Startup World Cup, a global startup pitch competition organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, today announced its confirmed lineup of technology executives, entrepreneurs and venture capital investors for the 2026 Grand Finale on Friday, November 6, at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

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Final Call to Join Startup World Cup’s 2026 Grand Finale: Meet the Speakers and Investors

Final Call to Join Startup World Cup’s 2026 Grand Finale: Meet the Speakers and Investors

The lineup brings together leaders from some of the world’s most influential technology companies and venture capital firms, creating opportunities for founders to connect with investors, corporate decision-makers and industry leaders shaping the future of innovation.

Among the confirmed speakers and industry leaders are:

  • Daymond John, ABC’s Shark Tank
  • Marc Tarpenning, Co-Founder, Tesla
  • Will Grannis, Chief Technology Officer, Google Cloud
  • Sachin Kansal, Chief Product Officer, Uber
  • Saswat Panigrahi, Chief Product Officer, Waymo
  • Paul Fipps, President & Global Customer Operations, ServiceNow
  • Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer, Autodesk
  • Manoj Leelanivas, President, HP Solutions
  • Peter Doolan, Chief Customer Officer, Salesforce

The investor lineup includes partners, general partners and leading academic voices in venture capital research from:

  • Connie Chan, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz
  • Sophia Luo, Partner, Greylock Partners
  • Rajesh Swaminathan, Partner, Khosla Ventures
  • Ilya A. Strebulaev, Founder and Director, Stanford GSB Venture Capital Initiative; Professor of Finance, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
  • Murali Joshi, General Partner, ICONIQ
  • James Hardiman, General Partner, DCVC
  • Carley Phillips, Partner, Greycroft
  • Scott Beechuk, Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
  • Jihong Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Ventures

Startup World Cup’s 2026 Grand Finale will bring together the regional champions from around its global network, spanning more than 200 competitions around the world. Following regional competitions around the world, selected finalists will pitch their companies to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win the competition’s $1 million investment prize.

The participation of leading venture capital investors offers founders an opportunity to engage with professionals who evaluate emerging companies, technologies and investment opportunities. Corporate executives bring perspectives on enterprise needs, technology adoption, commercialization and potential strategic partnerships.

The 2026 Startup World Cup Grand Finale takes place November 4–6 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, with the main event scheduled for Friday, November 6.

Registration and event details are available at startupworldcup.io/grand-finale.

Event Details
Grand Finale: November 6, 2026 | 9AM – 6PM
Networking Party: November 6, 2026 | 6PM – 8:30PM
Venue: Hilton San Francisco Union Square

For event details, registration, and updates on the 2026 Startup World Cup, please visit:

Registration: https://swcgf26.eventbrite.com

Startup World Cup Grand Finale: www.startupworldcup.io/grand-finale

About Pegasus Tech Ventures

Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm and leading provider of Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) solutions. The firm partners with corporations to access emerging technologies, make strategic investments, and advance Open Innovation initiatives through its global network. Pegasus manages over 40 funds and over $2 billion in assets and has invested in more than 300 startups, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, Airbnb, Coinbase, and X (formerly Twitter). For more information, please visit www.pegasustechventures.com

About Startup World Cup

Startup World Cup is the number one global startup pitch competition hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures, connecting the world’s most promising startups with leading investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate innovators. With 200 regional competitions across six continents, founders have the opportunity to showcase their companies, expand their networks, and compete for a $1M investment prize at the Grand Finale in Silicon Valley. For more information, please visit www.startupworldcup.io

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