Alibaba.com says it is expanding its CoCreate Pitch competition this year with an artificial intelligence-focused format and a total prize pool of more than $1 million as the company looks to promote AI-driven business creation and product development.
The business-to-business e-commerce platform announced that the competition, part of its CoCreate 2026 events in Los Angeles and London, will include regional finals in the United States, Europe and a new Asia-Pacific round.
The company said the updated competition reflects what it described as a shift in global trade toward “agent-to-agent” commerce, where AI systems increasingly handle functions such as sourcing, logistics and operational coordination.
Alibaba.com said entrants will use Accio Work, an AI-based enterprise tool developed by Alibaba, to help create products, business concepts and competition pitches.
“This year marks a pivotal shift from past editions of the competition: for the first time, launching a business from scratch is no longer a dream but an accessible reality, with the help of Accio Work, Alibaba’s plug-and-play enterprise AI agent,” the company said.
The competition will feature three categories: a general small and medium-sized enterprise track for established businesses, a startup track for founders using Accio Work to develop new ideas, and a student track for current students creating products.
Alibaba.com said applicants will register through Accio Work, which includes what the company calls a “CoCreate Pitch Agent” designed to help participants develop proposals and business plans.
“In a world where execution is automated, your perspective is your greatest asset,” said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. “Accio Work is the essential toolkit for every entrepreneur in this AI era, allowing anyone with a strong idea to reach the world. Now is the best time to start and we’re excited to see what founders will build.”
The company said submissions will be judged on innovation, feasibility, market potential and how participants use Accio Work in developing their concepts.
Finals in Los Angeles, scheduled for Sept. 9 and 10, and London, scheduled for Nov. 19 and 20, will each feature 20 finalists presenting live during the CoCreate events.
Alibaba.com said first-place winners in each final will receive $200,000, while second- and third-place finishers will receive $100,000 and $50,000, respectively. The remaining finalists will each receive $10,000.
The company said prize details for the Asia-Pacific competition will be announced later.
Alibaba.com launched in 1999 and operates a global business-to-business e-commerce marketplace serving buyers and suppliers in more than 200 countries and regions.
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