Applications are now open for African startups to compete in the Startup World Cup Regional Competition scheduled to hold during the 2026 RegTech Africa Conference and Exhibition in Abuja. The event is expected to bring together innovators, investors, regulators, and global partners, as Africa’s growing startup ecosystem takes a major step onto the world stage.
The Abuja regional competition will identify one leading startup that will advance to the global finals of the Startup World Cup, where finalists from over 100 countries will compete for a one million dollar investment prize and international recognition. The competition is organised in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures, the global venture capital firm behind the Startup World Cup initiative.
According to the organisers, the Startup World Cup is one of the world’s largest startup pitch competitions, with regional events held across continents before a grand finale where top startups pitch before global investors. The Abuja event marks a significant milestone for Africa’s innovation landscape, offering local founders a direct pathway to global capital and visibility.
The Startup World Cup Regional Competition at the RegTech Africa Conference is open to startups at all stages and across multiple sectors. These include fintech, regtech, payments, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital identity, e-commerce, healthtech, agritech, and climate tech. Participating startups will have the opportunity to present their solutions to a distinguished audience that includes venture capital firms, regulators, corporate leaders, and ecosystem partners.
Finalists selected from the applications will be invited to pitch live before a high-level jury made up of venture capitalists, industry leaders, and ecosystem experts. The winning startup from the Abuja regional competition will move on to represent the region at the global finals, where the $1 million grand prize is at stake.
The RegTech Africa Conference and Exhibition serves as Africa’s leading platform for regulatory innovation and digital transformation. The conference regularly convenes senior policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, technology companies, startups, and development partners from across Africa and other regions.
Speaking on the announcement, the Chief Executive Officer of RegTech Africa, Cyril Okoroigwe, said, “Hosting the Startup World Cup Regional Competition in Abuja underscores our commitment to positioning Africa as a global innovation powerhouse. This is more than a pitch competition. It is a gateway for African startups to access global capital, partnerships, and visibility.”
The competition is open to startups of all stages and industries, founders building scalable and technology-driven solutions, African startups, and international startups with a strong focus on Africa. Judges will assess entries based on innovation, impact, team strength, market relevance, and the overall quality of the pitch.
The goal is to identify startups that solve real problems, address clear market needs, and show strong potential for growth and scale.
Applications will be reviewed continuously nationwide.
To apply for the Startup World Cup Abuja Regional Competition, interested startups should visit https://regtechafricaconference.com/startup-worldcup/.
