The Cross-Border Jobs Startup Competition is a global initiative seeking to identify and support innovative startups that are building solutions for safer, fairer, and more scalable labor mobility for workers from South and Southeast Asia. The program aims to shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs tackling systemic barriers in the cross-border labor market, fostering a more transparent and accessible ecosystem. By leveraging technology, the competition supports platforms and services that help workers move, connect, and thrive across borders, addressing the significant demand for managed labor migration in a growing global industry.
Program Focus and Objectives
• Address Systemic Barriers: The competition targets the fragmented, costly, and underinvested systems connecting talent from South and Southeast Asia with global labor demand.
• Promote Ethical Pathways: It seeks to foster safer, more transparent, and affordable pathways for migration, countering issues like exorbitant recruitment fees, unclear contracts, and exploitation.
• Highlight Economic Opportunity: The program recognizes labor mobility as a potential USD $25B+ industry and aims to support the technological solutions that can unlock this market at scale.
• Strengthen the Ecosystem: A key objective is to create momentum for a more transparent and accessible labor mobility ecosystem by identifying existing solutions and backing innovators.
• Focus Areas: The competition is interested in solutions related to recruitment and placement, migrant support services (finance, training, housing), skills verification, credential recognition, and worker welfare platforms.
Ideal Applicant Profile
• Facilitate Worker Mobility: Startups that directly enable worker movement across South & Southeast Asian borders or globally through recruitment, placement, or service management.
• Offer Enabling Services: Ventures providing services focused on the needs of migrants, such as finance, pre-departure preparation, language training, compliance, housing, remittance, or reintegration support.
• Expand Existing Solutions: Companies adapting and expanding their current solutions into the labor mobility space, including platforms for skills verification, credential recognition, or worker welfare.
Eligibility Criteria
• Geographic Focus: Must offer cross-border labor mobility solutions for workers originating from South or Southeast Asia, serving destinations within the region or globally.
• Legal Status: Applicants must have a registered business.
• Development Stage: The competition is open to startups at any stage, including idea or MVP, although some evidence of traction is preferred.
• Ethical Standards: All applicants must adhere to principles of responsible and ethical labor migration, including safeguarding and fair recruitment standards.
Prizes and Support
• Financial Grant: The top three selected startups will each receive a $10,000 USD cash grant to accelerate their work.
• Mentorship: Winners will gain access to dedicated mentorship from leading sector experts in venture building, impact investing, and recruitment technology.
• Visibility and Networking: The program provides significant visibility across an extensive partner ecosystem and access to a growing network of founders and practitioners in the labor mobility field.
Key Dates and Timeline
• Applications Open: June 24, 2026
• Q&A Webinar: July 2026
• Application Deadline: August 5, 2026
• Shortlisting Complete: End of August 2026
• Pitches: Second half of September 2026
• Winners Announced: Early October 2026
Application and Program Details
• Program Format: The competition is conducted entirely online, including applications, pitches, and all judging processes.
• Application Submission: Interested startups must submit their application via the provided Microsoft Forms link.
• Contact Information: For any questions regarding the competition, inquiries can be directed to arodriguez@lampfourm.org.
Key Personnel and Partners
• Judging Panel: Amit Patel (Owl Ventures), Mahendra Pandey (Global Migrant Workers Network), Prerna Choudbury (LaMP), Parag Vaidya (Kois), and Paul Rivera (Kalibrr).
• Mentors: Jane Leu (Livelihood Impact Fund), Nick Markham (BFA), Innovation Consultants (TechShake), and Victoria Longhi (Owl Ventures).
• Partners: BFA Global, Owl Ventures, Global Migrant Workers Network, KOIS, Kalibrr, and TechShake.
• Community Outreach Partners: QBO Innovation, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, Kumpul, Antler, and Upaya Social Ventures.
This competition represents a significant opportunity for startups dedicated to transforming the landscape of labor mobility. By providing funding, expert guidance, and valuable connections, the initiative aims to empower entrepreneurs who are creating more equitable and efficient systems for millions of workers. Innovators with solutions that align with this mission are encouraged to explore the program further and consider applying to become part of a growing movement toward safer and fairer cross-border employment.