DTA Startup Pitch 2026
Terms and Conditions
1. INTRODUCTION
The Deep Tech Atelier Startup Pitch Competition 2026 (hereinafter also DTA Pitch 26) is established as a possibility to foster innovations of early stage Deep Tech startups. DTA Pitch 26 is organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA or Organizer) and implemented by Goal Events Group SIA (GEG or Contractor), where scientists and entrepreneurs are brought together to meet and to create meaningful Deep Tech startups.
The aim of the DTA Pitch 26 is to display an entrepreneurial talent to the international investment and acceleration community, as well as to corporations seeking innovation, encouraging contact between them for potential investment, commercial or strategic agreements, as well as promoting startups participating in the event.
DTA Pitch 26 is a professional tool that encourages interaction and the creation of business opportunities: visibility, access to finance and strategic agreements for startups, innovation for corporations, and deal flow for investors. The event is part of the conference “Deep Tech Atelier” (hereinafter also DTA) to be held on 14-15 May, 2026.
The event language is English.
The Venue: FANTADROMS, 76 Gustava Zemgala gat., Riga, LV-1039, Latvia.
Mode of the event: DTA Pitch 26 will be held in-person for the participants and jury.
Important website to follow for the conference and pitch competition related information: www.deeptechatelier.com.
The event is organized at the terms and conditions outlined in this document.
2. PURPOSE
2.1. The purpose of the DTA Pitch 26 is to showcase Latvian and Global Deep Tech startups from different industry sectors to the industry, investors and other stakeholders for collaboration, pilot project and investment attraction.
2.2. Projects will be selected based on various criteria such as:
2.2.1. Team capabilities;
2.2.2. Project scalability;
2.2.3. Business model and marketing approach;
2.2.4. Uniqueness of the technology;
2.2.5. Attractiveness for investors;
2.2.6. Knowledge intensity and technological innovation;
2.2.7. Dual-use potential;
2.2.8. Level of AI integration;
2.2.9. European/Baltic ecosystem links;
2.2.10. Geopolitical importance (supply chain security, sovereignty);
2.2.11. Applicability to start-up sectors.
3. PARTICIPANTS AND REQUIREMENTS
3.1. The DTA Pitch 26, is aimed at all those projects that are at an early stage of development (hereinafter referred to as “Early Stage”). All industry Deep Tech startups are welcomed to participate – as medical technologies, defense technologies, artificial intelligence technologies, information and communication technologies, biotechnologies, materials science, energy, or other deep tech industries:
3.1.1. Deep Tech, meaning that there is intellectual property-rich science or engineering behind the project;
3.1.2. Early stage (before sales or sales have just started);
3.1.3. The team contains both scientist/-s and entrepreneur/-s; teams are expected to demonstrate strong technical or scientific expertise relevant to the solution being developed;
3.1.4. Lab-scale prototype (science finished, TRL at least 4); clarification: For AI or software-based deep tech solutions, TRL 3 may be accepted if a validated prototype or functional system has been demonstrated;
3.1.5. The business idea has potential for scaling;
3.1.6. A legal entity is not compulsory.
The DTA Pitch 26 is open to all entrepreneurs, of legal age, whether they be natural or legal persons. The competition welcomes applications from international startups.
N.B. The applicant is not registered in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus or another country subject to international and European Union sanctions. The applicant, its founders and beneficial owners must not be subject to EU restrictive measures (sanctions).
3.2. The selected startups for the DTA Pitch 26 will prepare & present their pitch presentation during the event, which should at the minimum contain the following:
3.2.1. Introduction page;
3.2.2. Description of a problem;
3.2.3. Technical and business solution of the problem;
3.2.4. Market & market penetration strategy
3.2.5. Competitors & startups unique value proposition;
3.2.6. Revenue model & Growth strategy;
3.2.7. Team;
3.2.8. Investment and other needs.
4. APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES:
4.1. Online registration form will be available at the Deep Tech Atelier website (https://deeptechatelier.com/pitch- competition/). Applicants must complete all sections in the form required as obligatory in English.
