Join the Responsible AI Start-up Contest at the AI Hype, Hope and Humanity Festival and benefit from an arena where Ethical, Legal, Social aspects of your business are celebrated as competitive advantage. Pitch your innovation to a jury of leading investors, professionals, and experts.
What’s in it for you?
- Attractive prizes for the top 3 winning pitches
- A chance to present in front of prominent investors, clinicians, and innovation scouts
- Visibility for your start-up in the Responsible AI ecosystem
- Networking opportunities throughout the conference
Who should apply?
We are looking for start-ups and scale-ups harnessing AI to solve real-world societal challenges. From healthcare and education to sustainability, access to justice, public services, and social inclusion — if you're using AI responsibly to drive positive change, we want to hear from you.
You should:
- Be a registered entity (BV or a similar legal structure) and operating in the Dutch market
- Have a product or service at least at MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage
- Be available to pitch live during the event on 1st October 2026
Key Details
- Application link: Responsible AI Startup Competition: Application Form
- Deadline to apply: 30th August 2026
- Admission to Final Round: 15th September 2026
- Final round: 1st October 2026
- Pitch format: 5-minute pitch + 3-minute Q&A
- When & where: 1st October 2026 (During AI Hype, Hope and Humanity Festival)
- Number of selected start-ups: 6
Pitch deck criteria
We would like to receive a maximum of 10 slides that include the following information:
- Company name, website, and contact info
- Description of the company and its mission
- Stage of development (early-stage, growth-stage)
- Problem being solved
- Details of the solution/product being pitched
- What is your definition of responsible use / steps taken to develop and use AI responsibly
- Market potential
- Team overview and key people involved
Possible interesting additions:
- Your open questions regarding ethical, legal and social aspects in your solution/product
- Societal relevance of the solution/product being pitched
Ready to pitch?
Apply now by filling out this form and sending an email with your pitch deck to K.A.Dhru@hhs.nl
- More information
For questions, please contact:
- Evert Stamhuis stamhuis@law.eur.nl
- Kanan Dhru, K.A.Dhru@hhs.nl
Link to the event page:
AI Hype, Hope and Humanity Festival | Erasmus University Rotterdam
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