Virginia Beach Startup World Cup Coming Soon With $1M Prize

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Virginia Beach is capturing global attention as entrepreneurs and innovators prepare for a major competition this August, with the chance to win $1 million for their company.

The Startup World Cup Virginia Regional is being held in the city on August 28 at the Zeiders American Dream Theater in Town Center, in collaboration with Innovate Hampton Roads. This is Virginia's first time hosting the Startup World Cup, an international platform that encourages entrepreneurship.

“This competition offers a unique opportunity for startups to present their ideas to global investors,” said Tim Ryan, executive director of Innovate Hampton Roads. “It’s a groundbreaking event for our region.”

The winning business, which is open to all kinds of Virginia companies, will go on to the Startup World Cup in San Francisco in an attempt to earn a $1 million prize. In addition to the competition, the event offers priceless chances for networking and investor input.

Anis Uzzaman oversees $2 billion in international investments as the CEO of Pegasus Tech Ventures in Silicon Valley and chairman of the Startup World Cup. He has made investments in more than 260 firms, such as 23andMe, Doordash, SpaceX, and Airbnb. Uzzaman claims that the competition facilitates the connection between Silicon Valley and the worldwide market for entrepreneurs from diverse towns and innovation ecosystems.

“We are thrilled to partner with Innovate Hampton Roads for the Startup World Cup Virginia Regional,” Uzzaman said. “This is our first time bringing the event to Virginia Beach, and we are impressed by the enthusiasm and quality of the competing startups.”

“This event showcases the successful startups emerging from Hampton Roads,” he noted, mentioning companies like DroneUp in Virginia Beach and SVT Robotics in Norfolk. Ryan also mentioned the role of federal facilities such as NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton and Jefferson Lab in Newport News in promoting entrepreneurship.

Virginia's appeal is further highlighted by its recent ranking as No. 1 in America’s Top States for Business by CNBC. This is the sixth time Virginia has held the top spot and the third time in the past five years.

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