TiE Women Global Pitch & Grant Program for Startups

TiE Women is a global initiative by TiE designed to support women entrepreneurs through mentoring, training, and access to a network of experts and investors.

The program involves selecting startups at the local chapter level, followed by mentoring and participation in the global finals, where the winner is determined.

Eligibility criteria:

• the startup must be female-founded or co-founded;
• a female co-founder must hold at least 33% equity;
• the company has been operating for less than 7 years;
• the project must demonstrate scalability potential and innovation;
• preference is given to startups already raising or planning to raise funds.

Project requirements:

• ideas without implementation are not considered;
• a minimum viable product (MVP) or an active business model is required;
• founders must be ready to commit time to learning and networking activities.

Participation conditions:

• participation is free of charge;
• funding is provided on an equity-free basis (no shares required);
• active participation in mentoring activities and selection stages is mandatory.

Participants receive support from mentors, go through a multi-stage selection process, and have the chance to win a $50,000 grant, which is provided on an equity-free basis.

Supported activities and opportunities:

• equity-free cash prizes of up to $50,000;
• mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs;
• access to global investors and pitching opportunities;
• networking with international participants and the TiE network;
• a global platform to showcase startups;
• learning sessions and events.
• increased visibility and recognition at the global level.

The program roadmap outlines key stages from application submission to the global final in 2026.

Program stages:

1. Applications open — March 8, 2026 (online submissions open for women entrepreneurs worldwide);
2. Applications close — June 15, 2026 (final submission deadline);
3. Mentoring & regional finals — June 16 – September 1, 2026 (mentoring sessions and pitch competitions to select finalists);
4. Global knowledge series — September – October 2026 (exclusive sessions on scaling and investor engagement for finalists and winners);
5. Mock finals — November 2026 (final rehearsal stage with expert judges);
6. Global final — December 2026 (grand finale where participants pitch for the main prize).

How to apply and proceed through selection:

• submit an application online via the official platform;
• participate in regional selection stages through local TiE chapters;
• deliver a final project pitch at the global summit.

Key provisions:

• participation in the program is free of charge, with no application or participation fees;
• the program does not provide grants, except for an equity-free prize at the global final;
• any requests for payment are unauthorized and may be fraudulent;
• all official communication comes only from TiE Global or local chapters.