4.2. Applications contain the following information and answers:
4.2.1. Name of the startup;
4.2.2. Website (if applicable);
4.2.3. Name of representative: first name, surname;
4.2.4. Position (LinkedIn profile, if applicable);
4.2.5. Email;
4.2.6. Phone number;
4.2.7. City, Country of Residency;
4.2.8. Describe your startup and explain why it qualifies as Deep Tech;
4.2.9. What industries is your startup applicable to?
4.2.10. What is your current Technology Readiness Level (TRL from 3 to 9)?
4.2.11. What is the status of your product or prototype?;
4.2.12. What specific problem are you solving, and for whom? (Clearly define target customer segment and use case);
4.2.13. How is this problem currently being solved, and why are existing solutions inadequate?;
4.2.14. What is the size of the addressable market for your startup (TAM/SAM/SOM)? Include assumptions and sources where possible;
4.2.15. Describe your core technology. What makes it fundamentally novel or breakthrough? (Scientific, engineering, or technical innovation — not just business models);
4.2.16. What specialized knowledge, research, or technical capabilities are required to develop and replicate your technology?;
4.2.17. Dual-use potential. What adaptations (technical, regulatory, or operational) would be required to deploy your solution in a defense or security context? ;
4.2.18. What role does AI play in your system (core enabling technology vs. supporting function), and what specific models or methods are used?;
4.2.19. What is your defensibility strategy? Please describe. (Patents, trade secrets, data moats, regulatory barriers, proprietary models, etc.);
4.2.20. Who are your competitors? What competitive advantages does your startup have over current players?;
4.2.21. European / Baltic Ecosystem Links. Do you have partnerships, research collaborations, pilot customers, or institutional links within the European or Baltic ecosystem? Please specify if any;
4.2.22. Geopolitical Importance. How does your technology contribute to technological sovereignty, resilience, or supply chain security within Europe?;
4.2.23. What validation of your product have you achieved so far? (Pilots, LOIs, paid customers, lab results, partnerships, published papers, etc.) Please specify;
4.2.24. How will you sell your product/service? What is your revenue model?;
4.2.25. Please describe your team roles. Why is your team uniquely qualified to solve this problem? (Technical expertise, domain knowledge, prior startups, research background.);
4.2.26. Have you raised external investment? If yes, how much have you raised (EUR)?;
4.2.27. Please provide relevant links to your product or prototype (if applicable);
4.2.28. If your startup has a physical product/prototype, would you be interested in taking part in the Deep Tech Atelier 2026 EXPO zone (14.05. or 15.05.)?
4.3. Deadlines:
10.03.2026: DTA Pitch 26 is open for applications;
06.04.2026: applications are accepted by 18:00 Riga time, the final application registration deadline;
24.04.2026: participants selected for stage pitch are defined and announced;
27.04. – 01.05.2026: DTA Pitch 26 training sessions: 2 online webinars (exact dates to be confirmed);
13.05.2026: DTA Pitch 26 training Bootcamp with present investors as jury (10:00 – 14:30);
14.05.2026: Semi-finals: 3-minute pitch to the DTA Pitch 26 jury, followed by 2-minute Q&A session;
15.05.2026: Finals & Award ceremony: 3-minute pitch to the international DTA Pitch 26 jury, followed with 3
-minute Q&A session. Selected participants will receive prizes.
4.4. All applicants to the DTA Pitch 26 must be registered for the app managing communication and program of Deep Tech Atelier 2026 conference in addition to registration to the DTA Pitch 26. Registration here: https://badgeme.eu/e/deep-tech-atelier.
5. STARTUP SELECTION PROCESS
5.1. The Selection Committee will be appointed by the Contractor and in agreement with the Organizer. It will comprise an international network of investors, accelerators, entrepreneurs, and experts in various industries. This Committee will evaluate all the projects and will select the best graded ones. The pre-selected Startups will be announced by April 24, 2026 via startup’s provided e-mail and on the website of Deep Tech Atelier, as well as their social media channels.
5.2. The DTA Pitch 26 is organized in several rounds. Startups need to apply here: https://deeptechatelier.com/pitch-competition/ to be shortlisted. The form has questions listed in point 4.2. From all applications, up to 30 semi-finalists will be selected to pitch on the DTA stage on May 14. In addition, 5 applicants will be added to the waiting list to fill in in case any of the semi-finalists cannot participate in the event.
