INTA’s 2026 Open Innovation Challenge (OIC)

INTA’s 2026 Open Innovation Challenge (OIC) is a global pitch competition for start-ups and scale-ups from any country, held at the INTA 2026 Annual Meeting at ExCeL London, offering visibility, expert feedback, and access to the international IP and branding community.

Opportunity overview

The OIC invites early- to mid‑stage start-ups and scale-ups from all sectors to pitch market‑ready solutions business ideas, technology innovations, or research applications solving real‑world challenges related to branding, IP, ESG, and business growth. Finalists present live (in person or virtually) to a panel of judges drawn from branding, brand valuation, IP law, business advisory, ESG, marketing, and finance, and can gain high‑value feedback, expert exposure, and networking opportunities with global IP and innovation professionals.

The competition takes place during INTA’s 2026 Annual Meeting at ExCeL London, UK, with the final pitch session on Sunday, May 3, 2026, and the winner announced during the Opening Ceremonies. Only finalists who attend in person receive two complimentary registrations to the 2026 Annual Meeting; all finalists (in‑person or virtual) gain access to select events through May 6, 2026.

Eligible applicants and countries

The OIC is a global competition; applications are open to start-ups and scale-ups from any country, as long as they meet the stage and funding criteria below and all team members are at least 18 years old. There is no geographic restriction, so ventures based in Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia or elsewhere can apply on equal footing.​

To qualify as a start‑up (pre‑Series A):​

• You must not have completed Series A funding as of February 27, 2026.
• Early‑stage: ≤ US$50,000 total funding received.
• Mid‑stage: US$50,001–US$149,999 total funding received (still pre‑Series A).
• All team members must be 18+.

To qualify as a scale‑up:​

• You must not have completed Series A funding as of February 27, 2026, or
• Be a legally registered business with either:
  • US$150,000–US$3 million in revenue/funding, or
  • 10–1,500 employees in a single jurisdiction.
• All team members must be 18+.

Funding, prizes and benefits

The OIC does not offer a direct cash grant, but provides high‑value in‑kind benefits and ecosystem access:​

• For each category winner (e.g. start‑up, scale‑up):
  • One complimentary organisational INTA membership for one office location for the following calendar year (approx. US$1,500 value), either redeemed in 2026 if not yet an INTA member or rolled forward if dues are already paid.
• For all in‑person finalists:
  • Two complimentary registrations to the INTA 2026 Annual Meeting in London.​
• All finalists:
  • Live pitch exposure to a global audience of IP and business leaders.
  • Feedback and Q&A with expert judges.
  • Networking with start‑ups, investors, advisors and IP professionals attending the Annual Meeting.

Finalists must self‑fund travel and accommodation if they choose to pitch in person in London.

Application process and key dates

Applications are submitted online only; no on‑site applications are accepted.​

• Application period:
  • Opens: October 6, 2025 (some pages reference October 1, 2025 at 12:01 AM ET; applicants should follow the official OIC 2026 page).
  • Closes: February 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.​
• Finalist notification:
  • March 16, 2026, via the email address provided in the application form.
• Pitch event:
  • Final round during INTA’s 2026 Annual Meeting, at ExCeL London, with options to present in person or remotely; the flyer notes the live competition date as Sunday, May 3, 2026.​
• Winner announcement:
  • During the Opening Ceremonies of the 2026 Annual Meeting.​

To apply, all applicants must complete the online OIC 2026 application form, providing:​

• A one‑sentence concept note/description.
• A clear business model description.
• A potential investor summary.
• Team member names and titles.
• Current revenue and target amount to raise.
• Up to three supporting documents about the project (e.g. pitch deck, one‑pager, technical or market documentation).

Only complete applications submitted before the deadline will be considered; only shortlisted finalists will be informed.​

Date and contact details for the portal

For Innovation Bridge Portal fields, you can use:

• Date opened: 6 October 2025
• Closing date: 27 February 2026 (11:59 PM ET)​

Contact details for your opportunity

• Primary contact person: INTA Open Innovation Challenge Team​
• Email address of the primary contact person: Use the contact channel listed on the OIC 2026 page (e.g. the general INTA contact form or events email; if a specific OIC email is provided in final materials, that should take precedence).​

Click HERE to visit the official website.