Oradea, June 17–18, 2025 – The stage is set. UNCHAIN Fintech Festival is now accepting applications for the 2025 Startups Tournament, inviting early-stage fintech founders from Central and Eastern Europe to pitch their solutions to a high-powered jury of investors, banks, and ecosystem leaders.
From Warsaw to Sofia, from Budapest to Ljubljana—UNCHAIN is scouting the region’s most promising fintech startups. The goal is to give them unmatched exposure in front of a live audience with C-level executives, VC partners, corporate scouts, and accelerators actively looking for what’s next.
“This is where ideas meet capital, and founders meet the people who can help them scale,”says Alexandra Pollack, Founder & CEO of UNCHAIN Festival. “We don’t just put startups on stage. We actively surround them with the kind of people they need to scale.”
If you’re selected, you’ll be one of just 25 startups in this year’s official UNCHAIN cohort, pitching live on the main stage in front of key players from across the financial and tech landscape. You’ll meet top-tier investors, accelerators, and regional banks face-to-face, with curated matchmaking built right into the experience.
Who You’ll Meet:
Expect to pitch in front of decision-makers from leading VC funds, fintech-focused investors, and top regional banks. Notable representatives includes names like International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), PortfoLion, Day One Capital, LAUNCHub Ventures, Fiedler Capital, Presto Ventures, Early Game Ventures, GapMinder, Fil Rouge Capital, Truffle Capital, Depo Ventures, Transylvania Angels Network, OUVC – Venture Capital & Venture Studio, Pulsar Venture Capital, Growceanu, SQ Capital, Tech Angelsand many more. Whether you’re looking for pre-seed fuel or Series A firepower, the right people will be in the room and watching.
Beyond the Pitch: Exclusive Growth Opportunities for Startups at UNCHAIN
In addition to pitching on stage, selected startups will unlock access to high-value activities designed to accelerate growth. These include Speed Meetings with innovation leads from regional banks, 1-to-1 Investor Matchmaking with active fintech VCs, and closed-door roundtables powered by Startup Wise Guys—offering real talk on funding, expectations, and smart capital strategies.
Founders will also join a hands-on workshop powered by StartupYard, focused on turning leads into customers and building scalable go-to-market strategies. It’s not just about the pitch — it’s about traction.
- Apply online viaunchainfestival.com/startups
- Applications are reviewed as they come in, so applying early gives you an edge.
- Finalists will pitch live in Oradea on June 17-18, 2025
The deadline for applying is May 31st, 2025.
“We are extremely proud that the jury at UNCHAIN Fintech Festival honoured our B2B BNPL solution with the first prize. The entire event surpassed all our expectations with top quality speakers and participants. Looking forward to next year!” Benjamin Berényi, CEO & Co-founder PastPay, winner of last year’s UNCHAIN Startups Tournament.
Think your startup has what it takes? Apply now: https://unchainfestival.com/startups/
Applications close May 31, 2025 – don’t wait!
