The Bangkok Business Challenge is a global pitch competition for student-founded startups, hosted by Sasin School of Management in Bangkok, Thailand. Teams of currently enrolled undergraduate and postgraduate students from any country present a seed-stage venture to a panel of investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals.
Sasin started the competition in 2002 and opened it to Asian and global entrants in 2008, which makes it the longest-running competition of its kind in Asia. The rounds run over three days on the Sasin campus, and every team member has to attend in person.
The 2026 edition ran from 21 to 23 May, with 20 teams selected out of the registration round. Across its history the competition has drawn 2,662 applicant teams from 530 institutions in 63 countries, and ventures that came through it have raised more than US$229 million since 2008.
Benefits & funding
- More than US$42,000 in cash prizes across the awards.
- An award presented by the Thai Royal Family.
- Judging by investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals over two days of rounds.
- A coaching round on the first competition day, before the knockout rounds begin.
- A dedicated sustainability round on the final day, scored in its own right.
- Evaluation forms for each round are published on the site, so teams can prepare against the actual scoring.
Eligibility
- Teams of 2 to 5 members, made up of currently enrolled undergraduate or postgraduate students, with at most one non-student member.
- One faculty advisor from the institution the team represents.
- Open to teams from any country; the 2025 edition drew 308 teams from 82 institutions in 16 countries across 6 continents.
- The venture must be an independent, scalable seed-stage startup seeking outside capital, with a business concept that covers implementation and financial projections.
- Under the 2026 rules, the venture must not have earned revenue or raised outside capital beyond family and friends of more than US$100,000 before 1 January 2025.
- The venture must need at least US$500,000 from outside investors; a plan that asks for less loses 10% of its score.
- Ventures that have already reached the presentation rounds of a previous edition cannot enter again.
- All participants must attend in Bangkok in person, and all financial figures must be given in US dollars.
Can you apply?
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Education required
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Application process
- 1Register through the competition site during the registration window; the 2026 window ran from 2 February to 15 March.
- 2Provide the venture details at registration and confirm the faculty advisor from the team’s institution.
- 3Wait for the first-round result; the 20 teams selected for the 2026 edition were announced on 31 March.
- 4Selected teams submit a full written business plan by 1 May.
- 5Deliver the 60-second pitch and take part in the coaching round on day one.
- 6Compete in the semi-final and play-off rounds on day two.
- 7Present in the sustainability round on day three, and in the final if selected.
Program timeline
Registration opens
2 February 2026
Registration closes
15 March 2026
Top 20 teams announced
31 March 2026
Written business plan due
1 May 2026
60-second pitch round and coaching round
21 May 2026
Semi-final and play-off rounds
22 May 2026
Sustainability round and final
23 May 2026
Next edition
dates not yet published