The Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is a global startup competition run by a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by investors Young Sohn and Bill Tai. It looks for technology startups whose work advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and connects them with investors, corporate partners and mentors. The 2026 edition is titled AI:360 — Applied Intelligence for a Better World and covers the full lifecycle of artificial intelligence, from the energy that powers it to the products built on it.
Teams apply online from any country on XTC’s eligible list, and a volunteer committee of venture and corporate investors scores every submission. Startups picked from the competition and from partner nominations present live at the AI:360 Summit and Startup Showcase in Palo Alto, California. XTC reports more than 10,000 applications from over 120 countries to date, with finalists raising US$5 billion in venture capital between 2015 and 2024.
Benefits & funding
- No entry fee: XTC states that no purchase is necessary to enter or win, and the FAQ confirms there is no application fee.
- Selected startups pitch live at the AI:360 Summit and Startup Showcase on 19 November 2026 in Palo Alto, in front of roughly 200 investors, corporate executives and policymakers.
- Workshop sessions through the XTC Bootcamp, led by senior investors, corporate leaders and industry experts; past sessions are published publicly.
- Scoring by an evaluation committee of more than 400 venture and corporate investors, which is itself investor exposure.
- An Excellence in Applied AI Award recognises standout entries under the 2026 theme.
- Winners of partner-run regional competitions each receive an XTC Applied Intelligence Award and a place at the summit.
- No cash prize is published for the global competition, and participants cover their own travel and accommodation for events they qualify for.
Eligibility
- Open to startups worldwide whose product or service is based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing one.
- The company must be legally incorporated or registered in one of the roughly 100 countries and territories on XTC’s eligible list, which includes China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
- Companies incorporated in, or holding subsidiaries in, an excluded country cannot enter: Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, and the Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.
- At least one company founder or executive must be a legal resident of an eligible country and at least 18 years old at the time of entry.
- The company must be privately held and not publicly traded.
- There is no cap on revenue to date or on capital raised to date.
- The 2026 round asked for a minimum viable product and demonstrated market traction.
- No degree, age ceiling, gender or work-experience requirement is set.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
Algeria · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Bahamas · Barbados · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil
+ 86 more
Bulgaria · Cameroon · Canada · Chile · China · Colombia · Croatia · Curaçao · Cyprus · Czechia · Denmark · Dominican Republic · Egypt · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia · Germany · Ghana · Greece · Guatemala · Hong Kong · Hungary · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Ireland · Israel · Italy · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kosovo · Latvia · Liberia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · North Macedonia · Malaysia · Malta · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Monaco · Myanmar · Nepal · Netherlands · Nicaragua · Nigeria · Norway · Pakistan · Panama · Peru · Philippines · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Rwanda · Saudi Arabia · Serbia · Singapore · Slovakia · Slovenia · South Africa · South Korea · Spain · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Sweden · Switzerland · Syria · Taiwan · Tanzania · Thailand · Trinidad and Tobago · Türkiye · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · UK · USA · Uruguay · Vietnam · Zambia
Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Check the eligible-country list and entry conditions in XTC’s competition rules.
- 2Prepare a two-minute video pitch and a slide presentation covering the solution and the business opportunity.
- 3Submit through the F6S platform during the open window; the 2026 round ran from 18 June to 30 July 2026.
- 4Entries are scored by the volunteer evaluation committee on AI innovation, business strength and investability, team, product innovation and product-market fit.
- 5Selected startups are invited to present at the AI:360 Summit and Startup Showcase; partner-run regional competitions offer a second route to the same stage.
Program timeline
Applications open for the AI:360 global competition
Jun 18, 2026
Application deadline
Jul 30, 2026
XTC Austria regional competition, Vienna
Sep 23, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026
UN FAO World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards, Rome
Oct 16, 2026
AI:360 Summit and Startup Showcase, Palo Alto
Nov 19, 2026