SXSW London | Venture Spotlight Competition

SXSW London - Venture Spotlight Competition Terms & Condition

The Competition
1. SXSW London Limited of Second Floor, 67-71 Shoreditch High Street, London, England, E1 6JJ (SXSW London) is pleased to be running SXSW London Venture Spotlight (the Competition) as part of the wider SXSW London Festival (the Festival). SXSW London is the promoter of the Competition.
How to Enter
1. The competition will run from 00:00 on 7 March 2025 (the Opening Date) to 23:59 on 6 April 2025 (the Closing Date) inclusive.
2. All competition entries must be received by SXSW London through the online application platform by no later than 23:59 on the Closing Date. All competition entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.
3. To enter the competition you will need to create an online account, verify your account and submit the online entry form provided on the Competition Website by the Closing Date. Please note that it will take roughly thirty minutes to complete the form, provided that you have all supporting information ready to go.
4. You can save your progress and continue later, but you cannot edit your entry once submitted.
5. There is a £25 fee to enter the Competition. The fee is inclusive of VAT and SXSW London will provide you with an invoice upon completion of the application fee. The fee is non-refundable. This includes (without limitation) if your application is not accepted, or if accepted, you are no longer able to participate in the Competition for any reason.
6. SXSW will not accept:
  1. responsibility for competition entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, website, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or
  2. proof of transmission as proof of receipt of entry to the competition.
7. By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions, the SXSW London Terms of Use, the SXSW London Participants Terms & Conditions, the SXSW Code of Conduct. You also acknowledge that we shall process your personal information in accordance with the SXSW London Privacy Policy.
8. You confirm that you have carefully read and understood these terms, including the eligibility criteria, entry deadlines, judging criteria, due diligence requirements and details on how to claim the prize.
9. You confirm that any other persons featuring in your entry have consented to being referenced and/or to image(s) of them being included in your application.
10. If your pitch is selected to participate in the Competition, and upon request by SXSW London, you agree to make available yourself and any person(s) who are featured as part of your entry to participate in any media and other promotional opportunities as part of the Competition.
11. You have the right to withdraw your submission at any time prior to the end of the Closing Date unless otherwise agreed with SXSW London and may do so by contacting startup@sxswlondon.com.
12. If you are invited to pitch at the semi-finals and/or participate in the Festival, then prior to and as a condition of your participation, you, and the individual(s) who will be contributing to your pitch, will be required to sign a separate Participant Agreement with SXSW London (or a company nominated by SXSW London) (Participant Agreement).
13. For help with entries, please contact our customer team at startup@sxswlondon.com.
Process
1. We will email participants who have been selected to move forward to the semi-finals between Monday 28 April 2025 and 5 May 2025. In that email we will confirm the date and time of their semi-final pitching slot and provide details as to how they can claim two free platinum passes to the Festival. We will also contact applicants who will not be invited to submit a pitch but won’t be providing feedback on their application.
2. We will inform the semi-finalists who have been selected to move forward to the grand final after the completion of the semi-finals. We will also let the finalists know the time of their final pitching slot.
3. All deadlines set out in these terms are final unless otherwise determined by SXSW London. If you fail to submit any required information by the relevant deadline you will be disqualified from the Competition.
4. If you are invited to pitch at either the semi-final or grand final you will be given a time slot in which you will be required to deliver your pitch. If you are unable to pitch at your designated slot then you will be disqualified from the Competition.
Key Dates
1. The Competition will be run as follows:
  1. Any company that is invited to pitch at the semi-finals (a Participating Company):
    1. will be invited to a virtual pitch preparation webinar and workshop, due to take place on 15 May 2025. You do not have to attend the webinar to take part in the Competition;
    2. will be invited to attend an in-person further workshop on Tuesday 3 June 2025. You do not have to attend the workshop to take part in the Competition;
    3. will be required to attend the Festival on 4 June 2025 to pitch to a judging panel; and
    4. will be required to submit their final pitch deck that they will use at the semi-final and final (if applicable) by no later than 23:59 on 30 May 2025.
  2. If you are selected for the grand final, you will be required to attend the Festival on 5 June 2025 to pitch to a judging panel.
Eligibility
1. The competition is only open to companies incorporated outside of North America that:
  1. are “affiliated” with a University (either because one or more of their founders are a current University student, a University alumnus, a member of University faculty);
  2. have raised a minimum of £350,000 in equity funding (including ASAs, SAFEs, convertible loan notes or other similar instruments).;
  3. were officially incorporated on or after 1 January 2020;
  4. have a primary business offering in one of the following industries:
    1. Biotechnology and Life Science (i.e. companies that use biology to develop new products, methods and organisms intended to improve human health and society. For example, developing methodologies to manipulate the genetic structures and biomolecular processes of living organisms e.g. CAR-T therapy. This sector can include sectors like genetic engineering, life science, nanotechnology, informatics and molecular biology).
