We’re on a worldwide search for innovative, diverse early-stage startups looking to take their business to the next level.
The Arch Grants Global Startup Competition awards innovative, scalable, and job-creating startups with $50,000 non-dilutive grants and access to an ecosystem of resources in exchange for headquartering their business in St. Louis for at least one year. Competition applications are evaluated by over 400 investors and industry experts from the St. Louis community and around the country.
We Champion…
- Founders with innovative idea stage to pre-Series A companies
- Companies with a scalable business model
- Diverse Founder teams who have a desire to help the St. Louis ecosystem grow
by supporting founders with…
- $50,000 equity-free funding
- An ecosystem of pro bono resources, including legal, accounting, marketing, HR, startup business development, etc.
- Networking opportunities with some of the region’s most prestigious investors and VCs
- Immigration/visa assistance (as needed)
and all we require is…
- The Company’s headquarters is located in the City of St. Louis for at least one year
- 51% of the founding team or one founder and 51% of the team need to live in St. Louis for the program year
- At least one founder is working on the company as their primary or full-time professional role
Without the Arch Grant, we wouldn’t have been able to file the provisional patents, which allowed us to obtain [crucial] data. We also received a lot of amazing feedback about our business model, which was honestly more valuable than the funding.
How It Works
Application Submissions
Community Judge Review
Finalist Pitch Day
Awarded $50K at Annual Gala
2020 Timeline
- May 15:
Applications Open - July 1:
Applications Close - Mid-July:
Preliminary Judging
- Mid-August:
Finalists Selected - September 8-11:
Finalist Pitch Week
- October 1:
2020 Arch Grants Companies Notified - October 15, 2020-October 15, 2021:
Programming and Support
Questions about the competition?
We’ve got answers.
Be a Part of the Movement
We champion extraordinary entrepreneurs to create positive change – for St. Louis and for the world. Join us by applying to our Global Startup Competition, becoming a financial supporter, volunteering your time or amplifying our message.