The Startup Club ZA says: "Over the next six months, twenty of South Africa’s most promising startups will compete live on stage for an unprecedented investment in their business—subject to due diligence and terms—alongside invaluable media exposure and access to top-tier partners,"

The competition will take place in key phases:

• Regional qualifiers: Ten startups will compete in each of the two regional qualifiers in Johannesburg (April) and Cape Town (August).
• The finale: The top five startups from each qualifier will advance to The Grand Finale at this year’s South African Future Trust Summit, hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre in October.

"Core to our mission is spotlighting the exceptional startups, founders, and solutions that are emerging across South Africa," says Mathew Marsden, founder of Startup Club ZA.

"The Big Pitch 2025 is more than just a pitch event for significant investment—it’s a platform to showcase our country’s most promising tech entrepreneurs and uncover the immense untapped potential within our innovation ecosystem.”

To qualify, businesses must demonstrate disruptive innovation, commercial scalability, and the ability to solve significant problems using technology. Startups from anywhere in the world are encouraged to apply, provided they meet the application criteria.

Applications for the first qualifier in Johannesburg close on 8 April 2025. Interested applicants can visit https://startupclubza.com/big-pitch for full eligibility requirements, FAQs, and application details.