10 (ten startups) of those will get into the finals on May 15.
5.2.1. The selection criteria for choosing semi-finalists are as follows:
5.2.1.1. Product or technology uniqueness (1-5 points);
5.2.1.2. Team capabilities (1-5 points);
5.2.1.3. Project scalability (1-5 points);
5.2.1.4. Business model (1-5 points);
5.2.1.5. Marketing approach and competitive advantage (1-5 points);
5.2.1.6. Investor appeal (1-5 points);
5.2.1.7. Prototype readiness at least TRL 4 (Yes / No).
5.2.2. Selection criteria will be evaluated on a scale of 1-5, where 1 – the lowest and 5 is the highest score.
5.3. The selected Startups (participants) will have the opportunity to be presented to international and national investors, accelerators, media and corporations, and have a Q&A session with the jury. Semi-finals and finals will happen only in-person at the Deep Tech Atelier venue in Fantadroms.
5.3.1. The jury criteria at the pre-finals and finals are as follows:
5.3.1.1. Product or technology uniqueness – level of innovation, originality, and differentiation from existing solutions in the target market. (1-5 points);
5.3.1.2. Team capabilities – member strengths, industry expertise, and synergy of the team to develop and scale the project. (1-5 points);
5.3.1.3. Project scalability – ability of the project to grow in new markets and handle increased demand. (1-5 points);
5.3.1.4. Business model – clarity, feasibility, and sustainability of the project’s revenue model. (1- 5 points);
5.3.1.5. Marketing approach and competitive advantage – effectiveness of the go-to-market approach and how well the project distinguishes itself from competitors. (1-5 points);
5.3.1.6. Investor appeal – project’s potential to attract investment based on market opportunity, traction, and expected return. (1-5 points);
5.3.1.7. Presentation and communication skills – clarity and persuasiveness of the pitcher explaining the startups uniqueness, competitiveness and teams capability to deliver results with market dominance with their startup case, as well as clarity in answering jury questions. (1-5 points).
5.3.2. Selection criteria will be evaluated on a scale of 1-5, where 1 – the lowest and 5 is the highest score.
5.4. The selected startups will have the opportunity to also receive 2 pitch training webinars (online) and a workshop in-person in Riga (Perses street 2, Riga (LIAA office)) and Online (link to be sent later to selected participants).
5.4.1. Startups need to come with a ready 3-minutes short pitch presentation before the training session starts (consisting of the speaking text and pitching slides). Feedback is given for ready pitches NOT PITCH IDEAS. PitchDecks should be submitted by 8:00 RIGA time by 8th of May via organizer email (organizers will contact selected startups personally and give detailed guidance between 27th of April and 1st of May). Late submission will result in declined participation in the pitch training workshop on 13th of May.
5.4.2. After the pitch training workshop on May 13, if the startup chooses to do updates in the presentation they hand in, the final pitch deck needs to be sent to organizers by May 13, 18:00 RIGA time. Late submission will result in declined participation in the DTA Pitch 26.
5.5. Selected startups must participate in the DTA Pitch 26 on 14-15 May, 2026 in-person as part of the Deep Tech Atelier 2026.
5.5.1. All participants must be present at the conference venue at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time for the DTA Pitch 26. Each participant presents their pitch in the semi-finals for 3 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of Q&A session with the Jury. After semi-finals several startups will be selected to present during the finals with a 3-minute pitch, followed by a 3-minute Q&A session with the Jury.
5.5.2. If a participant can’t be present in-person, they must contact the organisers by May 13, 2026, 15:00 RIGA, Latvia time zone (eva@goalevents.com, marija@goalevents.com).
5.5.3. Failure to comply with the deadlines and requirements means withdrawal from the DTA Pitch 26.
5.6. The criteria for the Jury selection stay the same as during the pre-selection.
5.7. The organisers may grant awards to the selected startups. Information about awards will be available on the organisers’ website before the DTA Pitch 26.
5.8. The decision regarding the winners in the DTA Pitch 26 will be announced on May 15, 2026.
6. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
6.1. The organisers reserve the right, unilaterally and without prior notice, to exclude any participant from the DTA Pitch 26, especially in those cases where it has suspicions or detects attempts to defraud, alter and/or disable, directly or indirectly, the smooth running and ordinary, proper course of this event.
