Pre-Series A founders, this is your moment! If your startup is ready to be tested under real pressure, the battlefield is open.
We’re still accepting nominations for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200. This is your shot to step into the arena at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and go head-to-head in front of world-class VCs and the full TechCrunch audience.
Where breakout companies are forged
You’ll compete for $100,000 in equity-free funding, earn global exposure on the main stage at Disrupt in San Francisco, and get raw, unfiltered feedback from the investors who shape the future of tech. In addition, you’ll join an elite cohort of founders preparing to take on the biggest startup stage in the world.
Startup Battlefield alumni include Trello, Mint, Dropbox, Discord, and Fitbit — more than 1,500 startups that once stood exactly where you are now: early, hungry, and ready to prove it.
Make your mark or get left behind. Nominate now.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Kevin A. Damoa, Founder & CEO, Glīd, Claire Kroft and Ankit Malhotra, winners of the Startup Battlefield 2025, pose onstage during day three of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 at Moscone Center on October 29, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch) Image Credits:Kimberly White / Getty Images
Competition is fierce. Enter early.
Thousands of startups applied last year, and this year’s field will be even more competitive. TechCrunch reviews every nomination, but founders who enter early give themselves a strategic edge. If you’re serious about winning, don’t wait to join the fight.
Startup Battlefield 200 perks
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