The annual competition is a collaboration between the Johannes Kepler University, the University of Passau (Germany), the Technical University of Budapest (Hungary), the Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungary), the University of Belgrade (Serbia), the Vienna University of Economics and Business (Austria), the East Bavarian Technical University of Regensburg (Germany), and the University of Regensburg (Germany). The overall objective behind the Danube Cup is to help international start-ups succeed and - at the same time - bring highly motivated university start-up companies (particularly those located along the Danube River) together!

If you are affiliated with the JKU and meet the selection criteria, you can sign up, opens an external URL in a new window for the national pre-selection procedure.

The Selection Criteria for the National Pre-Selection Procedure:
The event is not a competition for ideas, but rather a competition for teams that have already carried out validation research and/or market research relating to their ideas (at minimum on a local scale).

• Applicants should have a validated business idea involving potential customers, the product must be an innovative one with growth potential regardless of local market trends.
• Team Size: The teams must be a minimum of two members, and a maximum of five members. Each participating team member may only be a member of one team. Student teams may also include members who are not affiliated with the university. Most of the members should be enrolled students, and one of them could be enrolled at one of the participating Danube Cup partner universities.
• The teams must be in the "pre-seed" and "pre-incubator" phase..

Important Dates:

March 20, 2024
This year's pre-selection procedure will take place as part of the course "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" taught by Prof. Dr. Elisabeth S.C. Berger. Students and start-up companies affiliated with the JKU can sign up as a team, or as a visitor. Please observe the selection criteria.

May 15 - 17, 2024
The final event will take place in May. International teams from eight universities will compete against each other at the LIT Open Innovation Center and pitch their ideas to win the Danube Cup, along with many great prizes!

Do you feel inspired, confident about your idea, and ready to face off against an international team? Then sign up for the pre-selection procedure:
Team Registration, opens an external URL in a new window

Don't miss out and sign up as a visitor: Visitor Registration, opens an external URL in a new window

Learn more about the 2024 Danube Cup, opens an external URL in a new window

If you have any questions about the Danube Cup or the overall process, please do not hesitate to contact us by sending an e-mail to: oic@jku.at