Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is almost here, and the pressure has never been higher. With $100,000 on the line, the top 20 early-stage startups know they must deliver their very best on the Disrupt stage from October 27-29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Meanwhile, our VC judges will bring sharp questions, deep experience, and a discerning eye to distinguish the promising from the truly exceptional.
Founders can gain invaluable insights into what makes a winning pitch and a sustainable startup from these seasoned VCs. Investors can discover pitch-ready, impactful startups to add to their pipeline. Everyone else can witness the intense startup showdown, where the top 20 TechCrunch-vetted startups pitch for the equity-free prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup.
Register now to watch and save up to $444 on your pass, or bring your team or friends and save up to 30% with bundle passes. Don’t miss this nail-biting “World Series” of pitch competitions live.
Meet the next batch of Battlefield 200 judges
Today, we’re excited to introduce the fourth wave of judges joining the competition. Only one more reveal remains. Stay tuned to the Disrupt agenda to see who the last five judges will be.
Allison Baum Gates, General Partner, SemperVirens Venture Capital
Allison Baum Gates is a general partner at SemperVirens, a venture fund investing in healthcare, fintech, and enterprise SaaS. To date, she has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from LPs in the US, Europe, and Asia, and has deployed capital into more than 70 companies, including nine unicorns, 24 exits, and holds 10 board positions.
Gates has been featured in major publications such as the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and TechCrunch, and has taught hundreds of business school students. She is a lecturer in management at Stanford GSB and the author of Breaking into Venture (McGraw-Hill, 2023), a comprehensive guide for navigating the VC industry. Her second book, Beyond the Pitch: The Psychology of Raising VC Funding, will be released next year. She holds a B.A. in Economics with Honors from Harvard University and is proficient in three languages.
Katelin Holloway, Founding Partner, 776
Katelin Holloway is a founding partner at Alexis Ohanian’s early-stage venture capital firm, 776. A seasoned investor with more than 20 years of operational experience at companies like Pixar and Reddit, Holloway backs transformative startups across diverse sectors. She invests in solutions that expand human potential and resilience, advancing health, exploring new frontiers, driving sustainability, fostering creativity, and enriching the human experience.
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