Terms & Conditions: Regional Defence Summit 2025 Pitching Competition
1. Introduction
The Pitching Competition (the "Competition") is part of the Regional Defence Summit 2025, taking place on 28 October 2025 at Sofia Event Center, Bulgaria (the "Event"). The Competition is organised by Capita, a part of Economedia JSCo (UIC: 131326269), with partners and sponsors in defence innovation. By entering, participants agree to abide by these Terms & Conditions.
2. Purpose
2.1. The purpose of the Pitching Competition at the Regional Defence Summit 2025 (the "Competition") is to identify, promote, and support the most promising dual-use and defence-tech startups from across Europe and NATO-allied countries. The Competition serves as a launchpad for early-stage teams to present their innovations in front of leading investors, defence contractors, innovation agencies, and government representatives.2.2. The goal is to:
• Accelerate the integration of breakthrough technologies into the defence and security landscape;
• Create collaboration opportunities between startups and government, industry, or institutional partners;
• Increase visibility and traction for startups working at the intersection of civilian and military innovation;
• Enable investment attraction, pilot programs, and strategic partnerships.
2.3. The Competition focuses on startups with technologies applicable to fields such as:
• Electronics & Microelectronics
• Advanced Sensors & Materials
• ICT, Cybersecurity & AI-driven Decision Systems
• Navigation, Avionics, and Drones
• Geospatial Intelligence & Situational Awareness
• Dual-use space, communication, and logistics solutions
• Battlefield medical tech and energy resilience solutions
2.4. Finalist teams will be selected based on a combination of strategic, technological, and business readiness factors. Each application will be assessed using the following selection criteria:
2.4.1. Team capabilities - relevant experience, expertise, and complementary skill sets that demonstrate the team's ability to execute and scale their solution;
2.4.2. Scalability of the solution - potential of the technology or service to be adopted across different defence and civil use-cases, markets, or geographies;
2.4.3. Business model and market approach - viability of the business strategy, customer engagement model, go-to-market plan, and revenue generation potential;
2.4.4. Uniqueness and innovation - the degree to which the technology represents a novel approach, leap in performance, or previously unsolved challenge in the defence domain;
2.4.5. Attractiveness for investors - commercial opportunity, strategic positioning, addressable market size, and perceived potential to generate ROI for defence-aligned investors;
2.4.6. Clarity and communication - ability to clearly articulate the solution's competitive edge in a live pitch setting, demonstrating both strategic relevance and technological depth within a strict time limit.
3. Who may apply
To be eligible, applicants must:• Be a startup or early‑stage company developing or adapting technology with both civil and defence/military applications.
• Work in areas such as electronics, sensors, ICT, drones, avionics, advanced materials, geospatial systems, or related fields.
• Demonstrate potential to enhance defence capability, resilience, or dual‑use functionality.
• Be registered in an EU or NATO‑allied country.
• Be able to present in English, in person at the Event.
4. Competition Format
• Number of teams: Up to 10 teams will be selected to pitch live.• Pitch structure:
- 3 minutes to present the solution.
- 3 minutes for a live demo or product showcase (optional if applicable).
- 2 minutes for jury Q&A.
• Judging panel: Includes representatives from Presto Ventures; NATO DIANA; European Defense Tech Hub; and other defence innovation leaders.
• Selection criteria: Strategic relevance, technological innovation, team capability, market or use‑case potential, dual‑use viability.
5. Prize
• The winning team will receive a commitment of €50,000 to support their next investment round, subject to due diligence.• The exact terms of investment will be negotiated between the winner and the committing party/investor.
6. Application & Deadlines
• Application deadline: October 10th, 2025• Candidates must submit all required information including company name, contact details, description of technology, current status, team, and any demo or prototype.
• Finalists will be notified by October 13th, ahead of the Event.
7. Jury & Selection Process
• An internal selection committee will review applications and pick finalists.• During the Event, the jury will evaluate live pitches based on the criteria listed above.
• Jury decisions are final.
8. Intellectual Property & Confidentiality
• Applicants must own or legally have the right to use any intellectual property included in their presentation.• Entrants warrant that their submissions do not infringe third‑party rights.
• Participants grant the organisers the right to use their name, logo, short description of the project, and photos of the pitch for marketing and promotional purposes.
9. Promotional & Media Use
By participating, entrants agree that their names and basic project information (but not confidential technical details) may be published on the Event website, media, and social media channels.
10. Privacy & Data Protection
• Personal data provided will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws (e.g. GDPR).• Data will be used for communication regarding the Competition and the Event.
• Participants have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of personal information, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
11. Modifications & Cancellation
• The organisers may modify the Competition rules, formats, deadlines, or prizes for justified reasons. Any changes will be published on the Event website.• The organisers reserve the right to cancel the Competition in whole or in part; in such a case, no liability beyond what has already been committed shall be attributed.