Crossroads: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
StartUp Bulgaria's AI & tech gathering, connecting founders, investors, executives and ecosystem builders across Southeast Europe.
Verified ·11 official sources·Organised by StartUp Bulgaria
The essentials from the organiser's own pages: when, where, how big, and how founders get in. Speakers, investor lists and past editions are on the official site.
- Next edition
- Oct 29–30, 2026 · Crossroads 2026 source
- Where
- Bulgarian Army Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Format
- in-person
- Tickets
- €29–€599 (2026; Student Pass to Startup Spotlight Pass) source
- Startup pass
- For a 2026 conference pass, startups can buy a Community Pass (€69 standard, or €49 with a verified free Crossroads Passport). For a startup showcase, apply for the Startup Spotlight Pass (€599 including VAT; approval required); startups can also apply to the Startup World Cup pitch competition, but selected pitchers must hold a valid conference ticket. source
- Startup World Cup Bulgaria — the official Startup World Cup regional f
- The regional winner advances to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, where the published prize is a $1 million investment prize (2026). source
- Cadence
- The official pages identify a 2025 edition and list the next edition for October 2026; a regular cadence is not explicitly stated.
AIGeneralistPre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthPublicFoundersInvestorsCorporatesDevelopersPartners
Next edition
| Dates | Oct 29–30, 2026 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | Crossroads 2026 |
| Venue | Bulgarian Army Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Tickets | startupbulgaria.eu source |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | For a 2026 conference pass, startups can buy a Community Pass (€69 standard, or €49 with a verified free Crossroads Passport). For a startup showcase, apply for the Startup Spotlight Pass (€599 including VAT; approval required); startups can also apply to the Startup World Cup pitch competition, but selected pitchers must hold a valid conference ticket. source |
|---|
Startup World Cup Bulgaria — the official Startup World Cup regional f
| Prize | The regional winner advances to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, where the published prize is a $1 million investment prize (2026). source |
|---|
Meeting investors there
Founders can connect with investors through the networking platform, the Startup World Cup and Startup Expo, plus investor speed dating, structured 1:1 meetings, private pitch rooms and an investor lounge. source
| Investors attending | 150+ investors (2026) source |
|---|
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Official links and socials
Apply
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to Startup World Cup Bulgaria — the official Startup World Cup regional f.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 8, 2026:
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/about
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/tickets
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/pitching
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/investors
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/experiences/connect
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/agenda
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/speakers
- startupbulgaria.eu/crossroads/startup-expo
- linkedin.com/company/startupbulgaria
- instagram.com/startupbulgaria
Crossroads: frequently asked
When is Crossroads 2026?
Crossroads 2026 runs Oct 29–30, 2026 at Bulgarian Army Stadium, Sofia, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does Crossroads cost?
Published ticket prices run €29–€599 (2026; Student Pass to Startup Spotlight Pass). Startups: For a 2026 conference pass, startups can buy a Community Pass (€69 standard, or €49 with a verified free Crossroads Passport). For a startup showcase, apply for the Startup Spotlight Pass (€599 including VAT; approval required); startups can also apply to the Startup World Cup pitch competition, but selected pitchers must hold a valid conference ticket..
How do startups get into Crossroads?
For a 2026 conference pass, startups can buy a Community Pass (€69 standard, or €49 with a verified free Crossroads Passport). For a startup showcase, apply for the Startup Spotlight Pass (€599 including VAT; approval required); startups can also apply to the Startup World Cup pitch competition, but selected pitchers must hold a valid conference ticket.
How many investors attend Crossroads?
The organiser reports 150+ investors investors for the 2026 edition. Founders can connect with investors through the networking platform, the Startup World Cup and Startup Expo, plus investor speed dating, structured 1:1 meetings, private pitch rooms and an investor lounge.
What is Startup World Cup Bulgaria — the official Startup World Cup regional f?
Crossroads's pitch competition. Prize as published: The regional winner advances to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, where the published prize is a $1 million investment prize (2026)..
How big is Crossroads?
5,000+ founders attendees (2026), 500+ expected startups startups, per the organiser.