Univentures - BLOCK71 Global

From University to Unicorn

International launchpad for young entrepreneurs

Programme Menu

You bring the idea, we bring investors, mentors, and a global network.

UniVentures 2025 is an incubation programme for aspiring founders who are students, alumni, or staff from Vietnamese Universities. Participants will embark on a real startup journey, with curated mentoring, pitch bootcamps, demo days, and cross-border incubation in Vietnam and Singapore.

The programme kicks off with a nationwide call for applications, expecting over 1,000 early-stage startups. Through a series of screening rounds, only the top 30 teams will make it to Investment Committee Day. There, our Investment Committee led by Golden Gate Ventures will select 10 high-potential teams to receive a $25,000 GGV UniVentures Prize.

Winners will then enter a 3-month incubation at BLOCK71 Vietnam, followed by an incubation at BLOCK71 Singapore for the top 2 startups. From bold ideas to real ventures, UniVentures 2025 is your launchpad to regional growth and long-term impact.

Have a startup idea? It’s time to stop thinking and start building? Apply now and be one of the Top 10 to receive $25,000 and scale beyond borders.

Why Join?

Validation, Visibility, and Venture support straight from campus

ACCESS INVESTMENTS AND WORLD CLASS MENTORSHIP

Stand a chance to win the GGV UniVentures Prize of USD 25,000 per start-up for the top 10 teams. Investors from the UniVentures Investment Committee may provide further investments for top startups.

OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD IN SINGAPORE FOR REGIONAL SUCCESS

Top teams from UniVentures will receive flight and accommodation sponsorship to incubate in BLOCK71 Singapore for 3 months. Participants will gain insights into market entry strategies, and customer acquisition tailored to diverse regional ecosystems.

GUIDED LEARNING FOR FOUNDERS TO SCALE

UniVentures supports founders to transform their ideas or existing startups into sustainable, scalable, and investible businesses. Through our programme, participants will get access to learning modules and pitch preparation sessions.

WORLD-CLASS NETWORK

In addition, participants will gain access to an exceptional network of successful founders, investors, subject matter experts, and corporate partners who will serve as mentors.

Who Should Apply?

We welcome any startup with at least one founder who is:

Staff

Currently a researcher or staff member at a Vietnamese university.

Alumni

Graduated from a Vietnamese university within the past five years.

Student

Currently a student at a Vietnamese university

Programme Timeline

August 2025

National Roadshows Begin.

The search goes live. We tour universities across Vietnam via our partners to scout raw, high‑potential ideas. Our goal: reach young builders where they are in classrooms, labs, and communities. Bring them into the venture arena.

October 2025

Bootcamp Begins.

A 6‑week virtual bootcamp is launched, supported by our programme partner, Reactor School. All selected teams are required to complete key milestones including submission of pitch decks, a video recording, and a compulsory quiz. This phase builds core startup fundamentals while testing each team’s commitment and execution.

November 2025

First Filtering Phase.

From 1,000+ sign‑ups, only teams that complete all required submissions will move forward. We will seek the best 300 teams based on pitch deck quality. The first real cut begins and only the strongest survive.

December 2025

Investment Committee Day.

The top 300 teams are reviewed by our Investment Committee comprising top investors. At the end of this intensive process, 30 teams are selected for Demo Day.

January 2026

Demo Day & Gala Dinner.

The Top 30 startups will pitch in a Closed‑Door Demo Day, and the top 10 will emerge to receive the GGV UniVentures Prize. The day concludes with a Gala Dinner, a celebration of innovation, resilience, and what’s coming next.

February 2026

Incubation in Vietnam Begins.

The Top 10 winning teams begin their 3‑month incubation at BLOCK71 Vietnam. Each team receives hands‑on support, mentorship, and local market exposure. This phase is focused on product refinement, go‑to‑market execution, and investor readiness.

May 2026

Grand Finale Day.

After three months of intensive development, all incubated teams return for Grand Finale Day, a final pitch to select the Top 2 startups that will move forward to the next level: international expansion.

June 2026

Incubation in Singapore Begins.

The top 2 teams advance to a 3‑month incubation programme at BLOCK71 Singapore, where they gain regional exposure, access cross‑border resources, and connect with Southeast Asia’s leading venture capitalists and partners. We will support our brave founders for their flights and accommodation during the 3 months.

About Organizer

BLOCK71 is an initiative by NUS Enterprise in collaborative and strategic partnerships with established corporates and government agencies. It is a technology-focused ecosystem builder and global business connector which catalyses and aggregates the start-up community, as well as spearheads new initiatives and provides mentorship and growth opportunities in local and global markets. BLOCK71 has supported the growth of 1600+ startups since its establishment in 2011 and has developed presence in 6 countries: Singapore, United States, China, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Partners

Key Partner