The 25th Startup World Cup Championship took place in the Maldives

Startup World Cup Championship 2025: A Global Celebration of Innovation, Youth, and Impact

Hundreds of the world’s brightest minds unite in the Maldives for the 25th Anniversary of the Championship 

The Startup World Cup Championship 2025, held from July 7–15, 2025, as part of Global Business Week, marked a defining moment in the history of global entrepreneurship. Hosted on the pristine islands of the Maldives, this 25th-anniversary edition brought together finalists from 35+ countries, ranging in age from 6 to 50, to present their boldest business ideas and innovative solutions on a world stage.

This year’s Championship was more than a competition — it was a festival of global talent, generational collaboration, and visionary leadership.

 🌍 A Truly Global Event

For over two decades, the Startup World Cup Championship (SWCC) has empowered children, teens, youth, and adults to think like entrepreneurs and act like changemakers. The 2025 edition gathered national champions from local Startup World Cup Leagues across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, making it the most globally inclusive edition to date. 

Global Business Week 2025: A Historic Milestone of Global Impact & Business Diplomacy

The 25th Anniversary Edition of GBW Unites Business Leaders from 5 Continents in the Maldives

From July 7 to 15, 2025, the tropical archipelago of the Maldives became the epicentre of global entrepreneurship as it hosted the highly anticipated Global Business Week (GBW) 2025. Marking its 25th anniversary, this prestigious international event drew together over participants from 35 countries, including visionary entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors, educators, and young innovators from all generations.

Global Education Forum 2025 in the Maldives

Maldives – July 9, 2025 – The picturesque Maldives served as the backdrop for a landmark convergence of global leaders last week, as the World Education, Science, and Innovation Organisation (WESIO) successfully hosted both the 2025 Global EdTech Conference and the broader Global Business Week 2025 (GBW 2025) from July 7th to 15th. The idyllic Kurumba Island buzzed with activity as policymakers, educators, tech innovators, investors, and business leaders from across the globe gathered under the Maldivian sun.

GBW 2025: A Week of Synergy and Success
More than just a series of forums, GBW 2025 delivered on its promise of an immersive experience combining high-level business strategy, innovation showcases, personal development, and unparalleled networking. The integrated format proved highly effective:

Flagship Forums Deliver Results:

• BOSS Business Forum (BBBF 2025): Facilitated strategic alliances between top-tier executives and investors, with several significant cross-border investment deals finalized during private sessions.
• Global EdTech Forum (EdTech 2025): Emerged as the undisputed highlight for education technology (see detailed outcomes below).
• Startup World Cup Championship (SWCC 2025): Crowned a promising AI-driven learning platform from Southeast Asia as the global champion, securing them significant seed funding and mentorship opportunities announced live on stage.
• World Woman Forum (WWF 2025): Forged powerful connections and launched new initiatives focused on accelerating female leadership pipelines in tech and business globally.
• MINIBOSS & BIGBOSS Camps: Attendees actively participated in one-on-one coaching sessions with renowned experts. The innovative "POWERKIDS" Family Business Camp was hailed as a resounding success, engaging youth aged 6-20 alongside their parents in entrepreneurial workshops and team-building activities, fostering the next generation of business minds. Wellness activities like sunrise yoga and snorkeling provided essential balance.

Networking Reaches New Heights: Exclusive gala dinners, vibrant yacht parties, and curated meetups facilitated high-impact connections. Numerous participants reported forging partnerships and securing leads that would have taken months to develop otherwise, crediting the unique "business-meets-vacation" environment.

EdTech 2025: Concrete Steps Towards Transformative Learning
Held on July 9th within the GBW framework and building on the WESIO conference momentum, the Global EdTech Forum (EdTech 2025) delivered tangible outcomes:

AI in Learning Takes Center Stage: Major announcements included the launch of a new open-source framework for adaptive learning AI, developed collaboratively by several attending universities and tech firms, aiming to make personalized education more accessible globally.

Immersive Tech Gains Traction: Demonstrations of advanced AR/VR classroom applications and gamified learning modules received overwhelming interest. Pilot partnerships between EdTech developers and school networks from 3 continents were signed to implement these technologies in diverse educational settings.

Blockchain Credentials Move Forward: A consortium of accreditation bodies and universities unveiled a joint pilot program for blockchain-secured digital diplomas and micro-credentials, set to begin trials in Q4 2025, addressing long-standing verification challenges.

Investment Floodgates Open: The dedicated "Pitch Arena" saw over 15 EdTech startups present. Cumulative investment interest exceeding $120 million was generated during the forum, with several term sheets signed on the spot. A dedicated "Global EdTech Scaling Fund" was also announced by a coalition of impact investors present.

School Leaders Find Solutions: School owners and directors actively engaged with innovators, reporting finding concrete solutions for their institutions and successfully initiating international collaboration agreements.

Over 150 educators and school leaders benefited from grants covering up to 50% of their participation costs (accommodation, meals, registration), significantly enhancing global representation at the EdTech events.

Speakers and exhibitors leveraged their free access to showcase groundbreaking work to a highly relevant international audience, generating significant leads.

Participants departed with valuable gifts, including subscriptions and exclusive discounts on business education programs.

The dual hosting of WESIO's Global EdTech Conference and GBW 2025 in the Maldives has been widely declared a resounding success. The unique combination of stunning location, integrated forums focusing on business, innovation (especially EdTech), family, and wellbeing, coupled with the substantial WESIO support, fostered an environment ripe for breakthrough ideas, strategic partnerships, and significant investment. The outcomes announced – from major tech launches and pilot programs to closed deals and new investment funds – solidify the event's role as a pivotal moment in shaping the future of education technology and global business collaboration. Participants left Kurumba Island not just inspired, but equipped with actionable results and valuable new connections.

10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2025, According to the World Economic Forum

In June 2025, the World Economic Forum published the report “Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025,” which presents key technologies capable of shaping the development of the global economy and industry over the next decade . The selection is based on a strategic-foresight methodology that considers technological maturity, social readiness, environmental and economic impacts, and the political frameworks for deployment.

1. Composite Structural Batteries

Combining structural elements and energy storage into a single component, known as structural battery composites (SBCs), reduces vehicle weight and increases the driving range of electric vehicles without sacrificing structural integrity . According to the WEF, implementing SBCs in the automotive industry could cut weight by 10% and boost range by 6–8%.

2. Osmotic Energy Systems

Proton-exchange and reverse electrodialysis technologies (PRO and RED) harvest energy from the salinity gradient between seawater and freshwater. New semipermeable membranes and optimized system designs provide not only clean energy generation but also desalination capabilities—particularly valuable for coastal regions.

3. Advanced Nuclear Technologies

Small modular reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV reactors using alternative coolants (molten salts, liquid metals) deliver flexible, low-carbon energy for remote locations and industrial zones. High-temperature reactors (600–950 °C) can supply process heat to metallurgical and chemical plants, aiding in the decarbonization of heavy industry.