Australian business leaders can share in a global pool of $15 million USD, as Deel, the leading global HR and payroll platform, launches The Pitch, an international competition designed to identify, elevate, and fund the world’s most promising seed-stage startups.
Leveraging Deel’s global footprint, the program aims to level the playing field for founders by surfacing talent based on merit, rather than geography or connections.
The Pitch will engage over 20,000 startups across seven global regions, culminating in a total investment pool of up to $15 million. Up to 100 regional winners will receive $50,000 in investment each, while up to ten global champions will receive a $1 million investment each, to scale their visions.
“What we know is that local networks often constrain traditional venture capital. The Pitch breaks these boundaries by combining a high-stakes tournament with expert review that analyses a broad range of data points to identify “high-signal” startups,” said Deel Country Manager Shannon Karaka.
“Talent is global, but access to capital isn’t. The Pitch surfaces the best ideas regardless of a founder’s location or connections,” Mr Karaka said.
“One thing I’ve learnt from local founders is: the hardest part isn’t the idea, it’s believing it’s worth backing when no one else does.”
“That’s why I’m excited about The Pitch. It’s not about perfect decks or polished storytelling. It’s about giving early-stage founders a genuine opportunity to be heard. If you’re building something and wondering whether it’s ‘too early,’ it probably isn’t.”
The competition is headline sponsored by JP Morgan, in addition to a16z, dLocal, Google, Mubadala, Orrick, Prodware, Ribbit Ventures, and Stripe.
For more details and instructions on how to apply visit the Deel Pitch page.