EVENT RECAP

Samsung Climate &
Circularity Tech Challenge

EVENT RECAPSamsung Climate & Circularity
Tech Challenge
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Global Impact

The world's largest startup competition for entrepreneurs addressing global challenges

The world's largest startup
competition for entrepreneurs
addressing global challenges

Tech for Purpose

XTC is a non-profit organization behind the world’s largest startup competition that aims to help startups change the world for the better. In our quest, we are supported by leading corporations, VCs, foundations, policymakers, universities and tech conferences.

10,000+

Startup Applications across 120+ countries, covering a wide spectrum of tech verticals and funding stages

US $4.1B

Venture Capital Funding Raised by XTC Startup Finalists (2015-2023)

400+

VCs and CVCs on the XTC Evaluation Committee, Global Partners

36%

Female Founded Finalists

XTC x Consensus by Coindesk: Web3 Pitch Fest 2022

XTC’s inaugural Web3 Pitch Fest in collaboration with Consensus showcased finalists & announced four lucky winners.

Extreme Tech Challenge & ACTAI Global host inaugural Neckerverse Summit

Bringing together leaders in technology, venture capital, and blockchain, with creators, conservationists and social impact professionals to catalyze Web3 projects focused on global good.

XTC 2022 Highlights

Enabling Collaboration between Startups and Global Corporations
Cadence Design Systems
Chemonics International
Samsung
ADI
ARM
Beep! Digital
Cadence Design Systems
CISCO
Evercore
Ford Motor Co
Fujitsu
Groupe Adeo/Leroy Merlin
HARMAN International
HP Tech Ventures
Hyundai
Lakestar Advisors
Mae Kyong Media Group
NXP Semiconductors
Samsung
Synopsys
Actai Global
Actai Ventures
Atlantica Ventures
Benhamou Global Ventures
Center for Advancing Innovation
Curtin University
DLA Piper
EchoVC
Factory Berlin
France Digitale
Global Semiconductor Alliance
GLOVO
Horasis
Ignite Alliance
Ignite Social Impact
INCMty
Innovation Norway
International Space Station National Laboratory
IT-Farm
Kejora Ventures, Indonesia
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lumo Labs
Mawsonia Media/Global Corporate Venturing
MeetLatAm
Morgan Lewis
Orrick
Our Crowd, Israel
Pangaea Ventures
Pitango Venture Capital, Israel
Platform Calgary
Sangha Capital
SG-Innovate, Singapore
Sheba Health
Smartpreneur
StartSe, Brasil
SVG Partners
TechCrunch
Tecnológico de Monterrey
TriVentures (ARC)
U-California Office of President
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Merced
UC Riverside
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz
UCLA
UCSF
United Nations FAO
University of Zurich
Untapped Invest
West Tech Fest
Your Story, India
Latest News

Extreme Tech Startup Spotlight: Organicin Scientific

This week in our Startup Spotlight blog series is our 2023 Winner, Better Environment Category, UN World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards by XTC, Organicin Scientific!

Extreme Tech Startup Spotlight: Elephantech

This week in our Startup Spotlight blog series is our 2023 Runner-Up Winner of XTC Japan, Elephantech!

Extreme Tech Challenge and Cadence Foundation Join Forces to Accelerate Climate Tech Solutions

The Deep Tech Climate Innovations Challenge, powered by design innovation champions Cadence Foundation of Cadence Design Systems, aims to make a significant step forward in the quest for sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.

Extreme Tech Startup Spotlight: BeFC

This week in our Startup Spotlight blog series is our 2022 XTC Cleantech & Energy Category Runner-Up, BeFC!

Life Sciences Startup Competition at TechBBQ 2023

The Extreme Tech Challenge Life Sciences Startup Competition, generously supported by Novo Nordisk Foundation and presented at TechBBQ in Copenhagen, Denmark’s quintessential startup summit, delivered nothing short of sheer amazement.

2023 World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards Finals

The third annual World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards featured eight dynamic startup finalists, each offering innovative solutions to a pressing global challenge: sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.

Announcing the winners of the World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards!

Join us as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of the 2023 World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards winners!

Extreme Tech Challenge Welcomes New Director

We are delighted to announce that Secorro Green is joining the Extreme Tech Challenge as Director, bringing over 15 years of experience in research, nonprofit program management and philanthropic initiatives.

SOSV Climate Tech Summit: Startup Innovation Challenge for Carbon Removal and CCUS

Carbon capture startup Mantel wins the Startup Innovation Challenge for Carbon Removal and CCUS! 

