The Startup Cup
Eleven weeks from idea to investor demo day. Build a real AI company with weekly mentor review and pitch it to people who write cheques.
The prize is a free seat in our training program.
No invented cash totals — the grand prize is a fully-paid seat in AIYouth's own 2-month mentor-led training and placement program. Funding introductions and named-partner perks appear here only once they're actually confirmed and contracted.
Grand Champion
Free seat in the AIYouth training program
Top-judged startup at Demo Day wins a fully-paid seat in the 2-month mentor-led training + placement program — real mentors, real company projects, real placement pipeline.
- · Free 2-month training + placement program seat
- · Investor demo-day slot
- · Funding introductions, where a partner has actually committed
Runner-Up
Half-off training program seat
Second-highest-judged startup at Demo Day.
- · 50% off the training + placement program
- · Investor demo-day slot
- · Continued mentor access
Social Impact
Free seat in the training program
Award for the startup judged to have the most positive real-world impact.
- · Free 2-month training + placement program seat
- · Investor demo-day slot
- · Introductions to impact-focused partners, where confirmed
Eleven weeks, four phases.
Idea Lab
Validate your problem, define your users, map the AI opportunity, and conduct customer discovery interviews.
Build Sprint
Rapid MVP development with weekly mentor check-ins, user testing, and iterative feedback loops.
Market Ready
Go-to-market strategy, financial modeling, traction metrics development, and press introductions.
Investor Demo Day
Pitch to VCs, angels, and corporate partners at Demo Day. Any funding conversations that follow happen on investors' own timelines, not guaranteed on the spot.
Bring an idea. Or bring a problem you can't stop thinking about.
Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Teams of 1–4. No business plan required to apply.