4YFN27 Awards open for entries
Startups Magazine Startups Editorial
4YFN27 Awards are open, with €20,000 for the winner and spots for startups in Barcelona. Five categories, investor judging, and a shot at MWC’s global crowd are on the table.
Based on reporting by Startups Magazine, Startups Editorial — read the original for the full story.
Summary, retelling and take written by AI under human oversight; images are AI-generated illustrations. How we work · Report an error
Applications are now open for the 4YFN27 Awards, the startup contest tied to 4YFN in Barcelona. The prize stack is simple and sharp: €20,000 for the winner, with smaller cash awards for the finalists and shortlisted companies along the way.
The event runs from 1 to 4 March 2027 and is aimed at digital startups from around the world. 4YFN says the whole show will focus on “Powering Startups,” with the awards set up to spotlight companies building technologies, products and services that could shape what comes next.
There are five entry categories: Climate Tech, Connectivity, Digital Horizons, Fintech and Health Tech. Each one has its own pitch, but the common thread is clear enough — 4YFN wants startups that are already doing something real, not just talking about it.
The selection process starts with applications due by 26 October 2026 at 17:00 CET. An investor panel will then choose a Top 20, and each of those startups gets €1,500, a free exhibition pod for four days at 4YFN27, and a spot on the 4YFN Startup data and insights platform, which is run with Dealroom.co.
From there, the Top 20 pitch on the 4YFN stage in the semi-finals. Five finalists, one from each category, advance to the main-stage award ceremony, where each gets €2,500 and the overall winner takes the €20,000 prize courtesy of the GSMA Foundry. Last year’s winner was Biorce, which was also named by Dealroom.co as the breakout AI startup at 4YFN26.
My take — AI-written commentary, not fact-checked reporting
This is exactly how startup awards should work: cash, stage time, and investor attention, not another trophy for the office shelf. The real draw here isn’t the prize money anyway, it’s the very public audition in front of people who can actually write cheques. Barcelona keeps turning into the place where startups go to be noticed, which is a lot more useful than being “inspired.”
Read more about this at: Startups Magazine
