Deadline:
May 27, 2026
Location(s)
United States of America
TechCrunch Disrupt | San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026
Overview
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 is the flagship early-stage startup competition held at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, spotlighting the world’s most promising young companies. Each year, thousands of applicants from around the globe vie for one of 200 slots in the cohort, which provides unparalleled visibility, access to top-tier investors, and opportunities to grow.
Details
What is Startup Battlefield?
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield is the world’s preeminent startup competition held at TechCrunch Disrupt. For over 15 years, TechCrunch has featured the top startup talent from around the world, across any industry in tech. Historically, TechCrunch has picked 20 early stage startups to showcase. As the tech startup ecosystem blossomed, the Startup Battlefield cohort has grown to feature 200 promising companies.
The Startup Battlefield 200 companies pitch on the Pitch Showcase Stage, receive a featured spot on the show floor at TC Disrupt, pitch training, masterclasses, private receptions, communities and investor meet and greets. The final 20 startups pitch on the Disrupt Stage for six minutes with a live Q&A in front of tier-1 VCs. The winner will get $100,000 in equity free prize money and the famous Disrupt Cup, Companies that launched on our stagw include PartPic, N26, Vurb, Trello, Mint, Dropbox, Yammer, Tripit, Redbeacon, Qwiki, Getaround, Render, Vise AI, Forethought AI.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
The ideal fit for Startup Battlefield has had minimal press coverage, and is going to showcase something disruptive on stage. We accept startups from all over the world, any country and building in any industry who are focused on solving any problem.
Companies must be pre-series-A, meaning if you have already closed a Series A at the time of application submission- you will likely be disqualified, with the exception of some capital intensive industries. Companies also must have a Minimum Viable Product at the time of application and demonstrate this in your product demo video (we do not accept animated or AI generated demo videos).
Dates
Deadline: May 27, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
Startup Battlefield 200 is a highly selective startup launch program designed to prepare early-stage startups for visibility, investment, and scale. Each year, TechCrunch hand-selects 200 companies to gain unmatched exposure, credibility, and opportunities to scale faster than they ever imagined:
- Free exhibit space at TechCrunch Disrupt for all three days
- Exclusive access to masterclasses and curated networking
- Direct exposure to top-tier press and investors
- A chance to pitch live at Disrupt
- A shot at the main Disrupt Stage to compete for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the iconic Disrupt Cup
Alumni who’ve entered Startup Battlefield
Startup Battlefield’s track record is among the strongest in the industry — alumni represent 1,700+ companies that have collectively raised over $32 billion and include well-known names such as:
- Dropbox.
- Discord.
- Cloudflare.
- Trello.
- Mint.
- … and many others that have gone on to significant exits and growth.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
