The final of the Startup World Cup, backed by Pegasus Tech Ventures, takes place on October 4th in San Francisco. It is one of the largest and most renowned startup pitch competitions in the world, and it brings together promising startups to compete for funding, mentorship, and global exposure. We are very proud to say that this year’s finalists, competing for a prize of $1 million, includes GuardianSat, winner of the BOLD Awards 5th edition in the Space Frontier category.
How the Startup World Cup Works
The overall competition covers all six continents and consists of over 100 regional rounds for innovative startups to showcase their ideas, connect with investors, and gain access to resources that can help them scale their businesses. Judges evaluate the startups based on criteria such as innovation, market potential, scalability, business model, team strength, and impact.
The regional winners will first pitch in a semi-final round in San Francisco on October 2, and the resulting 50-60 finalists will pitch for the prize money on the main event day of October 4.
GuardianSat’s route to the final of these startup awards was different. As a member of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs, GuardianSat’s co-founder Chris Rohe competed in HarvardAE’s own regional qualifying rounds held among its 20 global chapters. Winning first place at their 2024 Demo Day earned him a spot to compete for the $1m prize in the Startup World Cup Grand Final.
HarvardAE has its own links with Pegasus Tech Ventures, which supports the HarvardAE Accelerator. After joining the accelerator in 2023, Chris Rohe credits its mentors, faculty and resources for helping GuardianSat strategically advance its goal of a secure and resilient space environment. He also described it as the first time he and his team were part of a community of like-minded innovators driven to tackle world-changing challenges and make a real impact.
What does GuardianSat do?
GuardianSat’s mission is to tackle the single most critical deterrent to the expansion of space – orbital debris. The GuardianSat™ Pathfinder is built around two globally recognized patents (valued at $250M) and represents an ongoing, cutting-edge project focused on revolutionizing satellite control and space situational awareness. Currently under development, this ambitious system incorporates a suite of advanced technologies: satellite control systems, highly optimized sensor and tracking systems, and intelligent processing interfaces. These elements synergistically integrate with thruster and communication subsystems, enhancing the command and control capabilities of satellites in space to respond to threats in real time, and protect the space environment.
Further information is in BOLD V Winners.
Update: Startup World Cup Winner 2024
Congratulations to EarthGrid PBC.
BOLD Awards VI, 2025
The entry deadline for BOLD Awards VI has now closed. However, in addition to category finalists, non-entrants can request a VIP Invitation to attend the BOLD Awards gala dinner in Lisbon, Portugal, on Friday March 28th, 2025. These are strictly limited in number, and provide a rare opportunity to be part of a unique celebration to highlight and reward multiple forms of outstanding digital innovation. Network with some of the world’s finest innovators, entrepreneurs and disruptors, plus the category sponsors!
Winners will be announced to collect their awards at the gala dinner. This BOLD Awards VI edition is supported through strategic partnerships with APDC (Portuguese Association for the Development of Communications) and Unicorn Factory Lisboa, two prominent organizations dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurial success.
