Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund kicked off JUMPSTARTER 2021 Global Pitch Competition (JUMPSTARTER 2021), its annual signature startup event, with an online focus to ensure safe participation for all contestants during the COVID-19 pandemic. JUMPSTARTER 2021 is on track to become the world’s largest online startup contest by number of contestants, with 200 one-on-one online pitches expected.
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JUMPSTARTER 2021 is now open for applications. There are three separate deadlines between August 31 and October 19, 2020, covering three rounds of applications (see Appendix). Up to 200 startups will be selected for a preliminary round of one-on-one online pitches between September and November. The best 20 startups selected from the preliminary round will advance to a semifinal pitch from which 10 startups will be shortlisted. The Grand Finale will be held in March 2021, when the finalists will compete for up to USD1 million in investment.
JUMPSTARTER 2021 will offer startups the platform to network and share knowledge with global peers and the opportunity to plug into the Alibaba Digital Economy to obtain valuable insights, experience and resources.
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In addition, the top five startups from the contest will be eligible to take part in the eFounders Fellowship program. Co-organized by Alibaba Business School and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the program supports global digital economic development and nurtures entrepreneurs.
“Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund is committed to bringing together global startups, entrepreneurs and investors through JUMPSTARTER 2021, attracting talented individuals with innovative ideas to develop them further in Hong Kong, and strengthening the city as a world-leading hub of entrepreneurship,” said Cindy Chow, Executive Director of Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund.
Building on the success of last year’s event, JUMPSTARTER 2021 will again boast a global reach in terms of participants, but will remain focused on cultivating startups in the retail, fintech, smart city and deep tech sectors, all of which are important priorities for Hong Kong’s long-term economic growth.