Submissions to Exhibit Have Closed
CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition
Returning this year, CTA invites startups to join the CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition to spotlight European tech. Judged by investors and influential business leaders, this is a chance for select startups to take their business to the next level.  
The winner will receive a coveted booth space in Eureka Park at CES 2027 from Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas, single room hotel accommodation during the show. CES is where global business gets done. The Eureka Park floor is where 1400 startups debut transformative technologies, meet investors and forge partnerships.
Additionally, the winner will be featured in an exclusive video interview on The Briefing, a weekly video interview series on CES Now, hosted by Melissa Harrison, VP of Marketing and Communications of CTA. The winner will be invited to talk about their company and product, their experience in the pitch competition, and what they're looking forward to at CES 2027. Questions will be provided in advance for preparation.
All Pitch Competition finalists must be CES Unveiled Milan exhibitors to compete onsite.
Pitch Competition Qualifications
Consumer Tech Relevance: The startup must present a product or service tied directly to consumer technology—think smart devices, wearables, AI, health tech, vehicle tech, Audio/Video, smart cities, enterprise, etc. It needs to be demo-ready, whether as a prototype, beta or branded final product, not just a concept or a component for another device.
True Startup Status: The CTA targets early-stage firms — often pre- or post-launch, with their first product hitting the scene recently (e.g., on or after January 1, 2025) Eureka Park isn't your stage if you're an existing company with years of sales.
Standout Innovation: Your tech must be fresh, disruptive and poised to make waves, whether grabbing investor attention or redefining a market. This is where the review process gets picky: we are curating the most exciting breakthroughs, so tell us your story.
First-Time or Limited Exhibitor Status: Startups are generally limited to exhibiting in Eureka Park for a maximum of two years. First-time exhibitors are prioritized, though alums may return once more if their product hasn't fully launched and still meets other criteria. Companies that have exhibited elsewhere at CES (outside Eureka Park) are typically ineligible.
No Intellectual Property Conflicts: The startup must have a clean record regarding intellectual property—no known disputes or legal issues that could undermine its credibility or participation.
Note that qualifications for CES Unveiled Milan subject to change.
2026 Pitch Competition Judges
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Stefania Gilli
Chief Executive Officer, Vodafone IoT Italy
Stefania Gilli is Chief Executive Officer and Director of Vodafone IoT Italy, where she leads the growth of Vodafone's Internet of Things business in the Italian market. She works with customers and partners across a wide range of industries, to help them accelerate their digital transformation through connected solutions that improve operational efficiency, enable innovation and support sustainable growth. She brings over 25 years of experience in the technology industry. Before Vodafone, she held senior leadership roles at HP and Oracle across enterprise technology, digital transformation and business development, consistently helping organizations turn technology into new revenue and tangible business results. Stefania holds an Engineering degree from Politecnico di Milano and has completed executive education programmes at INSEAD, IESE and the University of Michigan. -
Alicia Hanf
Head of New Business Development & Partnerships, LG NOVA; Venture Partner, Desert Forge Ventures
Alicia Hanf is Head of New Business Development & Partnerships at LG NOVA and a Venture Partner at Desert Forge Ventures, where she builds institutional partnerships and startup ecosystems that connect founders with capital and resources. She has more than a decade of experience in corporate venture capital, strategic partnerships, and startup growth. At LG NOVA she built a startup ecosystem of over 5,000 global startups, along with a network of over 250 global partners, and has helped raise over $500M for high-impact companies. She previously founded Dear Mama Ventures, which expands access to capital for underrepresented founders. A TEDx and international keynote speaker, Alicia hosts the "Voices from the Future" interview series and keynoted We Make Future in Bologna on "Affectionate Intelligence," the idea that AI should be empathetic and human-centered. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo Finance, and The Washington Post. -
Rachel Payne
Managing Director, Google X, Moonshot Factory
Rachel Payne is Managing Director at X, Alphabet's Moonshot Factory, leading the climate, nature and sustainability portfolio. She also leads a new moonshot exploration called Pythia, focused on investing in natural capital for resilience. Rachel originally joined Google in January 2005 as Senior Program Officer on the founding team of Google.org. She also co-founded Google Africa, where the team localized core platforms (Google Maps, YouTube, Search) and built mobile, energy and internet infrastructure across the continent. She was a leader in the Global Alliances team, forging and deepening strategic relationships with Google's top partners globally. Rachel serves as a founding member of the Rockefeller Foundation-led Emerging Technology Coalition, a technology advisory council focused on low- and middle-income countries. Rachel has an MBA from Stanford GSB, attended Doshisha University in Japan, and received her BA with highest honors from Smith College. She currently serves on the board of directors for EarthGrid and previously served on the board of BRAC, a global NGO focused on economic empowerment for vulnerable communities. -
Gary Shapiro
Executive Chair, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
Gary Shapiro is an acclaimed author, lobbyist, and Executive Chair of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® which represents over 1200 consumer technology companies and owns and produces CES® — The Global Stage for Innovation.  Over a more than 30-year tenure as head of CTA, Shapiro expanded the association’s influence and impact alongside the growth of the technology industry. He has also transformed CES, expanding its reach globally to attract exhibitors from more than 50 countries, regions, and territories and attendees from some 150. Drawing big global brands and innovative new startups alike, CES is both the world’s most powerful technology show and one of the most transparent - adhering to rigorous auditing standards and making attendance data publicly available. -
Andrea Vaccaro
Head of Field Safety for Europe, Waymo
Andrea Vaccaro is Head of Field Safety for Europe at Waymo, where he leads safety for the company’s expansion of fully autonomous driving into Europe. Previously, he led Waymo’s Safety efforts in the United States, overseeing the safe operation of driverless vehicles serving riders in over 15 cities. Andrea has spent his career working on safety-critical systems and automation, at both large companies and startups. Before Waymo, he was Director of Safety Engineering at the startup Virgin Hyperloop One. Earlier, he led engineering teams at Ansaldo STS / Hitachi Rail on automated metro projects in Milan and Honolulu. Born and raised in Genova, he holds a Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Genova.
Pitch Competition Jury
The CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition jury will bring together a diverse group of seasoned investors, corporate leaders and ecosystem builders with deep expertise in scaling technology, funding innovation and shaping global markets. Together, they represent a unique blend of venture capital, entrepreneurship, corporate innovation and policy leadership, ensuring that Europe’s most promising startups are evaluated with both a global perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead.