Deel launches a $15 million global startup competition called The Pitch.

Global HR and payroll platform Deel has announced the launch of The Pitch, a $15 million international startup competition designed to identify and support the next generation of seed-stage startups around the world.

According to the company, the program is expected to engage more than 20,000 startups across seven global regions, giving founders from different parts of the world a rare opportunity to compete on equal terms. The initiative aims to remove traditional geographic and networking barriers often associated with venture capital funding and instead focus on startup potential and merit.

As part of the competition, up to 100 regional winners will each receive $50,000 in funding. From this group, up to ten global winners will be selected to receive $1 million each to help scale their businesses.

The competition will conclude with a global finale scheduled for May 2026. Before the finale, seven in-person regional finals will be held in major global technology hubs, including Singapore, New York, London, and Berlin.

Deel stated that the program aims to set a new standard for global venture competitions by combining a high-stakes tournament format with evaluation from experienced investors and industry experts. The company emphasized that the goal is to identify high-potential startups regardless of their location or existing connections.

The Pitch is being presented by J.P. Morgan, with partners including Andreessen Horowitz, dLocal, Google, Orrick, Prodware, Ribbit Capital, and Stripe.

Organizers noted that with a final selection rate of just 0.05%, the tournament is expected to be more selective than many of the world’s leading startup accelerators. Applications are now open for seed-stage founders, marking a significant push toward borderless entrepreneurship and global innovation.