Dates

  • Submissions Open: August 19, 2025(this is tentative for right now)

  • Submission Deadline: August 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST(tentative)

  • Finalists Announced: September 5, 2025(tentative)

  • Live Pitch Finals: September 13, 2025(tentative)

  • Winners Announced: Immediately following the finals

Eligibility

  • Open to high school students or older, aged 13+

  • Students may apply solo or in teams of up to 4 members

  • Open to participants worldwide

  • All submissions must be in English

  • You do not need a fully developed product — just a well-thought-out idea and a clear presentation

Project & Submission Requirements

Each submission must include:

🔹 Required

  1. Pitch Video (1-5 minutes):

    • Explain your idea, what problem it solves, and your vision

    • No fancy editing required, just clear, confident communication of what your startup goals are

  2. Pitch Deck (PDF, 10-15 slides):
    Include:

    • Problem Statement

    • Solution / Product

    • Target Market

    • Business or Impact Plan

    • Current Progress / Roadmap

    • Team (optional)

    • Anything else that is relevant
Optional but Encouraged

  • Screenshots or images of a prototype/mockup

  • Link to demo, Figma design, website, or working prototype (if applicable)

Prizes

Prizes will be announced soon!

Expect a mix of:

  • Cash prizes

  • Mentorship sessions with startup founders and VCs

  • Accelerator invitations and feature opportunities

Judging Criteria & Winner Selection

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of startup founders, engineers, investors, and entrepreneurs based on:

Criteria Weight
Clarity of Idea – Is the problem clearly explained and well understood? 25%
Innovation – Is the solution creative, original, or bold? 25%
Feasibility & Execution – Could this realistically be built and launched? 25%
Impact – Will this make a difference in people’s lives, the market, or the world? 25%
Other aspects may also be considered.

Top candidates will be selected as finalists, who will then pitch live to a panel of judges in the final round.

Rules

By participating in the Novaspark Pitch Competition, you agree to the following rules:

 

  1. Original Work Only: Your idea and pitch must be your own (or your team's). Use of generative AI tools for design or slides is allowed, but the core idea must be human-generated.

  2. One Submission per Team: Each team or individual may submit only one entry.

  3. Respect the Deadline: Late submissions will not be considered.

  4. Live Finalists Must Attend: If selected, finalists must be available to attend the live virtual pitch finals.

  5. Be Respectful: We promote a supportive environment. Disrespectful behavior toward organizers, judges, or fellow participants will result in disqualification.

  6. Academic Honesty: Plagiarized content or misrepresentation of work will result in disqualification.

  7. Judging Decisions Are Final: Final scoring and selection of winners are at the sole discretion of the judges.