  • Young Sohn
    We’re currently in the fifth wave of technology evolution – an era driven by data and AI, which are accelerating the number of applications that can disrupt every industry due to the timely availability of actionable data-driven insights.
    Young Sohn
    CO-FOUNDER, EXTREME TECH CHALLENGE
    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, HARMAN INTERNATIONAL
  • BILL TAI
    The world's financial markets now recognize that unless businesses do something good for this planet, that this planet may not exist – and that there are investable companies that can be part of the solution.
    BILL TAI
    CO-FOUNDER, EXTREME TECH CHALLENGE
    PARTNER EMERITUS, CHARLES RIVER VENTURES
  • JERRY YANG
    We are balancing between the challenges of economic damage versus potential public health damage. This will define our generation depending on how we deal with it and how agile we can be. I think it’s clear that innovation will come out of necessity.
    JERRY YANG
    CO-FOUNDER & FORMER CEO, YAHOO! AND FOUNDING PARTNER, AME CLOUD VENTURES
  • TIM DRAPER
    The good news is that entrepreneurs can lead us out of this period. Entrepreneurs are the ones who create value and jobs in our economy. This is your opportunity as an entrepreneur right now to take the big risks. This is your time.
    TIM DRAPER
    FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, DRAPER ASSOCIATES
  • TAE HEA NAHM
    The experience of finding go-to-market fit is like going from paddling to surfing. You are burning a huge amount of energy to go a very short distance. On the other hand, when you catch the wave, what you feel is momentum.
    TAE HEA NAHM
    CO-FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STORM VENTURES AND CO-AUTHOR OF SURVIVAL TO THRIVAL
  • SHANKAR CHANDRAN
    As a global startup, you have to think about how the world is changing today... It’s important to think how trillion-dollar industries are digitally transforming themselves because of Covid-19. You need to think about how you can ride these waves of change.
    SHANKAR CHANDRAN
    SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CO-HEAD, SAMSUNG CATALYST FUND
  • RICHARD IRVING
    I often tell entrepreneurs what they really need is the right amount of money from the right VCs for the right business plan. You need to unpack each of those elements. Don’t raise more money than you need.
    RICHARD IRVING
    CO-FOUNDER AND GENERAL PARTNER, POND VENTURE PARTNERS
  • RAFAÈLE TORDJMAN
    Investors don't like surprises. They don't want to learn something from someone else that they should have learned directly from the entrepreneur. My advice is to always be transparent. Building trust and transparency starts with setting expectations.
    RAFAÈLE TORDJMAN
    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND INVESTOR, JEITO CAPITAL
  • PHILIPPE BOTTERI
    I like to get to know the founding team anywhere from 12 to 24 months before actually investing. Building that relationship over time, getting to know each other, and seeing the progress, that makes things much easier when the time is right to invest.
    PHILIPPE BOTTERI
    PARTNER, ACCEL
  • PEGGY JOHNSON
    We found that diversity drives innovation. You need a broad range of voices and perspectives to chip away at the biases that still exist in the workforce. And that will make your products even better.
    PEGGY JOHNSON
    EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MICROSOFT
  • OMAR TAWAKOL
    Some people are worried that when a corporate investor comes in, they will start controlling your roadmap. When I ran my startup, I didn’t find that. Nobody controlled our roadmap or asked us to do things unnatural to us. They are not there to make sure you only succeed for them...
    OMAR TAWAKOL
    VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER OF CISCO CONTACT CENTER, CISCO SYSTEMS
  • MARK LYDON
    Using technology to solve global problem is a factor in our investment decisions. We do focus on areas that relate to sustainability and community. We have a focused area on healthcare. We have seen that a lot of our companies have been useful in the Covid-19 situation.
    MARK LYDON
    MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTEL CAPITAL
  • LIP-BU TAN
    I’ve always invested in people who have a background in disruptive technology. I like to identify the most talented people with the most relevant experience. That is always the starting point. Once you have the right leadership, then you can build a team around those people.
    LIP-BU TAN
    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS AND CHAIRMAIN, WALDEN INTERNATIONAL
  • DAVID JOHNSON
    As a startup, you want access to capital as well as to investors who can help you with follow-on rounds, with hiring, and with access to management talent. And you also want the strategic advantage of having investors who really understand your space and have experience developing technology and products.
    DAVID JOHNSON
    MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTEL CAPITAL
  • CP GURNANI
    If your business is a technology-born business, then you are in good hands. The disruption is in front of us. The question is how do you convert it into opportunity? If you chose to disrupt, if you chose to scale up, this is your day. This is the time to prioritize. This is what will make you successful on this bumpy ride.
    CP GURNANI
    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, TECH MAHINDRA
  • ATUL BUTTE
    Telemedicine and telepathology are here to stay in a post-Covid world. It’s clear that patients have wanted this to happen. We have gone from near zero telemedicine usage at the beginning of the year to now, where 40% of our encounters are completed with telemedicine.
    ATUL BUTTE
    MD, PHD, CHAN ZUCKERBERG DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR, UCSF AND CHIEF DATA SCIENTIST, CALIFORNIA HEALTH SYSTEM (UC HEALTH)
  • PHILIP KIRK
    Even though, with corporate venture capital, you are dealing with big companies, it always comes down to the people and the personal relationships you build. Finding the right person within the corporation you want to work with makes a big difference.
    PHILIP KIRK
    VICE PRESIDENT, CISCO INVESTMENTS
  • TAMARA STEFFENS
    Diversity has to be part of your culture and process. Creating a diverse team from the beginning will create a better product. At Microsoft, the more diverse teams we have working on our solutions, the better our products have been.
    TAMARA STEFFENS
    MANAGING DIRECTOR, M12

Global Visibility

Pitch your startup to thousands of tech leaders and investors at regional and global competitions.

Opportunity for Investment

Top finalists will get an opportunity to pitch to a panel of leading global investors.

World-Class Mentorship

Work with industry leaders and experts who can help shape your startup for success.

“The world’s largest startup competition for entrepreneurs addressing the globe’s most serious challenges.”

Forbes

The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals that serve as the framework.

No Poverty Zero Hunger Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Gender Equality Clean Water and Sanitation Affordable and Clean Energy Decent Work and Economic Growth Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Reduced Inequalities Sustainable Cities and Communities Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action Life Below Water Life On Land Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Partnerships for the Goals

Empowering Startups to Innovate in 10 Key Categories inspired by the 17 SDGs

  • Advanced Materials
  • Agtech & Food
  • Biotech & Medical Devices
  • Cleantech, Energy and Environment
  • Climate Tech
  • Deep Tech
  • Digital Health
  • Edtech
  • Enabling Tech
  • Fintech
  • Mobility
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable Smart Cities
  • Web3

Special Awards

  • Female Founder
  • HARMAN-XTC
  • People's Choice
  • UNICEF EdTech

Hear What Startups and Investors Say About Us

Extreme Tech Challenge 2022