Deadline:
As soon as possible
Location(s)
Hong Kong
Overview
Details
Scale Your Startup with GFT 2026
Join the year-long, hybrid Global Fast Track (GFT) programme to expand your business into Hong Kong and Asia, with:
- Access to one-on-one meetings with 120+ investors and corporates.
- Opportunities to pitch live on stage and connect with 45,000+ global leaders at Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026.
- Access to the new features of GFT 2026, as listed below.
Be among the 1,000+ companies from over 70 economies that have successfully scaled with us!
Pitching Competition 2026
The Global Fast Track Pitching Competition is bigger and better than ever for 2026! With more pitching slots available, and more routes to the Grand Finale, here’s a breakdown of how everything works:
Virtual Qualifier Rounds
Between April-September we’ll be hosting online qualifier rounds for companies to secure a place in the onsite finals at Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026. Joining a qualifier round allows you to pitch to potential customers and investors in Hong Kong without needing to travel - and gives you an extra chance to get through to the finals!
*Joining a virtual qualifier round does not preclude you from being selected as a Semi-Finalist in September.
Quick-Fire Pitches for Startup Exhibitors
Companies that purchase a start-up exhibition booth will be eligible for a quick-fire pitch onsite at Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK at the Main Conference on day one (2 November).
From the quick-fire pitches, six top-scoring companies will proceed to a mixed vertical Semi-Final, and the winner of that Semi-Final will enter the Grand Finale.
Semi-Finalist Selection
The GFT expert team will evaluate all eligible applications and select Semi-Finalists in each vertical to pitch onsite during Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK at the Main Conference on day one (2 November). The winner of each Semi-Final will advance to the Grand Finale to compete to become the Global Fast Track Winner 2026!
Grand Finale
The Grand Finale takes place during Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK at the Main Conference on day one (2 November) and will see all the companies who won a Semi-Final pitch for a brand new panel of judges drawn from the Corporate and Investor Champions.
The Pitching Competition is bilingual - you can choose to pitch in English or Putonghua.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility Criteria
- The eligibility criteria for the Pitching Competition are as follows:
- Considering expansion into Asia as part of their next 24-month roadmap.Minimum USD 250,000 in annual revenue or investment received for the following verticals:
- FinTech & InsurTech
- Blockchain & Digital Assets
- Applied AI for Financial Services
- Green FinTech, Sustainability & GreenTech
- HealthTech & Life Sciences
- PropTech & Transport
- AI & Robotics
- Consumer, HospitalityTech & Creative Industries
There is no minimum revenue or investment requirement for companies who participate in the pitching competition through purchasing a startup exhibition booth at Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026.
Dates
Deadline: As soon as possible
Cost/funding for participants
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
