PITCH is Web Summit Rio&#8217;s startup pitching competition, bringing together the world’s leading early-stage startups to battle it out onstage. Founders have the chance to pitch to – and learn from – investors and leaders.
You can apply now for our 2026 startup program.
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Apply for 2026

PITCH is open to exhibiting ALPHA and BETA startups that have received less than €5 million in funding to date and that have not had a discernible change in business model in the last three years.

What happens when I apply?

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All applications are recorded and passed on to an independent panel of influential judges for assessment.
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Assessment and selection

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The top 42 startups will prepare their decks and delivery to battle it out onstage at Web Summit Rio.
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Prepare for battle

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Present in front of a panel of investors, members of the media and global partners for the chance to be crowned the winner of PITCH.
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Time to pitch

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<li>Brazilian startup sees off thousands of startups to secure the coveted title at Latin America’s biggest tech gathering&nbsp;</li>



<li>Numerous partners sign multi-year agreements with Web Summit including Banco BV, and SendPlus</li>
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DigAí Co-Founder and CEO Christian Pedrosa received the PITCH trophy on Web Summit’s Rio Centre Stage after winning the final round of judging by Tamara Steffens, Managing Director at Thomson Reuters Ventures; Steven Ogunro, Partner at CrossWork Ventures; and Brant Meyer, Head of Seed Stage Investment at Trac VC.



DigAí has been crowned the winner of Web Summit Rio’s 2025 PITCH competition, which brings together the world’s leading early-stage startups to battle it out on stage.



The São Paulo-based startup builds AI agents — smart virtual assistants that can help businesses streamline hiring, boost sales, and improve productivity. “We’re a one-stop shop for enterprise conversational AI,” explained co-founder Christian Pedrosa. “We create technology that helps people have useful conversations that help teams move faster.”&nbsp;



Thousands of startups enlisted in Web Summit&#8217;s startup program to compete for the PITCH prize over the three-day event. In the end, DigAí beat out two fellow Brazilian contenders in the final: biotech innovator Biolinker and SaaS platform Elephan.AI. All three finalists share Brazilian roots, underscoring the country&#8217;s emergence as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurial talent. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="723" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-1024x723.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95542" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/GrHJ9sah-54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-300x212.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-1024x723.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-768x542.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-1536x1084.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-2048x1445.jpg 2048w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-1200x847.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54487668799_8f6d82125c_o-1400x988.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">30 April 2025; Christian Pedrosa, CEO, DigAÍ, speaks after winning the Pitch final on centre stage during day three of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



Curiously, DigAí didn’t start as a sales tool — it began as a volunteer project at Nubank, one of the world’s largest digital banks, where founder and CEO Christian Pedrosa worked as a Business Security Manager. There, he launched a program teaching programming in São Paulo public schools, and saw firsthand how many students struggled to express themselves in interviews.



“A lot of students were missing out on jobs not because they lacked skills, but because they struggled to express themselves and organize their thoughts during interviews,” said Christian Pedrosa.



To tackle this, Pedrosa built an AI interviewer that gave real-time feedback. Students were successful in job interviews, and the idea grew, to DigAí.&nbsp; The name “DigAí” itself is a playful nod to the Portuguese expression “diga aí,” meaning “Say it”,&nbsp; which captures the startup’s mission perfectly: empowering meaningful conversations through AI.



“We’re here to show what we’ve built,” said Christian Pedrosa. “Web Summit is amazing for that — everyone in Brazil’s VC ecosystem is here. It gives founders with a good idea the chance to pitch, connect, and explore.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95544" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/HF1s79pc-54485786554_092d3ae781_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54485786554_092d3ae781_o-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">29 April 2025; Pitch finalists Christian Pedrosa, CEO, DigAÍ; Thais Sterenberg, Co-founder &amp; CEO, Elephan.ai; Mona Oliveira, Biolinker, backstage on centre stage during day two of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



PITCH finalists join biotech and AI



Runner-up startups in the PITCH final included Biolinker, a biotech company working to make it faster and easier for scientists and biotech firms to develop and scale protein-based products.



