INVEST OR DIE
19 October 2026|
Linz, Austria
Factory300
Registration open until 18 Oct 2026
Welcome to INVEST OR DIE
Six spots. One stage. Here's exactly what to do.
Austria's research spending has been stuck at 3.34% of GDP for years, against a 4% government target. China's R&D budget has been growing roughly five times faster than Europe's, and passed the EU's total back in 2020.
The state can set the funding rules. It can't make a single company actually invest in a start-up like yours instead of just talking about innovation. That decision sits with the people in the room.
On October 19, 2026, Invest or Die puts that decision on the table at Factory300. Industry leaders, investors, and start-ups spend one evening showing who's actually backing Europe's next decade, not just discussing it.
This page covers one part of that evening: the Open Call for start-ups. Read it top to bottom before you apply.
Before Your Pitch: Keynote & Panel
You don't have to prepare anything for this part. Just know both happen before the pitches start.
KEYNOTE
Keynote
A short opening from the Young AI Leaders Linz, then a keynote of an international Startup who tells the story of who to combine Corporate with start-up innovation.
PANEL
Panel
Industry leaders sit down together and they will revolve around the topic of what it takes to stop resting on success and start actively driving innovation — through R&D and partnerships with start-ups.
Why Apply
Most pitch events promise "great feedback and networking." Here's what that actually means at Invest or Die.
THE ROOM
The Right People, Not a Crowd
Industry attendees, including people who can actually greenlight a partnership, sit in the same room as investors and AI-focused students. That mix is rare at a pitch event, and it's the real reason to apply.
B2MATCH
Meetings Booked Before You Arrive
The event platform lets you book 1:1 meetings with people in the room before the day even starts. No hallway luck required.
LIVE SIGNAL
The market decides about the best pitch
During your pitch, the audience invests virtual credits in you live, and the number shows up on the big screen behind you. Not a valuation, but a room of industry people and investors backing you in public is worth having in your deck afterward.
TALENT
Recruiting, Almost by Accident
Students who like your pitch can just come talk to you about a job. Separate from the investor and industry angle, and worth knowing about on its own.
Who This Is For
You're based in Europe. Formally founded and registered (or holding a trade licence).
You own your technology. You build your own models, algorithms or applications or substantially extend and adapt existing ones. Integrating standard software isn't enough.
You're building for industry. A real problem, a clear customer benefit, and concrete use cases you can show. Reference projects, pilots or customer experience are a plus.
You're early stage. Roughly: past the concept phase, not yet at Series 2 or later.
The Pitch Market: How Your Pitch Becomes a Number
The Pitch Market is our live audience-investing app. Here's exactly how it runs on stage.
3 MIN
You Pitch
Three minutes on stage, in front of the full room.
2 MIN
The Room Asks Questions
Two minutes of live Q&A from the experts.
1 MIN
The Room Invests
Everyone uses the app to invest virtual credits in the pitch they liked best. The total appears on the big screen behind you.
Most pitch competitions hand the decision to three or four judges. Here we have the experts and the public who decide within a self developed virtual market app
For you, that means two things.
- First, proof: you leave with a real number you can show investors afterward, on top of the 1:1 meetings you already booked through b2match.
- Second, exposure: everyone in the room, including the industry people and investors from your target meetings, sees your pitch and your name land at the same moment.
One thing to be clear about: the app runs on virtual credits only. No real money and no equity change hands, on stage or afterward. Treat the number as a trust signal, not an investment round.
Application FAQ
Everything you need to know before you apply.
Ready to Apply?
Have a working prototype and fit the industry focus? Apply before September 30, 2026.
Partner
Our partner is indispensable to the success of this event. Without their support, it would not be possible.