Harvard Ventures x VTSP Pitch Competition

Harvard Ventures x VTSP Pitch Competition
Pitch your idea in 60 seconds and compete with ambitious students from around the world. Winners will be named 2026 Harvard Ventures Fellows and receive full scholarships to the Venture & Tech Summer Program.

Deadline: Applications due Sunday, May 10 at 11:59 PM EST

Eligibility: Open to all high school students globally, including international equivalents and students taking a gap year before university.

How It Works:
- Submit this form, including a 60-second video pitch, by the deadline
- Post your pitch on LinkedIn on May 11-12 to compete for Community Choice
- Winners announced on May 13
Meet the Judges:
- Paul Bottino, Founder of the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard
- Mike Mahlkow, Investor, 2x YC Founder, Forbes 30 Under 30
- Anaiy Somalwar, Investor and Founder
- Caleb Kline, VTSP Program Director
How Winners Are Selected:
- Judges' Choice (3 winners): Scored equally across 5 categories by our judges:
  - Clarity of problem being solved
  - Quality and originality of solution
  - Market opportunity / why it matters
  - Pitch delivery and communication
  - Founder-market fit ("why you")
- Community Choice (2 winners): Awarded to the applicants with the highest LinkedIn engagement on their May 11-12 posts. Likes = 1 point, comments = 2 points (one comment per account).
5 Winners Will:
- Be named 2026 Harvard Ventures Fellows
- Receive full scholarships to the Venture & Tech Summer Program
- Gain access to exclusive speaker sessions with leaders such as:
  - Mark Cuban
  - Ted Sarandos
  - Thomas Kurian
  - Lila Snyder
- Join a global network of ambitious student entrepreneurs
- Have their submissions featured across Harvard Ventures' platforms, seen by thousands of VCs, founders, and operators
Good luck!
Name

First NameLast Name
Email
example@example.com
School Name
Grade
Country
Your idea

Tell us about your startup idea. Cover: What problem are you solving? What's your solution? Why does this problem matter? Why are you the right person to build this?0/500
Upload Your 60-Second Pitch Video

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Top referrers may receive special recognition.
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I agree that my submission, including my video, idea description, and name, may be shared publicly by VTSP and Harvard Ventures including on social media and partner platforms.
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