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Innovation has no borders, making it crucial for the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) to expand its community internationally, but we can’t do it alone. We recognize the importance of creating a global platform that entrepreneurs can tap into for critical resources to fuel their success. That’s why we partner with key companies around the world, depending on them to find the best startups in their regions. XTC Switzerland was created together with partners Decisive Capital Management and Sangha Capital. It’s crucial for us to collaborate with companies who share the same mission and values, so we are thrilled to introduce […]

COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland gathered the world’s top leaders, activists, companies and more to meet, plan and implement real change in their countries to address the climate crisis. Startups are key creators of innovative and climate-friendly solutions like carbon sequestering, bioplastics and more. President Joe Biden at COP26 said “Glasgow must be the start of a decade of shared ambition and innovation to preserve our future.” It will take public-private sector partnerships to make that happen, and that’s exactly what the Extreme Tech Challenge platform makes happen. Our most recent collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United […]

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Food Forum (WFF), is pleased to announce the Winners of the first WFF Startup Innovation Awards. The WFF Startup Innovation Awards are a global startup competition established to support and showcase innovators and entrepreneurs who are harnessing the power of technology to drive the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems in support of ending global hunger and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dutch and Belgian impact-driven tech startups now have their own dedicated support community for the Extreme Tech Challenge, the world's largest ecosystem and competition for purpose-driven technology. The contest is inspired by the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Youth send out message on food as a basic right at first World Food Forum

The Extreme Tech Challenge is the launching pad for ideas that can power a more sustainable, equitable, healthy, inclusive and prosperous world. On July 22nd, 2021, 80+ finalists participated in a world-wide startup pitch off competition. These finalists represented 6 continents, 92 Countries and over 3,700 applicants — all with focuses on social impact, greentech, healthtech, and the sustainability tech ecosystem.

The Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is announcing a strategic partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to empower tech entrepreneurs driving transformative innovations in improving nutrition and food security worldwide to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including "Zero Hunger."

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), the world’s largest startup competition focused on mission-driven tech innovation, announces today a new regional competition track to highlight exceptional entrepreneurs from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the U.S. The winners of this new regional competition will automatically advance to be global finalists of the XTC 2022 startup competition and have an opportunity to go on and compete in the XTC Global Finals next year.

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), the world’s largest startup competition for purpose-driven tech innovation, announced today four Special Awards Winners selected to compete at the XTC 2021 Global Finals presented by TechCrunch on July 22, 2021.

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), the world’s largest startup competition focused on purpose-driven innovation, announced today seven Category Winners selected to compete at the XTC 2021 Global Finals presented by TechCrunch on July 22, 2021. Audiences from around the world are invited to join the virtual event (free registration) to watch these top contenders compete for the crown of XTC 2021 Global Winner.

Globally, we generate $120 billion of agricultural waste every year. What farmers cannot sell, they often burn, with catastrophic consequences for human health and the environment. The burning of agricultural waste causes air pollution that in some areas has reduced life expectancy by a decade.

Under the World Food Day 2021 theme “Our actions are our future”, the New York-based virtual event will showcase innovative solutions and calls to action to ensure that our agri-food systems deliver enough affordable, nutritious and safe food for all. World Food Day stands to raise awareness of the need to support the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The second season of XTC's worldwide competition of startups addressing the major challenges outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals just completed last month at the XTC 2021 Global Finals presented by TechCrunch.

The head of the UN food relief agency called on the world’s richest nations on Thursday to invest more in sustainable living, to feed the world’s growing population.

Now that the XTC 2021 Category Winners have been announced, we’re pulling back the curtain to take a behind-the-scenes look into the competition process. On June 3rd, 2021, our 80 Global Finalists attended a week-long Bootcamp led by institutional investors, corporate leaders, and domain experts providing actionable insights to help XTC Finalists grow their world-changing startups and prepare their pitches for the Category Finals.

XTC is thrilled to announce that the Global Winner of the 2020 XTC competition is Genecis, an awe-inspiring cleantech startup that converts food waste into biodegradable plastics and other high value materials. Receiving the Female Founder Award was Microgen Biotech’s Xuemei Germaine and the Covid-19 Innovation Award went to Tyto Care.

The Next Wave video interview series is hosted by Young Sohn, Chairman of the Board, HARMAN International, Founding Managing Partner, Walden Catalyst, Co-Founder, Extreme Tech Challenge. Join him as he unpacks the brave new world of technology and business with some of the leading minds driving the next economy. In this episode of “The Next Wave,” Young Sohn chats with Bill Tai, Co-founder of Extreme Tech Challenge, about his work in venture capital, their work together on the Extreme Tech Challenge and how kite surfing has impacted his career.

ReWire, the 2020 Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) FinTech Award Winner, recently raised a $20 million Series B investment. The funding round was led by XTC regional partner OurCrowd, and XTC Global Finals judge Jerry Yang, co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo!

Continuing our celebration of Women’s History Month, we sat down with Kristin Kagetsu and discussed Saathi, the Healthcare Category Winner for our 2020 competition, to learn more about her experience cofounding a startup and competing in XTC.