Last year, the Startup Week in Vienna was a big hit – multiple days of content, speakers, and an overall awesome experience for startups and investors from all over Europe alike.

Because we like the team, because we like Vienna (after all, a good part of our portfolio hails from there, or close by), and because we like startups, we have partnered with the organisers of this year’s equivalent, the Pioneers Festival. We will inform you about a few cool things coming out of this in the next weeks, but most importantly, we want to turn your eyes to the Startup Challenge they are organising.

The startup challenge is a unique chance to win 25.000 EUR – free of any obligations or strings attached. The final winner will be selected out of 50 participants, who will be picked from all applications to the event. These 50 get invited to the event (2 people per startup), but even applying to the event in itself carries a little sweetener: All applicants will be able to join the Pioneers Festival at the Early Bird rate.

Everybody whose web, tech, or mobile startup is younger than 3 years, and has raised less than 1million in outside capital is eligible. The challenge itself is happening on 29th of October, which is the investors day. All day, there will be private one on one meetings between the selected 50 startups and investors – a great way to meet and interact with hard to get to people.

Apply directly at the application form by the 7th of September or read more on the Pioneers Festival home page.