Hult Prize 2026 | National Competition Hosted by Taylor’s University

09 May 2026

9:00AM - 6:00PM (Saturday)

Taylor's Lakeside Campus

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WHAT IS HULT PRIZE?

The Hult Prize is one of the world’s largest student startup competitions, bringing together university students from over 130 countries to develop innovative businesses that solve real-world challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

 

The National Competition represents a key milestone in the global Hult Prize journey, where top student-led startups pitch their ideas to a panel of judges for the opportunity to progress to the next stages of the international competition.

 

Winning teams will advance to further global stages, continuing their journey towards the Global Finals, where one team will be awarded USD 1 million in seed funding to scale their startup

world's largest student startup competition

130+

Participating Countries

50K+

Entrepreneurs

200K+

Annual Participants

$1M USD

Annual Prize Funding

HOW IT WORKS?

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The Global Competition Journey

 

Qualifiers

  • Students develop early-stage startup ideas that address global challenges.

National Competitions

  • Top teams from each country present their solutions to industry judges for the opportunity to advance internationally.

Digital Incubator

  • Selected teams receive mentorship and support to further validate and strengthen their business model.

Global Accelerator

  • Top teams participate in an intensive accelerator programme designed to prepare startups for investment and growth.

Global Finals

  • Finalist teams pitch on the global stage for the opportunity to win USD 1 million in seed funding.

Why Hult Prize Matters

Participating in the Hult Prize allows students to gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurship by developing real startup solutions to global challenges. Students have the opportunity to:

  • Build and validate real business ideas
  • Develop pitching and problem-solving skills
  • Receive mentorship from industry experts
  • Gain exposure to investors and global networks
  • Strengthen their portfolio and career opportunities

Beyond the competition, participants join a global community of student founders, mentors, and ecosystem partners working to create meaningful impact through business innovation. 

 

Business leader
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What Happens At The National Competition

During the National Competition hosted at Taylor’s University, student teams will pitch their startup ideas to a panel of industry judges.

 

Judges will evaluate each team based on criteria such as:

  • Innovation and impact potential
  • Feasibility and scalability
  • Strength of business model
  • Team capability and execution potential

Selected teams will progress further in the global Hult Prize journey.

 

JUDGES

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Dr Ong Kian Ming

Former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia, Former Member of Parliament

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Alan Lim

Mentor, Investor, Partner,

NEXEA

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Ghazanfar Iqbal

Senior Investor Manager,

AWS

Portrait photo for Izwan Zakaria

Izwan Zakaria

Principal,

Izwan & Partners

Portrait photo for Nadhirah Mustafa

Nadhirah Mustafa

General Manager,

ARTEM PACE

Portrait photo for Hui Yan

Hui Yan Yeong

Head of Entrepreneurship Progammes,

Sunway iLabs

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Daniel Loy

Director, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub & Senior Lecturer

Monash University 

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Alden Leong

Senior Manager of Growth Performance Marketing, 

CTOS

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Jon Koo

Director of Sales, 

Amadeus

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Hanif Marzuki

Chief Executive Officer (CEO),

Youth Venture Asia

Portrait photo for khairul mazwan

Khairul Mazwan Ibrahim Pati

Senior Manager,

Programmes Innovation Development,

MRANTI

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Eliza Elias

VP, Corporate Affairs, Group Strategy & Special Projects,

CRADLE

Portrait photo for Lyn Ong

Lyn Ong

Manager, Corporate Affairs, Group Strategy & Special Projects,

CRADLE

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Muzakkir Mohamad

Manager, Investment,

CRADLE

AGENDA 

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FAQ

What happens after the national winner is announced?

What happens after the national winner is announced?

Winning teams progress to the next global stages of the Hult Prize competition, where they receive mentorship and further opportunities to develop their startup.
Can students or the public attend the event?

Can students or the public attend the event?

Selected sessions of the National Competition may be open to invited audiences. Details will be shared by the organising team.
Where can I learn more about future Hult Prize opportunities?

Where can I learn more about future Hult Prize opportunities?

Students interested in participating in future Hult Prize cycles may visit the official Hult Prize website for updates on upcoming competitions and programmes.