“It can be hard to explain what we do, because in popular culture, ‘protein’ often just means meat or whey,” explained founder and CEO Mona Oliveira, PhD. “But essentially, we engineer microorganisms — pharmaceutical enzymes — using synthetic biology to produce high-value ingredients for various industries.”



Participation in Web Summit Rio marked a key milestone for Biolinker. “More people should know that Brazil has these technologies,” said Oliveira. The event offered her a platform to connect with investors, potential clients, and the media. “We’re using this chance to show what we can do.”



Completing the trio of finalists was Elephan.AI, a startup reimagining how B2B sales teams close deals through real-time, AI-powered coaching during sales calls. Their platform acts like a smart teammate, analyzing conversations and offering instant guidance on what to say, how to respond, and how to keep the deal on track.



“We capture every interaction a company has with leads — WhatsApp messages, meeting notes, sales calls — and turn that into insight,” says co-founder and CEO Thais Sterenberg. “That data becomes a powerful feedback loop. We make that knowledge visible so everyone on the team can perform at their best.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="749" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-1024x749.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95546" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/9ObKigsf-54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-300x219.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-1024x749.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-768x562.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-1536x1123.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-2048x1498.jpg 2048w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-1200x878.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54486626987_ca8f98e322_o-1400x1024.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">30 April 2025; Maria Prata, Content creator, Prata Porter, Tarciana Medeiros, CEO, Banco do Brasil, Adriana Barbosa, Founder &amp; CEO, Feira Preta Ecosystem; Bianca Andrade, CEO and founder, Boca Rosa Company; on centre stage during day three of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



Web Summit Rio 2025 highlights&nbsp;



Web Summit Rio 2025 broke records with 1,397 startups, 657 investors, and 34,552 attendees from 102 countries, solidifying its position as South America’s largest tech event. A new five-year agreement with the City of Rio ensures the event’s presence through 2030. Notably, 46% of participating startups were women-founded, showing the event&#8217;s commitment to diversity and inclusion. <a href="https://rio.websummit.com/blog/news/web-summit-rio-breaks-startup-record-gathering-1397-startups-among-34552-attendees/">You can read more about numbers at Web Summit rio here.&nbsp;</a>



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As highlighted by Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave, “Web Summit isn’t just getting bigger – it’s becoming more important as global politics, trade, and technology shift, pushing new debates forward, shaping industries, and forging fresh alliances. The numbers we’re seeing this year speak for themselves: nearly 1,400 startups are joining Web Summit Rio, a 31 per cent increase from last year. It’s a clear sign that even amid global uncertainty, innovation isn’t slowing down – it’s speeding up,” said founder and CEO of Web Summit Paddy Cosgrave. 
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95548" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/UfSgpJi8-52882044940_4595771261_o-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/52882044940_4595771261_o-1-1400x934.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Partners sign multi-year agreements with Web Summit



A number of Web Summit partners have signed multi-year agreements for the upcoming editions of Web Summit Rio. These include Brazilian bank Banco BV; AEVO; Petrobras; Brazil’s largest innovation and knowledge center CESAR; e-commerce platform Loja Integrada; Mexico’s BlackBox Startup Law; US-based AI-powered lead intelligence firm Snov.io; US marketing automation startup SendPulse; and US software experience management platform Pendo.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="643" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-1024x643.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95550" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-300x188.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-1024x643.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-768x482.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-1536x965.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-1200x754.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/7U5D3I5S-54479736432_40e19f1643_o-1400x879.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">27 April 2025; Paddy Cosgrave, CEO &amp; Founder, Web Summit, on centre stage, with, from left, Antonio Queiroz, President of Fecomercio System of the State of Rio de Janeiro, SENAC; Luciana Santos, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Government of Brazil; and Eduardo da Costa Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro; during opening night of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



