Startup World Cup today announced a distinguished lineup of technology, business, and innovation leaders who will take the stage at its 2026 Grand Finale, taking place November 4-6 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The three-day global event will bring together more than 5,000 entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, media, and innovation leaders, alongside 200 regional startup winners from around the world competing for a $1M investment prize. For event details and registration, visit Startup World Cup registration page.

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The three-day global event will bring together more than 5,000 entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, media, and innovation leaders, alongside 200 regional startup winners from around the world competing for a $1M investment prize.

The three-day global event will bring together more than 5,000 entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, media, and innovation leaders, alongside 200 regional startup winners from around the world competing for a $1M investment prize.

The speaker lineup brings together executives and entrepreneurs from some of the world’s most influential technology companies, representing industries spanning artificial intelligence, automotive, cloud computing, enterprise software, and consumer technology. Attendees will hear directly from leaders who have built companies, products, and organizations at the forefront of technological and business transformation.

The 2026 featured speakers include:

  • Marc Tarpenning, Co-Founder at Tesla

  • Will Grannis, CTO at Google Cloud

  • Suzanne Philion, CMO at Waymo

  • Paul Fipps, President at ServiceNow

  • Sachin Kansal, CPO at Uber

  • Manoj Leelanivas, President at HP Solutions

  • Jihong Kim, Managing Director at Samsung Ventures

  • Rajesh Swaminathan, Partner at Khosla Ventures

  • Scott Beechuk, Partner at Norwest Venture Partners

  • Rachel Slaybaugh, General Partner at DCVC

  • Jaya Gupta, Partner at Foundation Capital

  • And more speakers to be announced

The lineup builds on Startup World Cup’s history of bringing accomplished entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and technology leaders together with the global startup community. Previous speakers have included:

  • Reid Hoffman, Founding CEO, LinkedIn

  • Marc Randolph, Co-Founder, Netflix

  • John Chambers, Chairman Emeritus, Cisco

  • Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder, Apple

  • Vinod Khosla, Co-Founder, Sun Microsystems

  • Thomas Dohmke, CEO, GitHub

  • Court Lorenzin, Founding CEO, Docusign

  • Adam Cheyer, Co-Founder, Siri

  • And many other distinguished global leaders

Beyond the opportunity to hear from these influential leaders, the Grand Finale brings together the global startup, investment, and corporate innovation communities. Startups can showcase their companies, gain exposure to investors and potential partners, and build relationships with leaders across the technology ecosystem. Founders can gain visibility, build relationships, learn from experienced executives, and connect with potential sources of capital and strategic opportunities.

For venture capitalists and investors, the event offers access to emerging companies from around the world and opportunities to discover new investment prospects. Corporations can connect with startups developing emerging technologies, explore strategic partnerships and investments, and gain insight into innovation shaping global markets.

For participating startups, the journey begins on November 4 when 200 regional champions from around the world pitch their companies before a distinguished panel of investors and venture capital leaders. Following the opening round, the field will be narrowed down to the Top 10 finalists, who will advance to the championship round.

The three-day program will culminate on November 6, when the top 10 startups return to the main stage to compete for the $1M investment prize before a distinguished panel of prominent investors and industry leaders from the global venture capital community. The Grand Finale will provide a valuable platform for founders to gain visibility, build meaningful connections, and take the next step in their entrepreneurial journeys.

For event details, registration, and updates on the 2026 Startup World Cup, please visit:

Registration: https://swcgf26.eventbrite.com

Grand Finale: www.startupworldcup.io/grand-finale

About Startup World Cup

Startup World Cup is the number one global startup pitch competition hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures, connecting the world’s most promising startups with leading investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate innovators. With 200 regional competitions across six continents, founders have the opportunity to showcase their companies, expand their networks, and compete for a $1M investment prize at the Grand Finale in Silicon Valley. For more information, please visit www.startupworldcup.io

About Pegasus Tech Ventures

Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm and leading provider of Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) solutions. The firm partners with corporations to access emerging technologies, make strategic investments, and advance Open Innovation initiatives through its global network. Pegasus manages over 40 funds and over $2 billion in assets and has invested in more than 300 startups, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, Airbnb, Coinbase, and X (formerly Twitter). For more information, please visit www.pegasustechventures.com

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