Startup Funding: Thiel Fellowship $250K--MIT Climate Challenge--Vestbee Winter Pitch

Hello startup people! Here’s the latest drop on Grants, Pitch Competitions, Awards, and Summits.

Introducing…. the Pitch to Investors category!

~Diane

💪 The Biggies

Thiel Fellowship | $250K

The Thiel Fellowship gives $250,000 to young people who want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom.

2027 Global Climate Challenge | $10K

How can we equitably adapt to a warming climate and decarbonize how we live and eat? MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions that harness technology to address human-focused and difficult-to-solve aspects of the climate crisis.

Vestbee Winter Pitch | Connecting European Startups with Investors

Pitch your startup to hundreds of VC funds and business angels. Apply now to land investment and get ready for a flood of VC introductions.

Are you in an accelerator? Forward to your cohort peers, or connect me with your Managing Director. I’ll post the top opportunities in your community for free.

Newly Added:

🤓 Pitch to Investors

Vestbee Winter Pitch – 100 startups selected
Europe | Nov 25 | Apply

🎤 Pitch Competitions

Polar Bear Pitching India – Winner pitches in Finland
India | Nov 2 | Apply

Ski Lift Pitch – $10,000
New Mexico | Dec 6 | Apply

TechForward Startup Competition – Recognition
Legal Tech | Dec 31 (my guess) | Apply

💰 Grants

South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision – $20,000
South Dakota | Jan 18 | Apply

💼 Events

EAG 360 - London – Networking
Immersive entertainment; Gaming | Jan 12-14 | Apply

🚀 Accelerators

Braze Tech for an Equitable Future – Braze credits
Social Impact | Jan 15 | Apply

🔨 Challenges

MIT 2027 Global Climate Challenge – $10,000
Decarbonization; Climate Tech | Nov 6 | Apply

Papermark Pitch Deck Competition – €15,000 total pool
All startups raising pre-seed or seed | Nov 18 | Apply

VEOLIA Open Innovation Challenge – Present to Veolia
Rare Earth Magnets waste stream | Dec 16 | Apply

Thiel Fellowship – $250,000
Age 22 and younger | Dec 31 (rolling apps) | Apply

🏆 Awards

EQUALS in Tech Awards – Recognition
Advancing gender equality | Nov 7 | Apply

2027 AAO Ortho Innovator Award Contest – Recognition + Booth space at event
Dental tech | Jan 31 | Apply

Closing Soon! Last Chance!

🤩 View the full list of 100+ open opportunities - including all Last Chance Opportunities - by signing up here.

UNICEF FemTech Ventures Open Call – $100,000 investment
FemTech; AI; Healthcare | Nov 4 | Apply

Sephora Beauty Grant – $100,000
Underrep founders; CPG | Nov 6 | Apply

Hatch Dimension X – Proof of Concept with End-Users
Deep Tech; Public Safety | Nov 6 | Apply

Hitachi Startup Challenge 2026 – Pilot with Hitachi
Transportation; Mobility; Robotics | Nov 8 | Apply

Beyond the Deal Room curates grants, pitch competitions, awards, and tech summits for 13,000+ founders, VC’s and startup organizations. Over $100M global opportunities, mostly non-dilutive, are available across all verticals each year.

For Startup Organizations: Bring this list to your newsletter and community groups for FREE. Reply to this email for details.

Disclaimer: I receive no compensation for promoting any of these events. While I try to be as accurate as possible when posting requirements such as deadlines, it’s your responsibility to confirm all requirements.

📣 Who am I? Your biggest cheerleader. Startup operator, accelerator operations leader, and advisor to early-stage founders. Named a Top 100 Women Tech Leader (2024). I help founders tap into non-dilutive funding—grants, competitions, and beyond—to build traction between VC rounds. Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Thiel Fellowship $250K--MIT Climate Challenge--Vestbee Winter Pitch