Rio de Janeiro secures Web Summit Rio until 2030



Paddy Cosgrave, founder and CEO of Web Summit; Luciana Santos, Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation; Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro; and Antonio Queiroz, President of the Fecomercio System of the State of Rio de Janeiro (SENAC), announced a new five-year agreement with the City of Rio de Janeiro during Web Summit Rio’s Opening Night on Centre Stage. The agreement secures Web Summit’s presence in Rio until 2030, scaling Web Summit Rio to South America’s largest technology event and helping turbocharge Rio’s tech ecosystem. You can read more about the deal <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JSQY44G3-TXDIO_6UbFvvfS6BBeNAuK3/view?usp=drive_link">here</a>.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95552" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/qcpU0biI-54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-768x513.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54481474862_cd3d8f3600_o-1400x935.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">28 April 2025; Marcio Aguiar, Executive Director, Nvidia, on centre stage during day one of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



AI, Alliances, and the Future of Innovation&nbsp;



At Web Summit Rio 2025, the dominant theme was the shifting balance of global tech power and the urgent need to rethink international trade. Talks around artificial intelligence drew the most attention —continuing the momentum sparked by ChatGPT and fueled by new players like China’s DeepSeek. Attendees were eager to explore the future of AI agents. The convergence of tech and culture was another strong thread, with sessions examining storytelling innovation, the creator economy, and the rising influence of platforms like TikTok on global communication.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95554" srcset="https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/adV5FpLe-54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://rio.websummit.com/wp-media/2025/04/54482280626_32fb473b1b_o-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">28 April 2025; Attendees during day one of Web Summit Rio 2025 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Sam Barnes/Web Summit via Sportsfile</figcaption></figure>



Meetups, meetups, meetups



Beyond the main stage, curated meetups like the FinTech Founders Meetup, Women in Tech Meet, and Politics and International Trade sessions drew strong interest, reflecting Web Summit’s growing investment in its meetup program. Since Web Summit Lisbon 2024, the company uses proprietary software to analyze attendee profiles and recommend relevant gatherings—resulting in over 100 AI-matched meetups that sparked meaningful connections and collaboration at Web Summit Rio 2025.



More than just a showcase of startups and innovation, Web Summit Rio 2025 reflected a world in transition—one where tech is not just adapting to change, but actively helping shape it.



Top Meetups Included:



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<li>Agentic AI &#8211; the next quantum leap in artificial intelligence with Nvidia, Executive Director Marcio Aguiar</li>



<li>TikTok and the power of discovery: Ivete Sangalo’s viral journey, with TikTok GM for Global Solutions Gabriela Comazzeto, and singer and actress Ivete Sangalo&nbsp;</li>



<li>Welcome to the future of cross-platform storytelling featuring Porta dos Fundos founder Fábio Porchat</li>



<li>Let’s talk TikTok: the creator playbook for 2025 featuring TikTok Global head of integrated marketing Carol Baracat</li>



<li>Agents and allies: Essential skills for working alongside AI agents Chris Stephens featuring IBM Chief Impact Officer Justina Nixon-Saintil and Groq Field CTO Christ Stephens</li>
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DigAí’s AI agent triumphs  in Web Summit Rio PITCH competition

Meet our PITCH 2025 startups

BioLinker

DAITABLE

Elephan.ai

Fela

Guia da Alma

iTRecruiter

MarQ HR

Quiker

Sigalei

Versa Educação

Wisecare

100 Minds Company

AICube

ALJAVA BIOTECH

BASH

Be Back Now

DigAÍ

e.feito Social

GoScope

Jabuti AGI

Licenci Sports

Main Sequence

Miggo Marketing

Noah Smart City

OTOH - Smart Sound Monitoring

Maria Hahn

I’ve pitched to the public before, but the size of the PITCH audience is very impressive.

Alex Kendall

The publicity of winning PITCH gave us a build in momentum as we approach our next fundraising.

Ana Robakidze

I was watching as an attendee, and I said, ‘One day, I want to be there on the stage’. … It feels surreal.

Since beginning Web Summit’s startup competition PITCH back in 2013, there have been 21 winners from around the world. Many have gone on to great success in the tech world.

Learn more

The Web Summit PITCH winners that have raised US$1.5 billion

Meet some of our past winners

Watch the Web Summit Rio highlights

PITCH | Startups | RIO25