’re a startup founder with a game-changing idea, this is your chance to shine. Apply for the $1m SA Startup Pitch Event today and take your business to the next level.

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