The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is a renowned global startup competition designed specifically to address the needs of deep tech entrepreneurs across several industries. The Challenge was created in 2013 by two PhD students, Xavier Duportet and Arnaud De La Tour, who realised that the resources needed to propel emerging technologies were different from those of traditional web and mobile innovation.

The Challenge gives scientists and deep tech entrepreneurs around the globe a platform for their research and projects, providing participants with equity-free funding, global visibility and connections with key players in the deep tech innovation network and other fellow entrepreneurs. To date, previous early-stage participants have raised more than $300 million in funding.

Applications are open until September 13th, 2019. The Grand Finals will be held in Paris on March 10th-13th, 2020 during the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit. Applications to the Global Challenge are entirely free.

You are eligible if:

-Your activity is based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing technology.

-You have a proof of concept, a prototype, a scientific validation of your claim, or are in the process of producing one.

-Your team is made up of two persons or more. Your project is not part of a larger company.

-Your project/startup is in early-stage (up to series A)

-You foresee an economically viable application on the market within 15 years.

-Your project has the potential to have a strong impact on the industry you target, and on society or the environment in general.

All previous Global Challenge participants are welcome to reapply as long as they have not been a Grand Winner or Track Winner.

Projects don’t have to be incorporated to apply to the competition but they should have clear development plans and goals. In fact, 40% of the applicants from previous editions were not incorporated. In the case that a non-­incorporated project wins the competition, no funds will be transferred until the company is incorporated.

There are 14 tracks this year:

Advanced computing & AI, Aeronautics, Cybersecurity & Communication, Digital Health & Medical Devices, Drug Discovery, Energy, Environment, Food & Agriculture, Industrial Biotech, Industry 4.0, Medical Biotech, Mobility, New Space, Smart City.

It’s up to you to select the track you think you would have the best chance of winning. In the case that the judging committee strongly believes that your project fits better in another track, we will suggest that you change the track.

The Deep Tech Pioneers (around 500) are selected by Hello Tomorrow and invited to the Global Summit to interact with sector-specific and invite-only investors, top executives, accelerators and fellow founders.

They are also invited to the Investor Day & Business Day, for one-on-one meetings with 200+ top-tier VCs and 100+ international corporates, which will take place during the 2 days before the Summit.

80 finalists (around 6 finalists per track) will have the opportunity to pitch in front of a select audience of 400 people, competing for the €10k prize per track. The grand winner, selected among the track winners, will be awarded €100k (€10k + €90k).

The judging phase will take place in 3 distinctive steps. Applicants will be informed of the progress at each step.

(1) Deep Tech Pioneers – The Hello Tomorrow judging committee will select the best startups (around 500) based on the quality of their online application.

(2) Finalists – The judging committee will select around 6 startups per track. These finalist startups will be invited to pitch during the Grand Finals at the Summit.

(3) Track winners – A judging committee made up of investors, corporates, scientists and other experts in their field will select the track winners after their pitches at the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit in Paris.

Applications will be reviewed by volunteer expert judges (investors, entrepreneurs, executives, researchers and other experts in their field) who will analyse all applications working under NDAs. For the Grand Finals, taking place during the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit, a list and profile of the judges will be published online and made accessible to contestants prior to the event. The applications will be judged according to the following criteria:

Technological innovation: The company must develop a product/service based on a new technology, a scientific discovery or an innovative application of an existing technology.

Impact: The company must have the potential to make a substantial long-term impact on business and/or society.

Team: The company must have visionary leadership with the capabilities to drive the company towards success.

Economic viability: The company should have well-formulated plans for developments and goals and a sustainable business model.

During the Grand Finals, the Hello Tomorrow Challenge judging committee will rate and select projects based on the quality of the pitch and the complementary information provided by the startups after the first selection rounds (1-page summary & pitch deck).

We designed the Global Challenge specifically for deep tech projects and startups, to acknowledge that the needs and resources needed for deep technologies are different from those of digital startups.

At the Summit, you’ll meet experts in science and technology, including investors, executives, entrepreneurs and potential customers, who have a solid understanding of the needs and potential impact of new solutions and want to be part of the deep technology transfer.

Contrary to other challenges, it provides a platform for global visibility, ranking early-stage startups and connections during the Hello Tomorrow Summit (3,500 attendees from 110+ countries in 2018). The Summit is invite-only and the Challenge gives you an opportunity to be part of the deep tech network.

