Registration for the ninth edition of the national startup competition INOTEX Pitch has begun concurrently with the rollout of the event across six provinces in Iran. As one of the flagship and most widely attended segments of the International Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INOTEX 2026), the competition aims to identify, evaluate, and support innovative startups.

According to the INOTEX Secretariat, participants who advance through the provincial rounds will compete for a place in the national final. This year’s ninth edition of INOTEX Pitch will be hosted in the provinces of Ilam, Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman, Golestan, Tehran, and East Azerbaijan.

Provincial Event Schedule

Ilam: January 1, 2026

Sistan and Baluchestan: January 8, 2026

Kerman: January 15, 2026

Golestan: January 29, 2026

Tehran: February 18, 2026

East Azerbaijan: April 16, 2026

The final stage of the competition will be held on the fourth day of INOTEX 2026 at the Iran International Innovation District and Pardis Technology Park, featuring finalists from the provincial rounds. Final presentations will be delivered live before a panel of judges, investors, and exhibition visitors.

Prizes

Based on the judges’ evaluations:

First place: 1 billion rials

Second place: 500 million rials

Startup Battle

The fifth edition of the Startup Battle will also take place on the sidelines of INOTEX 2026. The competition will feature head-to-head, two-on-two duels among the top 10 teams from the pitch stage. Each duel lasts a total of six minutes, with the winner determined immediately by audience vote, without deliberation by judges. The winning team will receive a 500 million rial cash prize.

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