GoKawiilIntero Biosystems wins TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Startup Battlefield
Intero Biosystems, a Denver-based startup spun out of the University of Michigan, won the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. The company, founded by Charlie Childs and Madeline Eiken, makes lab-grown human intestinal 'organoids' sold under the product name GastroScreen to test how drugs and other compounds affect the body. Apate, an Australian startup using AI agents to combat scammers, took runner-up honors among five finalists selected from 20 competitors.
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The win gives Intero Biosystems visibility among top venture investors, which could help it attract pharmaceutical and biotech clients seeking alternatives to animal or early human testing. The competition's finalist lineup also signals growing investor interest in biotech tissue modeling and AI-driven fraud prevention as emerging startup categories.
- Intero Biosystems won the $100,000 Startup Battlefield Cup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- Its product GastroScreen uses lab-grown gut tissue to test drugs before human trials.
- Apate, an AI-powered anti-scam startup from Australia, was named runner-up among five finalists.
Source: techcrunch.com — Sean O'Kane, 2026-10-15
Published there as: “And the winner of Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2026 is: Intero Biosystems”
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