Hello Tomorrow is run by a group of passionate people who basically just really love deep technology and want to see you get your innovation out into the world!

The application to the Global Challenge is entirely free of charge, and doesn’t engage applicants in any way. Hello Tomorrow does not require any action from the applicants aside from the application material, and does not claim any kind of decision, power or take any equity.

The information you provide on your application will be available to the following parties:

– Hello Tomorrow and our external IT team (to manage the application platform)

– Our volunteer expert jury members (to judge your application)

– Our partners (corporates and investors looking for potential collaboration or investment opportunities)

They all sign our Non-Disclosure Agreement, available upon request (contact@hello-tomorrow.org). However, if you believe some information might be too sensitive (because of a pending patent for example), we advise that you get legal advice from someone within your institution. If you do not have access to legal counsel, don’t hesitate to send us an email.

Applicants selected as Deep Tech Pioneers, and who are invited to the Summit and Investor Day, will be notified on November 6th, 2019. The finalists will then be announced on January 14th, 2020.

We are currently developing our network of local hubs around the globe and are organizing local competitions to empower entrepreneurs at a local level, helping to provide opportunities for startups within their own ecosystem.

The following countries will be hosting Local Challenges:

Turkey – Open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Turkey.

Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Taiwan – Finals will be held in Singapore. Open to projects/startups based or incorporated in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Africa – Finals will be held in South Africa. Open to projects/startups based or incorporated in any African country.

If your team is based in a country covered by a Local Challenge, you’ll have the opportunity to meet potential partners, investors and the local deep tech community, win your return trip to Paris for the Global Summit in March 2020 and other prizes as well (check your Hello Tomorrow Local Hub website for more information).

If your team is not based in a country covered by a Local Challenge, don’t worry! It won’t affect your application to the Global Challenge and you still have just as much of a chance of being selected as one of our Deep Tech Pioneers or Finalists, and will enjoy the full experience of the Global Challenge and Global Summit!

It’s easy! In the Global Challenge application form, when you select your country, an additional question will appear asking you to confirm that you wish to apply to the Local Challenge as well. Just fill out the rest of the form and submit your application!

No, you can’t. But why would you? Winners of the Local Challenges even get their flight tickets to attend the Global Summit in Paris sponsored!

No, and it won’t affect your application. But you’ll be missing out on amazing extra opportunities!

The Hello Tomorrow Global Summit is the first global event dedicated to scientists and deep tech founders in every industry. This is where finalists will pitch in front of an audience of 400 people and an expert jury to compete to win their track and have a shot at winning the Grand Prize.

There is also a full program, including keynotes from leaders in science and technological innovation, expert panels discussing issues around technology and interactive learning sessions aimed at early-stage startups to share best practices and advice on how to advance your company.

Two full days dedicated to one-on-one investment and business meetings between our Deep Tech Pioneers and 300 of the most prominent VCs, CVCs and industry leaders in the world.

Applicants selected as Deep Tech Pioneers are the only startups attending Investor Dau & Business Day. Prior to these two days, they will be given access to the list of VCs, CVCs and industry leaders who will be present in order to book individual meetings with them.

Participants from the last edition include NEA, Atomico, Balderton Capital, Airbus ventures, Samsung, Merck, Bosch, and many more (check our Investor Day page).

The Summit brings together 3,500 of the most prominent leaders in emerging technology. This unique group of curated participants include investors, founders, top executives, scientists & other academics, policy makers, PhD students and journalists. 

While some tickets to the Summit will be for sale, the majority of attendees will have been carefully invited and selected by Hello Tomorrow for their ability to bring expertise to one or several of the industrial sectors represented by the Challenge’s tracks.

Applicants selected as Deep Tech Pioneers do not have to pay to attend the Summit, including the Investor Day and Business Day. However, Deep Tech Pioneers that want to attend the event in Paris have to pay a deposit of 100€ per ticket which is reimbursed when showing up at the Summit. The reimbursement will take place within two months after the Summit. 

Participating startups that are not among the selected Deep Tech Pioneers but nevertheless would like to attend the event in Paris have to pay for their tickets.

Unfortunately, we cannot cover travel costs for over 500 startups. Applicants are thus responsible for travel or accommodation expenses. 

We understand that the cost associated with travelling to Paris can be significant. However, we’ve seen from previous editions that startups truly benefit from the Summit due to the visibility they get from interacting with top-level executives and selected investors in their industry.