AI emerges as necessity for entrepreneurs as Alibaba.com CoCreate Pitch bags 20,000 submissions

Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform, Alibaba.com, reports that CoCreate Pitch, its product focused pitch competition, has received over 20,000 submissions ahead of its first application deadline on 15th August.

It says that these show how AI is increasingly empowering entrepreneurs to bring product ideas from prototypes to global markets, how women entrepreneurs are playing pivotal roles, and how Gen Z founders are focusing on solving real-world issues rather than merely chasing profits.

Among the submitted pitch ideas, 63.5% include plans to leverage AI or machine learning, and more than 400 projects directly incorporate AI to address real-world needs. The most common AI applications include speech recognition, image processing, and natural language processing. Notably, solopreneurs engaged in significant AI adoption to reduce costs and expedite product development.

Of the total pitch submissions, 32.7% are centred on categories primarily targeting female consumers and women's needs, including beauty, fashion accessories, and women's health. One of the most distinctive trends in this year's entries is a strong focus on niche and underserved markets.

In fact, 33.9% of applicants are targeting specialised markets, more than those focused on general consumer audiences (29.9%). Products range from fashion tailored to plus-size consumers and sensory friendly goods for children with ADHD to practical tools designed for mobility challenged users.

Purpose driven motivation is also defining a new generation of founders. Among Gen-Z applicants, 33.6% say they started their ventures to address societal problems, while 29.5% are driven by a desire to create social value.

Also of note is the strong presence of digital native entrepreneurs with significant social media followings. Many applicants already command large online audiences - some with millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Despite their creativity and ambition, many applicants reported significant barriers to launching and scaling their ventures. Notably, 63.7% cited a lack of funding as their biggest challenge. Another 20.5% said they lacked access to proper mentorship, and 17.9% pointed to limited supply chain support. These statistics underscore the ongoing need for infrastructure, community, and investor support across global startup ecosystems, according to Alibaba.com.

Launched as part of Alibaba’s flagship CoCreate event, CoCreate Pitch invites entrepreneurs from around the world to submit their ideas for innovative products to compete in the total $1 million award pool.

Of the thousands of submissions, 100 semi-finalists will be selected to pitch live - 70 at CoCreate Las Vegas on 4th-5th September, and 30 at CoCreate London on 14th November. Two final grand prize winners (one per region) will each receive $200,000 in a combination of cash and Alibaba.com sourcing credits. An additional 20 finalists will each receive up to $40,000 in similar funding. 

In addition to the pitch competition, CoCreate 2025 brings more than 50 vetted manufacturers from Alibaba.com’s global network onsite, showcasing over 20,000 trending product samples from more than 200 suppliers.

The event will also debut a speed-dating style business matchmaking programme, where participants engage in focused ten-minute meetings with decision-makers to review samples, discuss customisation, and close deals instantly. In addition, over 100 expert led sessions will tackle critical challenges for small and mid-sized businesses.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

AI will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.