Alibaba.com Launches CoCreate Pitch: A $1 Million Global Competition for SMEs & Entrepreneurs

Flagship Event CoCreate 2025 to Be Held in Las Vegas and London

NEW YORK, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alibaba.com, a leading B2B e-commerce platform, today announced the newly expanded pitch competition, CoCreate Pitch, which will take place at  the Company's annual flagship CoCreate event. The competition will allow global SMEs with product dreams to compete for a $1 million prize pool. In addition to the CoCreate Pitch competition, Alibaba.com is also introducing CoCreate Europe, which will be held in London on November 14, 2025. The U.S. event in Las Vegas will take place from September 4-5, 2025.

Coinciding with World Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day on June 27th, this initiative highlights the commitment of Alibaba.com to supporting global SMEs.

The World's Biggest Product-Based Pitch Competition

Aside from hosting industry leaders and star entrepreneurs, the core of this year's CoCreate event is CoCreate Pitch. Set to become the world's biggest product-based pitch competition, CoCreate Pitch will attract SMEs from around the globe, offering the opportunity for a unique blend of financial support, a diversified global supply chain, and mentorship.

• Two grand champions, one from each CoCreate event, will each receive a financial award valued at $200,000 (50% cash, 50% Alibaba.com sourcing credits).
• 20 winners will be awarded up to $40,000 each under the same terms.
• All participants gain free access to Alibaba.com's AI-powered sourcing tools and supplier network, enabling rapid prototyping and cost-efficient production.

The competition spans 2-4 months, with submissions evaluated on innovation, feasibility, and market potential. Finalists will pitch live at flagship events in Las Vegas and London. Winners will be selected by a panel of industry leaders and investors.

"Pitching competitions have always been a highlight of CoCreate. The passion SMEs bring to their innovative product ideas, and their entrepreneurial energy, shines brightly on stage," said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. "This year, we're thrilled to open this opportunity to entrepreneurs worldwide."

SMEs and entrepreneurs interested in applying to CoCreate Pitch can post a 30-second video on Instagram or TikTok highlighting their business story or product. Posts need to include the hashtag #CoCreatePitch and tag @Alibaba.com_official. Alternatively, participants can fill out a registration form available at
https://pitch.alibabacocreate.com/?tracelog=pr

Celebrating the Resilience of SMEs

Despite global economic uncertainty, SMEs have proven their ability to adapt and thrive. In fact, recent Alibaba.com data suggests that SMEs are busy preparing for business opportunities. During its mid-year stock season, Alibaba.com is seeing strong momentum in both the U.S. and Europe as global sourcing demand surges. In the U.S. specifically, orders rose 25% year-over-year, driven by early holiday stockpiling. Key categories such as festive supplies grew by over 120%, while toys saw a sixfold year-over-year increase. Europe is also experiencing robust growth in the number of business buyers, led by France (+168%), the UK (+53%), Italy (+68%), and Germany (+48%).

"The 'can-do' spirit of SMEs inspired the first CoCreate event in 2023. Alibaba.com's global supply chain empowers these businesses to turn their product dreams into reality," said Liz Wang, Global Head of Commercial Strategy at Alibaba.com. "From ideation and production to financing and mentorship, we're here to help them achieve their business goals."

More information about CoCreate 2025 is available at www.alibabacocreate.com.

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About Alibaba.com

Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

SOURCE Alibaba.com