    2. Deep Technology (i.e. companies developing advanced technologies based on some form of substantial scientific or engineering innovation. The innovations explore advanced solutions to complex challenges or issues e.g. robotics, nanotechnology, genomics and clean energy initiatives).
    3. Creative Technology (i.e. companies operating at the convergence of computer science, creativity, and new media. The use of technology to create new and innovative products, services, and experiences. It encompasses a wide range of fields, including design, engineering, computer science, and the arts. With the rapid advancement of technology, creative technology has become an essential tool for businesses and organizations across industries to stay competitive and meet the changing needs of consumers); and
  5. pass SXSW London’s “Know-Your-Client”, “Anti-Money Laundering” and other checks.
2. If you are uncertain whether you are eligible to enter into the Competition please contact us at startups@sxswlondon.com. By entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim any prize you may win.
3. SXSW London will not accept entries that are:
  1. automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications);
  2. completed by third parties or in bulk;
  3. illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with; or
  4. incomplete.
4. There is a limit of one entry per company. Entries on behalf of another company will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.
Due Diligence
1. All semi-finalists will be required to provide the follow documentation so that SXSW London can carry out due diligence on them:
2. Legal & Corporate Registration:
  1. Certificate of Registration
  2. Business Registration Number (BRN) / Company Number
  3. Articles of Association & Memorandum of Association
  4. Proof of Registered Business Address
  5. Certified Company Structure Chart
3. Financial & Banking Information
  1. Bank Account Verification Letter
  2. Tax Identification Number
  3. Recent Financial Statements (Audited, if possible)
  4. Company Financial Projections
  5. Proof of funding
4. Compliance & Governance
  1. Business Licences & Permits
  2. Compliance Certificates (ISO, GDPR etc.)
  3. AML & KYC Compliance Documents (including for Founders and Directors)
  4. Capitalisation Table i.e. List of Directors & Shareholders
5. Operational & Contractual Documents
  1. Key Contracts & Agreements
  2. Corporate Overview Presentation
  3. Evidence of Intellectual Property (IP) Ownership
6. Additional Due Diligence
  1. Credit Reports & Business Credit Rating
  2. Online & Applicable Public Records Information Search
7. All due diligence documentation needs to be provided by 15 May 2025. Any documentation submitted after 15 May 2025 will not be considered as part of the judging process.
Pitches
1. You will be required to nominate a single individual who will pitch at both the semi-final and grand final. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the nominated individual will be the only individual who will be entitled to pitch to the judges. If you have needs that mean that you require more than one individual to pitch to the judges then please contact us at startup@sxswlondon.comto discuss those needs.
2. Each semi-finalist will have a maximum of 3 minutes to present their pitch to a board of judges and the audience of the Festival.
3. Each finalist will have a maximum of 3 minutes to present their pitch to a panel of industry experts, which will then be followed by a 3 minute Q&A session with the panel.
4. Please see our FAQs for further tips on what should be contained in your pitch.
5. By participating in the Competition, you agree that SXSW London does not give investment, legal or tax advice and that you alone are responsible for ensuring your compliance with applicable securities and other laws in your country and the United Kingdom.
6. If you require further information about fundraising requirements and/or security laws in the United Kingdom please contact a lawyer qualified in English law.
Judging
1. All competition entries will be initially judged a panel of thirteen industry leaders, experts and investors who will give each entry a score out of ten for each of the following criteria:
  1. Innovation & Uniqueness: the uniqueness of the core concept
  2. Market Potential
  3. Business Viability & Scalability
  4. Technology & Feasibility
  5. Team and Execution Capability
  6. Traction & Progress
  7. Competitive Advantage
  8. Financial Stability
  9. ESG & Other Ethical Consideration
2. The pitch of each semi-finalist and finalist will be judged by a panel of judges, giving each pitch a score out of ten for each of the criteria listed in paragraph 8.1. In addition, the information uploaded to the due diligence data room will also be judged by a panel of judges, who will give the information that has been uploaded a score out of ten for each of the criteria listed in paragraph 8.1. Please note, in the event you are unable to provide some or all of the due diligence documentation requested this may have a negative impact on your due diligence scores.
3. The decision of the judges (acting reasonably) will be final.
4. SXSW London will send the full names of the judges to anyone who writes by 31 July 2025 to SXSW London and encloses a self-addressed envelope.
The Prize
1. The prizes are:
  1. 1^st place - £100,000 in the form of an investment in the applicable Participating Company by way of an ASA (advanced subscription agreement) or SAFE (simple agreement for future equity), two (2) platinum badges to SXSW London 2026 and an invitation to provide a seed pitch during the SXSW pitch winner ceremony to be held in Austin Texas in March 2026;
  2. 2^nd place - £50,000 in the form of an investment in applicable Participating Company by way of an ASA or SAFE; and
  3. 3^rd place - £25,000 in the form of an investment in applicable Participating Company by way of an ASA or SAFE.
