Pitch Black Returns for Its Second Edition at Malta’s Start Up Festival 2025

Pitch Black is back at this year’s Start Up Festival Malta. Following its successful first edition, the high-energy competition will return in October 2025 for its second edition, giving start-ups a unique stage to showcase their vision in front of expert judges and global audiences.

The format is simple and powerful: no slides, no props; just the founder, their idea, and the impact they want to make. In just a few minutes, entrepreneurs have the chance to gain visibility, receive expert feedback, and compete for prizes that can accelerate their growth.

A New Structure for 2025

This year introduces a semi-final round on 22^nd October, followed by the grand final on 24^th October. Fourteen start-ups will compete in the semi-finals, split between two categories:

• Pre-Seed: Companies under five years old, with up to €300,000 raised.

• Seed: Companies under seven years old, with more than €300,000 raised.

From there, four from each category will advance, making eight finalists who will pitch live on the festival’s main stage for the ultimate prizes.

Prizes

• Pre-Seed Winner: €100,000 investment plus workspaces, mentorship, branding, legal, and EU-wide growth opportunities.

• Seed Winner: €300,000 investment plus the full support package and recruitment services.

Support

Pitch Black is proudly sponsored by Malta Venture Capital, which manages a €10 million fund supporting innovative companies that drive value for Malta’s economy. The competition is also backed by an impressive network of partners including SOHO Malta, Castille, Guido de Marco Advocates, Steve’s and Co., Supercharger Ventures, Residency Malta Agency, EU Start Up Summit, PwC, and Founders Taboo.  All these will be providing legal, branding, mentorship, recruitment, and global networking opportunities.

World-Class Judges

Start-ups will pitch to a respected panel led by Caspar Lee (overall judge) and joined by leading figures such as George Gregory, Helen Chorley, Louis J. Vella, William Wait, Jesmond Gatt, Can Bakir, Noémi Szabó, Miguel Borg, and Ryaan Sharif. Their combined expertise ensures participants receive fair evaluations and actionable insights.

More Than a Contest

Pitch Black is not just about competition. It is about celebrating Europe’s brightest start-ups and positioning Malta as a growing hub for innovation. With its high stakes, valuable prizes, and world-class stage, the 2025 edition promises to be one of the most unmissable highlights of the Start Up Festival.