Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF) has recently launched the JUMPSTARTER 2021 Global Pitch Competition, also called JUMPSTARTER 2021 for short. This one-of-a-kind annual startup event has been organized since 2017 by AEF to celebrate young entrepreneurs from across the globe. The competition gives participants a shot at turning today’s business ideas into tomorrow’s reality with funding, networking and prizes. 

 

Here are five things that you need to know about JUMPSTARTER 2021: 

 

1. You can win up to 4 million USD in investment

 

Two winners will take home up to 4 million USD in investment* from Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP). Competitors at JUMPSTARTER 2021 are eligible for many other incredible prizes as well. The top five startups to emerge from the competition will be able to participate in the eFounders Fellowship program, a special opportunity co-organized by Alibaba Business School and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

 

2. You can participate from your couch 

 

JUMPSTARTER 2021 will be focused online to ensure the safety of its participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can sign up and participate from anywhere you like—even from the comfort of your own home. The semi-pitches of JUMPSTARTER 2021 will be held solely online and the Grand Finale in Hong Kong will be a blended in-person and virtual event.

 

 

3. You can join JUMPSTARTER 2021 from any sector  

 

JUMPSTARTER 2021 is welcoming applications from startups from all around the world, regardless of industry. This year, the competition especially welcomes invitations from sectors including Retail, Fintech, Smart City and Deep Tech. There will also be awards in the categories of Innovation, Social Impact and Women and Entrepreneurship to show support to entrepreneurs from these areas. If you’re still studying and wondering how you could also compete, then consider joining JUMPSTARTER IdeaPOP! 2021. This student startup competition has been created for secondary school students and tertiary students in Hong Kong to get their ideas off the ground and running. 

 

4. You can connect with other entrepreneurs right now

 

“I don’t think one single person has all the answers—having a diversity of perspective and talking to other people that are also running businesses is the most rewarding thing that we can do,” said Joe Tsai, Alibaba Group Executive Vice Chairman. The Alibaba co-founder encourages leveraging AEF’s extensive network of mentors and like-minded entrepreneurs in order to exchange knowledge and ideas. JUMPSTARTER 2021 is an opportunity to successfully expand your network today. Applications are now open. 

 

5. You can be a part of something big    

 

Last year, JUMPSTARTER had the honor of being the world’s largest online pitch competition. JUMPSTARTER 2021 is featuring an even bigger pool of contestants and 200 one-on-one online pitch sessions. Participate in JUMPSTARTER 2021 and you can be part of history in the making. 

 

 

Since launching in 2015, the AEF has offered financial backing to more than 80 startups in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The non-profit initiative hosts the annual JUMPSTARTER competition, which offers investment commitments, mentorship support and other resources to young entrepreneurs from all around the globe. According to the fund, its JUMPSTARTER 2020 competition, which ended in February, attracted more than 2,000 applications from 65 countries and regions. The top five startups won a combined $5 million in investments and $100,000 in cash prizes. 

 

“Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on cultivating the startup landscape, fostering entrepreneurial thinking amongst young people and partnering with like-minded organizations to provide support. This will help Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem to flourish,” said Cindy Chow, Executive Director of AEF.

 

Join us at JUMPSTARTER and take a real shot at getting your startup idea off the ground with up to a million dollars in investment, a sought-after professional network, special awards, access to events and other unique opportunities. What do you have to lose? 

 

Sign up for JUMPSTARTER 2021 now at: https://apply.jumpstarter.hk/

 

 

* The co-investment in each winner will be arranged by either 1) AEF and Cyberport or 2) AEF and HKSTP.