Australian startup Build Buddy has been chosen to represent the country at the Startup World Cup Finals in San Francisco this October. This prestigious global competition, organised by American venture capital firm Pegasus Tech Ventures, claims the title of the largest startup competition in the world, offering a $1 million investment prize.

Danny Assabgy, the founder of Build Buddy, secured this opportunity after winning the Australian selection at the recent Startup&Angels Investor Week held in Sydney. Build Buddy serves as an all-in-one communication and management platform designed to offer comprehensive control over the home building process.

The Startup World Cup attracts a significant audience, boasting over 50,000 attendees, 2,500 investors, and 500 speakers, making it a notable platform for showcasing innovation. High-profile individuals such as the Founder of Netflix, Apple SharkTank stars, and other celebrity entrepreneurs have served as judges in past editions.

Jonathan Englert, Founder of Andiron Group, expressed pride in supporting Build Buddy’s journey to the finals. “We are proud to support Build Buddy as they embark on this global challenge. They exemplify the best of Australian innovation,” he remarked. The sponsorship by Andiron Group covers the costs of Build Buddy’s flights to San Francisco.

The Australian selection event featured pitches from a range of startups, including Minimis Technologies, InnerSteps, Adiona, iyarn, JurisTechne, GIAGO, EverYoungAI, Digital Village, and Automi. The founders of these companies showcased their entrepreneurial ideas in front of an expert judging panel.

Leo Denes, Founder of Startup&Angels and Australiance Group, praised Build Buddy’s potential. “Danny and the Build Buddy team have shown extraordinary potential. Their innovative approach will undoubtedly make Australia proud in San Francisco,” Denes commented.

The judges for the event included Patrick Stewart (National Sales Lead at Radium Capital), Imche Veiga (Group Executive of Ecosystems at Stone & Chalk), Harry Godber (Co-CEO of Spark Festival), Varun Bhandarkar (Head of Existing Business APAC at Stripe), Sophie Yao (Managing Director at Pegasus Tech Ventures), Matt Vitale (Co-founder & CEO of Birchal), Charlie Ill (CEO at Investible), Zach Zocher (Head of Community at Techvisa), Sam Cust (Director at Hyper Startup Studio), and Romane Delvallee (Head of Community at Startup&Angels).

Romane Delvallee noted the high calibre of this year’s participants. “This year’s event has been nothing short of incredible, spotlighting the brightest minds in Australia’s startup ecosystem. We are eager to follow Build Buddy’s journey as they compete on the global stage,” Delvallee stated.

With the conclusion of Investor Week 2024, organisers are already planning next year’s event, aiming for even greater impact. Potential collaborators are encouraged to engage early for the 2025 edition.