2. For more information on SAFE/ASA investments please see the FAQ document.
3. The prizes do not include a contribution to your legal and/or professional costs incurred negotiating the terms of the SAFE/ASA, travel, hotels, travel insurance, the cost of transfers to and from airports or stations, food and drink, spending money, tax or personal expenses. Any other costs incurred in addition to those set out above and that are incidental to the fulfilment of the prize are the responsibility of the winner(s). You will be responsible for ensuring that you and any person travelling with you are available to travel and hold valid passports, any necessary visas and travel documents.
4. The prize is not transferable.
Winners
1. The decision of judges nominated by SXSW London is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
2. SXSW London will contact the winner of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prize personally as soon as possible after the grand final has finished and the winner(s) have been announced, using the telephone number or email address provided with the competition entry.
3. SXSW London will publish the company names and country of incorporation of all grand finalists on https://www.sxswlondon.com/ after the completion of the semi-final.
4. SXSW London must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. To comply with this obligation SXSW London will send the company names and country of incorporation of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prize winners and, if applicable a recording of their grand final pitch, to anyone who emails startups@sxswlondon.com or writes to the address set out in clause 1.1 (enclosing a self-addressed envelope) by 5 July 2025.
5. If you object to any or all of your company names, country of incorporation or grand final pitch being published or made available, please contact SXSW London startups@sxswlondon.com. In such circumstances, SXSW London must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request.
Claiming the Prize
1. In order to claim the 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd prize each winner will need to:
  1. pass final “Know-Your-Client” and “Anti-Money Laundering” checks;
  2. agree terms for the SAFE/ASA (including the trigger events, any applicable discount, a valuation cap and other required terms);
  3. provide any information that we may reasonably require to satisfy any further legal due diligence that we determine that we need to undertake; and
  4. enter into the SAFE/ASA with SXSW London or a company nominated by SXSW London to provide the investment.
2. SXSW London will use reasonable endeavours to negotiate and agree with you the terms of the SAFE/ASA as soon as reasonably possible after the close of the Competition. However, in the event that you have not entered into a SAFE/ASA investment agreement within sixty (60) days of the close of the Competition due to non-acceptance of SXSW London’s terms, SXSW London reserves the right to offer the relevant prize to the next eligible grand-finalist or (if applicable) semi-finalist.
3. SXSW does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prize for any reason (including because we are unable to agree the terms of the SAFE/ASA, we determine that any information your provided as part of your entry or due diligence documentation was inaccurate, misleading or incomplete or we determine (acting reasonably) that your Participating Company is otherwise not eligible for a prize),
Limitation of Liability
1. Insofar as is permitted by law, SXSW London, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of SXSW London, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.
Ownership of Competition Entries and Intellectual Property Rights
1. SXSW London does not claim any rights of ownership in your competition entry.
2. Each participant in the Competition is solely responsible for protecting any intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc.) in their submission. If you think you have intellectual property rights or you might want to patent your idea someday or you feel confidential information may be compromised, it is strongly recommended that you consult a lawyer before disclosing this information in your submission.
3. By submitting an entry into the Competition, you acknowledge that applying for the Competition could result in disclosure of your intellectual property if such information is included in your submission.
4. SXSW London is not in a position to protect or advise you on your intellectual property rights and does not take any responsibility for doing so. Additionally, SXSW London does not require non-disclosure agreements or other confidentiality obligations from anyone involved in the Competition (whether as an participant, applicant, judge or administrator).
Data protection and Publicity
1. SXSW London will only process your personal information as set out in the SXSW Privacy Policy. See also Condition 10.3, Condition 10.4 and Condition 10.5, with regard to the announcement of winners.
General
1. If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, SXSW, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to exclude you from participating in the competition.
2. SXSW London reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the Competition where it becomes necessary to do so in its sole discretion.
3. You represent and warrant that:
  1. the information you provided in your entry is accurate,
  2. you have the rights, consents and licences necessary to enter the Competition;
  3. all aspects of the work underlying your entry are your own and do not infringe on the rights of any third party or otherwise breach any law;
  4. your entry does not breach any agreement(s) or understanding by which you are bound, and nor would your participation in the Festival breach any such agreement(s); and
  5. you haven’t entered into any agreements or understandings with any person or entity that might conflict with my warranties and representations made in these terms and conditions;
4. You hereby agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SXSW London, its parents, subsidiaries, owners, and affiliates, license holders and each of their respective officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all responsibility or liability arising out of or in connection with my breach of these Competition terms and conditions and/or any guidelines, policies and terms provided by SXSW London.
5. You agree to use this platform in accordance with the SXSW London Terms of Use and any Code of Conduct notified to me from time to time.
6. These terms and conditions are governed by English law. Each Participant Company irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with the Competition, these terms or their subject matter or formation.