by Dot Cannon

What could Extreme Tech Challenge, the world’s swiftest tech contest, mean to your future?

Well, you have a great tech startup.  Your unique idea is going to make a difference in a lot of people’s lives.

Could you prove its stamina–and yours–over a period of five months, in a four-stage competition that could garner the funding, mentors, and guidance you need?

If you said, “sure!”, Extreme Tech Challenge, or XTC,  would like to give you that opportunity.

Extreme Tech Challenge 2017-2018 has extended its entry deadline.  They’re accepting applications till 9 pm, Pacific time, this Thursday, August 31st.

Extreme Tech Challenge, or XTC, is comprised of four key events.

Starting point: San Francisco

The rigorous judging process begins in San Francisco on Wednesday, October 11th, 2017.  During Stage One, judges will narrow down the pool of applicants to the “Top 25 Startups”, at CTA Innovate! and Celebrate.

Then, the winners are off to New York, for Stage Two.  On Thursday, November 9, 2017, judges select ten semi-finalists  from the “Top 25 XTC Challengers”.  CES Unveiled NYC will showcase these ten companies.

Most startup founders wouldn’t mind a few dozen reporters–or more–asking about their creations.  Unless CES Unveiled NYC is vastly different from the Las Vegas events we’ve experienced,  this is what you might expect.

But–for Extreme Tech Challenge, that’s only the halfway point.

Stage Three happens on Thursday, January 11th, 2018, at CES in Las Vegas.  For the “XTC Semi-Finals at CES”, the chosen top ten finalists get to pitch their technology, live on-stage.  From those ten semi-finalists, the top three semi-finalists will be chosen.

And?  Well, those top three companies…

…get to go to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, in February of 2018,  for Stage Four.  The three finalists will present their ideas to a panel of all-star judges–spearheaded by Branson himself.

Think this sounds fantastic?  With apologies for the short lead time (we’ve just returned from a major conference ourselves!), here is the link to apply.  Good luck, and have fun!