Be a pre-seed, seed, or early stage startups
Have a working minimum viable product or live demo
Have a go-to-market plan draft including potential customer pathway
Be a Cardano-native project, or be a project with credible intent to migrate to or become interoperable with Cardano
Attend the Summit in person In-person Summit attendance in Berlin from 11 to 13 November 2025
Have submitted a completed application form by the advertised deadline.
Your business idea and its value proposition.
Your team and their expertise.
Your technical implementation on Cardano.
Your overall strategy and roadmap.
Your commitment to and prospects for achieving the goals of Cardano.
Idea/Uniqueness: The problem or the need which the idea solves is real. There is originality and uniqueness of the business idea.
Business Model: Clear business model and revenue stream, Participants have a sound sales & marketing strategy.
Market: Target market size, size of opportunity, go-to-market plans and prospects.
Founder/Team: Experience, industry know-how, cross-functional capabilities.
Pitch: Overall assessment of the preåsentation and/or presentation deck quality.
Funding
Mentorship
Access to resources and networks
Marketing and promotional support
Violates these Terms or any other terms applicable to their attendance of the Summit.
Engages in any unethical or unfair conduct.
Provides false or misleading information.
Respect: Treat all other Participants, Judges, and organisers with respect.
Fair Play: Compete fairly and ethically.
Professionalism: Maintain a professional demeanour at all times.
Battle of the Builders Competition Terms and Conditions
1. Introduction
Welcome to the Battle of the Builders competition (the "Competition") to take place during or before the 2025 Cardano Summit, where innovative startups compete for recognition and prizes. By participating in the Competition, you ("You" or "Participant") agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (the "Terms"). Please read them carefully.
2. Eligibility
To be eligible to participate in the Competition, You must:
3. Competition Format
The Competition will involve pitching Your startup to a panel of judges (the "Judges"). Pitches should include the following types of information:
This is not an exhaustive list and is meant to guide and assist you in your pitches.
4. Judging Criteria
The Judges will evaluate Participants based on a variety of criteria, including:
5. Selection of Winners
The Judges will select the winners of the Competition based on their evaluation of the Participants' pitches and the judging criteria. The Judges' decisions are final.
6. Prizes
Winners of the Competition will be eligible to receive prizes ("Prizes"). Prizes may include:
Winners of cash prizes, if applicable, may be required to fulfil certain conditions, including KYC checks, in order to receive the prize.
7. Sponsor Terms and Conditions
Prizes are provided by sponsors of the Competition ("Sponsors"). Individual Sponsor terms and conditions may apply to Prizes.
Amounts stated in Prizes, especially relating to the value of any services provided by Sponsors, are estimates and may vary depending on winner requirements and Sponsor terms.
8. Disqualification
The Competition organisers reserve the right to disqualify any Participant who:
Any such decision shall be made at the sole discretion of the Competition organisers and shall be final.
9. Final Provisions
9.1. Intellectual Property
Participants retain all intellectual property rights in their submissions. You grant us a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free, limited, licence to use Your images, logos and trademarks for advertising, marketing and promotional materials in all formats and media in connection with the 2025 Cardano Summit.
9.2. Contact
If you have any questions about the Competition or these Terms, please contact the Competition organisers at event-support@cardanofoundation.org .
9.3. Data Protection
Any personal data collected from Participants will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws, applicable event terms and our privacy policy. Participants have the right to access, rectify, or erase their personal data.
9.4. Code of Conduct
In addition to complying with any applicable event terms, Participants are expected to adhere to a high standard of conduct throughout the Competition, including:
9.5. Force Majeure
The Competition organisers and Sponsors are not liable for any delay or failure to perform their obligations under these Terms due to any cause beyond their reasonable control.
9.6. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck out and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
9.7. Waiver
No waiver of any provision of these Terms shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the party against whom the waiver is sought to be enforced.
9.8. Limitation of Liability
The Competition organisers and Sponsors are not liable for any loss, damage, or injury arising out of or in connection with the Competition or the Prizes, howsoever arising.
9.9. Amendments
The Competition organizers reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. Any amendments will be posted on the Summit website.
9.10. Governing Law
This Agreement and any claims under or in connection with this Agreement shall be governed by substantive Swiss law, excluding conflict of laws principles and the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods dated 11 April 1980.
Any dispute or claim arising under or in connection with this Agreement, including non-contractual claims and in particular claims based on tort, shall be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of law of Zurich, Switzerland.