Coreshell Wins $1 Million Grand Prize at Startup World Cup 2025, Showcasing Global Innovation in San Francisco
The 2025 edition of the Startup World Cup reached its thrilling conclusion on October 17, 2025, as Coreshell Technologies emerged victorious, winning the coveted $1 million investment prize. Organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, the global competition brought together top entrepreneurial talent from over 100 regions worldwide, highlighting the power of innovation and global collaboration in shaping the future of technology.
Held at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco, the Grand Finale drew a crowd of more than 3,000 attendees — including startup founders, investors, and thought leaders — all gathered to witness ten outstanding startup finalists compete for the top prize. Between pitches, the audience enjoyed inspiring fireside chats and panel discussions featuring prominent figures from Silicon Valley and the international tech community.
A Global Stage for Innovation
This year’s Startup World Cup saw thousands of startups from across the globe vying for recognition and funding. After regional competitions on six continents, about 100 regional winners advanced to the semi-finals, held in San Francisco on October 15. From this group, ten finalists were selected to move forward to the Grand Finale, representing innovation across diverse sectors — from artificial intelligence and renewable energy to biotechnology, health tech, and sustainable materials.
Ultimately, Coreshell Technologies, based in East Bay, California, impressed the judges with its scalable, affordable battery technology that leverages metallurgical silicon anodes. The company’s innovation promises lower costs and longer driving range for electric vehicles (EVs), addressing one of the most critical challenges in global electrification efforts.
“Our vision is to make better batteries accessible and affordable, accelerating the clean energy transition,” said the Coreshell team during their pitch. Their win underscores the increasing importance of sustainable energy solutions in shaping the future of mobility and energy storage.
Celebrating Global Excellence: Top Finalists from Around the World
The 2025 Startup World Cup Finalists represented a remarkable cross-section of innovation from every corner of the globe:
- Coreshell Technologies (East Bay, USA) – Winner of the $1 million prize. Developers of affordable, scalable batteries with metallurgical silicon anodes that enable longer EV range at lower cost.
- Acompany (Tokyo, Japan) – Offers confidential computing solutions that enable secure data analysis on encrypted datasets while maintaining full privacy compliance.
- BuuPass (Nairobi, Kenya) – Dubbed “Toast-meets-Expedia” for Africa, BuuPass digitizes the continent’s $100 billion long-distance transport market, integrating booking and payments for greater accessibility and efficiency.
- FaceHeart (Taipei, Taiwan) – Provides contactless, video-based vital signs monitoring, powered by AI-driven image recognition and rPPG technology, enhancing health monitoring capabilities.
- GO TO-U (Los Angeles, USA) – Delivers EV charging management software that helps operators optimize station performance while improving user experience.
- Happy Robot (Bilbao, Spain) – Creates AI-powered workforce solutions, automating and optimizing operational efficiency across industries.
- Intuition Robotics (Tel Aviv, Israel) – Secured second place for its pioneering relationship-driven AI companion, ElliQ, designed to promote healthier and happier aging.
- Macro Cycle (San Francisco, USA) – Develops zero-carbon, circular plastics and textiles, achieving environmental sustainability at cost parity with conventional materials.
- ScentianBio (Wellington, New Zealand) – Builds digital smell sensors using insect receptors to detect food quality issues, offering breakthroughs in food and beverage safety.
- Vital Audio (New York, USA) – Uses proprietary voice-based technology to assess cardiac and pulmonary health via simple phone calls, enabling early, device-free diagnosis for millions of high-risk patients.
Among the runners-up, Intuition Robotics captured the audience’s attention with its emotionally intelligent AI solutions for elder care, while BuuPass earned third place for its transformative impact on transportation access and logistics across Africa.
A Convergence of Visionaries: The Conference Experience
The Startup World Cup Grand Finale is more than just a competition — it’s a global innovation summit. The 2025 event featured an all-star lineup of speakers and panelists, including Lori Greiner from Shark Tank and senior executives and co-founders from Google, AMD, LinkedIn, Brex, Docusign, Cloudflare, and Dell. Leaders from top venture capital firms such as Greylock Partners, NEA, and Redpoint Ventures also shared insights on funding strategies, startup growth, and the evolving innovation landscape.
The judging panel was equally distinguished, featuring representatives from Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, and others. Each judge brought deep industry expertise and a keen eye for disruptive potential.
“This year’s competition was incredibly fierce and packed with adrenaline,” said Anis Uzzaman, Founder and CEO of Pegasus Tech Ventures and Chairman of the Startup World Cup. “It was such a tough decision to choose the winner. Startups battled intensely for a spot in the Top 10, and the energy and enthusiasm from entrepreneurs around the world were truly impressive.”
The Spirit of Global Entrepreneurship
Since its inception in 2016, the Startup World Cup has evolved into the largest startup competition in the world, serving as a launchpad for visionary entrepreneurs and groundbreaking technologies. Each year, it fosters collaboration across borders and showcases how innovation can drive progress in any industry.
“The Startup World Cup once again demonstrated that innovation knows no boundaries,” Uzzaman continued. “A successful startup can emerge from anywhere in the world and rise to compete on the global stage. This event inspires and empowers founders from every corner of the globe to keep pushing forward, take bold risks, and chase their vision without hesitation.”
With competitions spanning over 100 regions, the event has created an unparalleled network of startups, investors, and corporations. It bridges emerging ecosystems with Silicon Valley’s investment and mentorship infrastructure, turning regional success stories into global enterprises.
A Platform for the Future
The 2025 edition reinforced the Startup World Cup’s mission — to connect ambitious founders with investors, mentors, and resources that can turn innovative ideas into world-changing businesses. It celebrated not only Coreshell’s win but also the collective achievements of entrepreneurs tackling the world’s most pressing challenges — from clean energy and aging populations to healthcare accessibility and sustainable materials.
As the competition closed with a standing ovation for all ten finalists, the atmosphere in San Francisco was electric — a true reflection of global optimism in the power of innovation. For the Coreshell team, the $1 million prize represents more than capital; it symbolizes validation of their vision to redefine the energy landscape.
With each edition, the Startup World Cup continues to ignite inspiration, foster international collaboration, and showcase the limitless potential of entrepreneurial creativity. As Pegasus Tech Ventures looks ahead to the 2026 competition, startups worldwide are already preparing their pitches — ready to dream big, disrupt industries, and perhaps follow in Coreshell’s footsteps as the next global champion.
