Ready, set, pitch: Applications open for the MeOut Summit 2026 Pitch Marathon in Budapest

Startups from across Europe are being invited to apply for an exclusive Pitch Marathon at the MeOut Summit 2026, taking place at Budapest’s Akvárium on 25–26 November 2026.

Bringing together founders, investors and innovation leaders from across Europe and beyond, this year’s Summit will feature speakers including Jack Mardack, Co-founder of Oyster; Martin Olczyk, Managing Director at Techstars Torino; Andrea Basilová, Co-founder of Sensoneo; and Domagoj Dolinšek, Founder of PlanRadar; and many more!

Against this backdrop, selected startups will have the opportunity to take to the Summit’s second stage, present what they are building and receive direct feedback from a panel of venture capital and ecosystem representatives.

Unlike a traditional startup pitch competition, the Pitch Marathon will not be about rankings, prizes or choosing a winner. Instead, it is designed to give founders a platform to introduce their companies to an international audience while hearing directly from investors about their business, positioning and pitch.

A stage for startups, without the competition

For early-stage companies in particular, getting in front of investors can be as valuable for the questions raised as for the funding conversations that might follow.

The format will give participating founders an opportunity to put their story, business model and ambitions in front of people who regularly assess startups, while also increasing their visibility among the wider MeOut Summit audience.

Confirmed representatives from venture capital firms, investment vehicles and innovation organisations attending the Summit include 3VC, the Hungarian Innovation Agency, Entrepreneurship Academy, Vienna Business Agency, and more coming soon!

Founders selected for the Pitch Marathon will also be pitching in the middle of a broader gathering of startups, investors, corporate leaders, researchers and policymakers from across Europe and beyond. MeOut Summit 2026 expects to welcome more than 1,000 attendees and 50+ speakers over its two-day programme.

The MeOut Summit and EU-Startups

The MeOut Summit 2026 is being co-organised by the EU-Startups team together with MeOut Group, and additionally supported by the Global Startup Awards (GSA). MeOut Group is the parent company of both EU-Startups and the GSA.

For the EU-Startups community, the Pitch Marathon represents an opportunity to bring more founders directly into the conversation and give selected startups another platform to present their work in front of investors and ecosystem stakeholders.

The event will be centred on strengthening connections across Europe’s innovation ecosystem and exploring how startups, capital, established businesses, research and policy can work together to make Europe more competitive.

Applications are now open to startups from across Europe interested in presenting their companies at the Summit.

Selected founders should be prepared to communicate clearly what their startup does, the problem it is addressing and where the company is heading. With no competition element attached, the focus will remain on visibility, constructive investor feedback and creating conversations that can continue after the pitch itself.

The MeOut Summit 2026 will take place at Akvárium in Budapest on 25–26 November 2026, from 10:00 to 21:00.

Ticket prices start at €30 for students, with €80 tickets for startups and ecosystem builders and €190 tickets for VC and corporate attendees.

For founders looking for a stage to share what they are building, test their pitch in front of investors and connect with the wider European startup ecosystem, the MeOut Summit 2026 Pitch Marathon offers the opportunity to do so without the pressure of a winner-takes-all competition.

Want to join the MeOut Summit 2026 in Budapest?