The Squeeze is Orange Grove’s thrilling startup pitching competition! One of the first and most well-known pitching events in Greece, The Squeeze is a fast-paced competition that sees 8 Orange Grove startups go head-to-head on-stage pitching, in less than 5’, their business ideas to a panel of judges and an open audience.
Experts from around the world fly in to join the distinguished panel of judges, consisting of investors, international corporations, startup ecosystem experts and successful startup founders, at this open event that attracts a diverse audience of journalists, investors, executives, entrepreneurs, ambitious startuppers and members of the startup ecosystem. The judges quiz each pitcher for 5’ and select the 2 winners they believe have the most viable and high-potential ideas!
Since 2014, over 100 alumni of Orange Grove have taken to the stage, after a rigorous pre-selection process, to pitch their ideas and receive invaluable feedback and exposure -and for some the winning prize! The competition is open to ventures from all sectors, though, on occasion special editions of The Squeeze have focused on specific themes (Female Entrepreneurship, Agriculture, etc).
Orange Grove’s thrilling pitching competition “The Squeeze” was back on Tuesday 1st of November, celebrating innovation and impact-driven entrepreneurship! And this edition of “The Squeeze” was even more exciting as it was honoured with the presence of H.M. King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and H.M. Queen Máxima, along with members of the Netherlands Government, as part of their State Visit to Greece taking place between the 31st October and 2nd November 2022.
The evening before the Squeeze, traditionally a fireside chat is organised, with the panel of judges taking to the stage themselves in order to share their stories with the audience, which usually consists of aspiring entrepreneurs. Through an open discussion and Q&A session, the judges openly share their insights, challenges and successes in a vivid and interactive conversation with the community. After the discussion, participants have the opportunity to network, socialize and expand their connections.
