Where Asia Meets the U.S.: Startup World Cup and East Meets West Unite in Hawaii

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 27, 2026--

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This landmark event will bring together hundreds of venture capitalists, corporate leaders, and innovative startups from around the world, convening global investors, founders, and thought leaders from both sides of the Pacific for two days of insight, connection, and opportunity.

Startup World Cup Hawaii Regional pitch competition serves as a powerful bridge where Asia meets the U.S., and founders connect directly with investors shaping the future of innovation.

Adding to the excitement, Tim Draper, renowned venture capitalist and founding partner of Draper Associates, will speak at the event, while Meet the Drapers films live at East Meets West 2026. The hit global startup television series—where founders pitch to the legendary Draper family and reach millions of viewers worldwide—will shine an international spotlight on Hawaii’s rapidly growing innovation ecosystem as part of the Startup World Cup experience.

Registration & Applications:

The Hawaii Regional winner will earn a coveted spot at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, competing for a $1,000,000 investment prize. Startups from all industries and regions across the globe are encouraged to apply.

Attendees will gain a unique opportunity to discover emerging technologies, connect with leading investors, and engage with the global startup ecosystem—all under one roof.

Entrepreneurs, investors, and innovation leaders are invited to attend and take part in a global competition shaping the future of innovation.

Event Details:

About Pegasus Tech Ventures

Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley with $2 billion in assets under management. Pegasus offers intellectual and financial capital to emerging technology companies around the world. In addition to offering institutional investors a top-tier venture capital investment approach, Pegasus also offers a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large, global corporations that wish to partner with cutting-edge technology startups.

For more information about Pegasus Tech Ventures, please visit https://www.pegasustechventures.com.

About Startup World Cup

Startup World Cup is the #1 startup pitch competition in the world, hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures. With 100+ regional pitch competitions across 6 continents, Startup World Cup provides a global platform for startups to showcase their innovations and secure funding. Startups can apply to pitch at our upcoming regional events and have a unique opportunity to bring their ideas to Silicon Valley.

The winner of each regional pitch competition will earn an invitation to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale series of events in San Francisco, California. At the Grand Finale, the Regional Startup Winners will compete for a $1 MILLION investment prize and gain access to an unparalleled network of global investors, mentors, and industry partners.

For more information on the Startup World Cup, please visit https://www.startupworldcup.io.

Startup World Cup, the world’s #1 startup pitch competition, is heading to Hawaii. Co-hosted with Blue Startups, East Meets West featuring Startup World Cup Hawaii will take place on April 9, 2026, at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort.

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Former Olympic and world downhill champion Corinne Suter won the first World Cup race since the Milan Cortina Games as the chase began Friday for Lindsey Vonn’s lead in the discipline standings.

Vonn badly injured her left leg in a frightening crash in the Olympic downhill and won't be able to add points to her seasonal tally, but the American standout still leads the way with 400 points after two wins and three more podium results.

Runner-up Emma Aicher finished fourth in Friday’s race and reduced the gap on Vonn to 94 points with three races left.

Aicher’s German teammate Kira Weidle-Winkelmann ranks third, 144 points behind Vonn, and 2018 Olympic champion Sofia Goggia trails by 160 in fourth.

A race win is worth 100 points.

Suter has no realistic chance of winning the downhill globe despite the Swiss racer’s victory Friday, the sixth World Cup win of her career, but first in downhill since a race in Germany in January 2022.

She took the world championship in 2021 and added the Olympic title the following year, but has had to deal with various injuries since, including a concussion sustained in January 2023 and a knee injury a year later.

Suter missed the first two downhills of this campaign after a pre-season training crash. She had a near-perfect run in spring-like conditions in Soldeu to beat Nina Ortlieb of Austria by 0.11 seconds.

Goggia was 0.24 behind in third.

“It took a bit longer than I thought (to win again), but I needed some time in downhill to regain my full confidence. Today is a big step,” Suter said.

Breezy Johnson, who holds the Olympic and world downhill titles, was 0.61 behind in fifth.

Double Olympic champion Federica Brignone, who returned from a broken left leg just before the Milan Cortina Games and then won gold in super-G and giant slalom, took part in a training session Wednesday but skipped training the following day and decided to sit out the race.

The Italian, who is the defending overall World Cup champion, is still considering a start in the two super-G events on the same hill this weekend.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Italy's Sofia Goggia speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Soldeu, Andorra, Friday, February. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Austria's Nina Ortlieb celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Soldeu, Andorra, Friday, February. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Corinne Suter arrives at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Soldeu, Andorra, Friday, February. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Corinne Suter speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Soldeu, Andorra, Friday, February. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)