Deadline: 7-Apr-23

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural XTC Sustainability Startup Challenge at ChangeNOW 2023, the largest event of solutions for the planet on May 25-27 in Paris, France.

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is the world’s largest ecosystem and competition for purpose-driven technology inspired by the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are seeking new ventures that have developed breakthrough innovations in climate solutions focused on circular economy or urban development:

• Circular Economy: Innovative solutions aimed at sustainable production, consumption and resource use by minimizing pollution, turning waste products into productive assets, extending product lifecycles and sharing of products and services.
• Urban Development: Digital, infrastructure, and related solutions that make urban development more sustainable.

Why Apply?

• Global Visibility: Live Pitch at ChangeNOW 2023 in Paris, France on May 26, 2023.
• Access to Corporate Executives: Exposure to corporate executives, VCs and more attending ChangeNOW 2023.
• Potential for Corporate Strategic Partnership: Network with influential industry leaders, with potential for business development and collaboration.

Location of Competition

• XTC Competitions may be in-person or virtual. XTC and its applicable Partners will provide location information in advance of each Competition.
• XTC has sole discretion to determine the final location of each Competition and determine whether each Competition is held in person or as a virtual event. XTC will provide information about the location and format of each Competition as soon as reasonably practical in advance of that Competition.

Eligible Countries

• Each of the following is an Eligible Country: United States, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine (excluding Crimea), United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zambia.Excluded Countries. Each of the following is an Excluded Country: Crimea – Region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), Sudan and Syria.

Eligibility Criteria

Any company is eligible to participate in the Competition if it satisfies all of the following criteria:

• The company has developed, or is in the process of developing, (i) a product or service based on a new or innovative technology, or (ii) an innovative application of an existing technology developed by the company.
• The company’s product or service developed or under development by the company has the potential to address categories specified in each specific XTC competition, which are based on the Seventeen (17) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”).
• The company has no restrictions on future funding based on the funding received by the company as of the date of submission of the Entry.
• The company is not publicly traded; remains privately held
• The company (i) is legally incorporated in any Eligible Country, (ii) is not incorporated in any Excluded Country, and (iii) does not have any subsidiaries or affiliates located or incorporated in any Excluded Country.
• The company and its officers, directors, managers and employees are not subject to sanctions in the United States or on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List or the Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions Lists.
• At least one company founder or executive is a legal resident of an Eligible Country, and at least 18 years of age at the time of entry into the Competition.
• You agree to notify us if you have any relationship with any XTC Partner that is either pre-existing or that develops prior to the judging of the Competition. Competition Partners are the companies and individuals identified on the XTC website.
• The company submits its application in English.

Evaluation Criteria

Finalists and Winners will be selected based on the Judges’ assessment of the following equally-weighted criteria:

• Team
• Product Innovation
• Product Market Fit
• Tech for Good / Responsible Innovation for a Radically Better World

For more information, visit Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC).