The UK and Ireland’s largest pitching competition
The Pitch: 90 seconds to tell your startup story
The Pitch is run by SeedLegals. Pitch your startup live to active investors in one of eight cities across the UK and Ireland. Finalists get free mentoring before they step on stage. It’s free to enter and open to every sector.
What The Pitch is, and why we run it
The Pitch started in Bristol in 2008 as a place for founders to stand up and tell investors what they’re building. Since then it’s grown into what we describe as the UK and Ireland’s largest pitching programme.
SeedLegals acquired The Pitch in May 2025, after years of supporting its mission and values. We now run and promote every event, and our co-founder Anthony Rose, known as the man behind BBC iPlayer, hosts them.
“With SeedLegals running and promoting events, future competitors will get access to a much bigger community and network of investors, and the opportunity to tell the world about their startup.” Chris Goodfellow, MD of Inkwell and previous owner of The Pitch
Every day, we build tools that help you get investment-ready, raise and grow. The Pitch is where we back UK founders in person: on stage, in a room full of investors from your region. It’s our national programme for championing UK entrepreneurship.
The Pitch is a SeedLegals production.
Seen The Pitch in your SeedLegals account?
That’s because you apply for The Pitch through a free SeedLegals account. If you already use SeedLegals, you can log in and apply with the account
You don’t need a paid plan to enter, and you don’t need to be a SeedLegals customer at all. A free account is all it takes and means that you can jump back in and tweak your application anytime up until the 1 December deadline.
The road to the Grand Final
Eight cities for 2027
Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Oxford. Oxford and Cambridge join the roadshow for the first time this year, and we’re up from 60 finalists across six cities in 2026 to 80 across eight.
What happens on stage
There are no slides. A single screen behind you shows your business name and logo, so the room’s attention stays on you. You can bring notes, and if your product is portable, bring that too!
Active local startup investors judge each regional final. They score every finalist on:
- the idea
- proof of traction
- the team
Who can apply
You can enter The Pitch if your company is:
- a UK or Irish limited company
- fewer than 250 full-time employees
- trading for fewer than 7 years
The Pitch is open to all sectors and funding stages. Most applicants are already making sales. Pre-revenue businesses can enter too, as long as they can show traction or proof of market demand.
The founder or a co-founder needs to attend the events in person in order to pitch.
What finalists get
Free mentoring
5-6 sessions covering various business pillars (from sales and marketing to finances) over the two weeks before the live events, each about an hour long.
A pitch practice session with Anthony Rose
SeedLegals co-founder and host of The Pitch.
A room full of investors
90 seconds in front of active startup investors in your region, plus up to five minutes of their questions.
For the winner
a trophy and a bespoke package of founder benefits and perks from our sponsors.
The Pitch 2027 is open
90 seconds. No slides. A room full of investors who came to hear what you’re building.
If you’ve got a company and a story to tell, this is your stage. Free to enter, eight cities, and you don’t need to be a SeedLegals customer.
Applications close 1 December 2026.
From last year's stage
In 2026, 958 founders applied, and 60 finalists pitched across six regional finals. SymbioTex, a bioplastics startup, took the title at the Grand Final.
-
Winning The Pitch has broken down barriers. People who wouldn't speak to us before are now speaking to us. It's a phenomenal thing.
Tersha Willis
Co-founder of terrible*, previous pitcher, terrible*
-
Meeting exceptional people building incredible companies is the best part of this job. The Pitch is something we look forward to every year! The energy the event brings is unrivalled and it puts Northern founders on the national stage.
Ben Davies
Manchester regional judge, PXN Group
-
The Pitch was a chance for us to get out and tell our story of why we're building a company like this, and also get market feedback and validation that what we're building is definitely needed.
Gaby Mendes
Founder of TalkTwenties, previous pitcher, TalkTwenties
Getting your pitch ready
Your 90 seconds on stage will go further with a deck investors can read afterwards. Our pitch deck template gives you 12 customisable slides plus insider tips from investors, and it’s already helping 3,500+ founders raise. On SeedLegals, you can then share it with investors and run your round in one place, with unlimited human support included.
Judges and partners
Investor? Judge a regional final. You’ll see a pre-screened shortlist of founders from your region, live. Email [email protected] to find out more.
Want to support UK founders in your city? Partner with The Pitch and get in front of a local founder audience. Become a partner.
For event news, finalists and results, visit thepitch.uk.
Your 90 seconds start here
Eight cities, 80 finalist places and a room full of investors in each one. Applications for The Pitch 2027 close 1 December 2026.
The Pitch is a SeedLegals production.
Frequently asked questions
-
Do I need to be a SeedLegals customer?
No. The Pitch is open to any eligible UK or Irish company. You apply with a free SeedLegals account, and you don't need a paid plan.
-
How do I apply?
Hit "Start my application", create your free SeedLegals account (or log into your existing one), then complete the short form and submit your short video pitch. Applications close 1 December 2026. -
Does it cost anything to enter?
No. The Pitch is free to enter. -
Can I apply if I'm pre-revenue?
Yes. Most applicants are already making sales, but pre-revenue businesses can enter if they can show traction or proof of market demand. -
Do I need slides?
No. You pitch for 90 seconds with a single screen behind you showing your business name and logo. Notes and a portable product are welcome. -
Who judges the pitches?
Active local startup investors in each region. They score each finalist out of five on the idea, proof of traction, the team and the quality of the pitch.
-
Where can I read more?
You'll find the full FAQs at thepitch.uk/faq and more detail on entering at thepitch.uk/enter-the-pitch.
