Jonathan Ortmans, president of Global Entrepreneurship Week, will emcee the global finals of next week’s Challenge Cup organized by 1776, a Washington DC-based startup hub. A centerpiece of the weeklong Festival, the competition offers a look at 64 promising startups with potential solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.
1776 sorted through thousands of applications and hundreds of pitches while traveling to 16 cities around the world, selecting finalists tackling challenges in education, energy, health and smart cities.
Next week, these 64 startups will compete in a bracket-style tournament, culminating with the top eight competitors pitching at the global finals on May 17, at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
In partnership with U.S. Institute of Peace and its PeaceTech Initiative, the global finals will feature:
- Rapid-fire pitches from all 64 startups to highlight the full range of innovative ideas from around the world,
- A $2,500 cash prize for the crowd favorite pitch, voted for following the rapid-fire pitches,
- Pitches by the ‘Elite 8’ in education, energy, health and smart cities and the subsequent awarding of the $150,000 grand prize,
- The Challenge Cup PeaceTech Prize, awarded to one of the 64 startups whose tools have the greatest peace building potential by the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Speaking alongside Ortmans at the Challenge Cup Global Finals will be Donna Harris, cofounder of 1776 and member of the GEW Board of Directors, as well as Evan Burfield, cofounder of 1776 andSheldon Himelfarb, director of The PeaceTech Initiative, USIP.
Event Details:
Saturday, May 17, 5pm – 8pm
The US Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
More information about festival events and registration are available on the Challenge Festival Website.