6.2. Both the initial Selection Committee and the Jury appointed for the DTA Pitch 26 will have the ability to interpret and complete the Terms and Conditions of this event and their decisions will be final.
6.3. Non-acceptance of any of the terms and conditions of the legal rules of this DTA Pitch 26 will also involve the loss by participants of the right to participate in this event, or obtain any prize that could arise from their participation.
6.4. Participation in the DTA Pitch 26 involves acceptance of the whole contents of these Terms and Conditions.
6.5. The participant certifies/states that all data/information submitted in his/her application to DTA Pitch 26 is their own and not of a third party, as well as it is true, correct and accurate to the best of their knowledge.
7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
7.1. All participants taking part in the DTA Pitch 26 declare that they have sufficient ownership of intellectual property rights (trademarks, etc.), programs and/or content included in their proposals, declaring through the acceptance of this Legal Notice that they do not infringe on any intellectual property right or any other rights that any third party may hold in Latvia or abroad regarding the contents and exempting Organizer and Contractor from any liability regarding the use of the above-mentioned programs and/or content.
7.2. Specifically, and in relation to the content and images that participants may make public during the DTA Pitch 26, the latter guarantee and are liable to Organizer and Contractor and third parties for the following aspects:
7.2.1. They are legitimate owners or holders of rights, granting Organizer and Contractor the license for their publication and, where appropriate, have obtained the necessary consent from third parties to do so.
7.2.2. They do not violate applicable laws such as those relating to the right to privacy, image and/or honor, intellectual, industrial or similar property rights, or any right of a third party, either a person or an entity.
7.2.3. In the unlikely event that they publish personal details about another person during the DTA Pitch 26, they should have previously obtained their consent for the publication.
7.3. The participant will therefore be liable to Organizer and its Contractor for the accuracy of the details reported, ensuring that they do actually correspond to them and not to a third party, holding them harmless from any demand or claim that, if applicable, could be made by third parties in relation to the above statements, and any legitimate right to the content that is published and/or provided as part of the DTA Pitch 26.
7.4. The participants are in any event solely liable for the consequences of damages or actions arising from use of the content and/or programs included in their proposals, as well as their reproduction and diffusion.
7.5. Intellectual and/or industrial property for initiatives and projects submitted in the DTA Pitch 26 will – where appropriate in each case – belong exclusively to participants who submitted them.
8. CONFIDENTIALITY
8.1. Throughout the DTA Pitch 26, confidentiality will be ensured with respect to the ideas and/or projects submitted by the participants; organisers only being able to diffuse, at any time and through any means, the general characteristics of these, as well as the names of these ideas and/or projects and those of participants and, especially, the winners.
9. ADVERTISING
9.1. DTA Pitch 26 participants, and especially the winners, expressly authorize LIAA and the third parties through the acceptance of these Terms and Conditions, without any territorial or time limit, to establish, reproduce, disseminate and use by any printed, spoken and signed media, in any form, by any means and through any medium, their name, image and voice, as well as the general characteristics and names of the ideas or projects submitted, always respecting the provisions of the Intellectual Property and Confidentiality sections of this document, provided they are for advertising, information and/or promotional purposes relating to DTA Pitch 26 or the Deep Tech Atelier, without any right to compensation.
9.2. Information about DTA Pitch 26 will be distributed through several channels: media, websites of the organisers and partners, social networks, partners’ channels.
10. PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION POLICY
10.1. By submitting an application to the DTA Pitch 26 participant is informed that the Organizer and Contractor respects current legislation regarding the protection of personal data, pursuant to the provisions of General Data Protection Regulation, approving the regulations implementing it. The Participant can exercise their rights, including the right to object or ask questions to the Organiser by contacting via e-mail pasts@liaa.gov.lv.
10.2. In these communications, please specify the name of the participant – attaching a photocopy of ID – your email address and, if applicable, the name of the company on behalf of which you completed the forms on the website.
10.3. The main legitimating base that enables those responsible for the processing of personal data of the participants is the execution of the participation in the DTA Pitch 26, because without the processing of their personal data their participation could not be carried out. Likewise, the participants authorize the responsible parties and potential assignees, to send content (newsletter) by means of their own consent through the forms established for this, without in any case the withdrawal of this consent conditioning the participation in the DTA Pitch 26.
10.4. In the use of the data included in the file, Organizer and Contractor undertakes to respect its confidentiality and use it in accordance with the purpose of the file, i.e. to manage data regarding contact details and participants in the DTA Pitch 26, in the Deep Tech Atelier, and to perform content delivery management (newsletters) and any others that might be indicated at the time of data collection, as well as complying with its obligation to store it and adopt all measures to prevent alteration, loss, treatment or unauthorized access in accordance with the provisions of General Data Protection Regulation.
10.5. The participant agrees and expressly authorizes Organizer and Contractor to transfer data to bodies promoting, organising, sponsoring and participating in the Deep Tech Atelier 2026.
10.6. Personal data provided by participants must always be truthful and complete. If they are false, and if the prize corresponds to the participant, the Organizer reserves the possibility of refusing the right to compete for the prize at any time.
10.7. Participants in the DTA Pitch 26 know and expressly accept that to manage and enable their participation and management of the prize, Organizer and Contractor may use both their image and personal contact data and, in particular, their email address in order to communicate with the participants and the winners and to inform them of the steps to take to ensure their presentations during the Deep Tech Atelier and to be awarded the prizes.
10.8. DTA Pitch 26 will be audio and video recorded and/or live broadcast through web streaming. With the submission of the application participants for their personal data (name, surname, photo and materials related to Startup) being processed for publicity purposes on the organizer’s websites https://deeptechatelier.com/, https://labsoflatvia.com/, www.liaa.gov.lv and social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram without a time limitation.
10.9. Winners agree that their name will be published on the Organizer site and Deep Tech Atelier 2026 site as part of the management for their participation.
11. MODIFICATIONS AND CANCELLATIONS
11.1. LIAA reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time, including the prize and/or its possible cancellation before the expected date of resolution, provided there is a justified cause, undertaking to publish these modifications through the website https://deeptechatelier.com/.
11.2. Furthermore, if participants wish to make any modifications or cancellations related to the information provided, they must do so to the email address: eva@goalevents.com, marija@goalevents.com.
12. LAW AND JURISDICTION
12.1. These Terms and Conditions are governed by Latvian law and the participants and the organiser, expressly waiving any other jurisdiction, are subject to the Courts of Republic of Latvia for any dispute arising between the parties.
12.2. DISQUALIFICATION: The Organizer reserves the right to disqualify a participant if false or misleading information is provided, if the participant breaches the rules of the competition, if sanctions regulations are violated, or if the participant fails to comply with participation requirements or event attendance obligations.
12.3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: The Organizer (LIAA) and Contractor (Goal Events Group SIA) shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages arising from participation in the DTA Pitch 26, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of business opportunities, or disclosure of ideas during public presentations.
12.4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Members of the Selection Committee and Jury must declare any potential conflicts of interest with participating startups and may abstain from evaluation or voting where such conflict exists.
12.5. CONFIDENTIALITY CLARIFICATION: Participants acknowledge that the DTA Pitch 26 involves public presentations. Therefore, participants should avoid disclosing confidential information that they do not wish to make public.
12.6. PRIZES: Awards may include financial support, services, mentoring opportunities, partner prizes or visibility packages. The approximate prize pool and partner contributions will be announced on the official website
before the event.
12.7. PARTICIPATION COSTS: Selected startups receive access to the conference but are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs unless explicitly stated otherwise by the Organizer.
12.8. JURY DECISION: The decisions of the Selection Committee and Jury are final and cannot be appealed.
12.9. DATA CONTROLLER: The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) acts as the data controller for personal data processed in relation to DTA Pitch 26.
12.10. DATA RETENTION: Personal data collected for the purposes of DTA Pitch 26 will be stored for up to three (3) years after the event unless a longer retention period is required by applicable law.
12.11. DATA TRANSFER: Personal data may be shared only with partners, sponsors and service providers directly involved in the organization and execution of Deep Tech Atelier 2026