Every founder who applies to Startup Battlefield wants the same thing. This is the Disrupt main stage. It only takes 6 minutes to deliver a live presentation and demo in front of Silicon Valley’s top investors. A dedicated TechCrunch article was published during your presentation. Here’s your chance to win $100,000 in free money and the Disrupt Cup.
All of that can be yours, but your path to success in Startup Battlefield all starts with the application. And, in fact, we’ve extended the deadline for this year’s cohort to June 8th, so you’ll only have a short window of time to send it in.
Go here to start the application right now. But to get you started, here’s some advice based on past competitions and details on why participant benefits start well before Disrupt’s main stage begins.
What It Takes to Make a Startup Battlefield Top 20
Startup Battlefield Top 20 represents the best of the best in Startup Battlefield 200. A company with an idea that is meaningfully different, defines a category, and has the potential to have a significant impact on its industry or region. The choice is based on which companies are most attractive, differentiated and ready to enter the global arena.
Your product and founder video are everything. This is the first impression and is most important in identifying which companies are ready for the Disrupt Stage. Show your product in action. Be specific about what makes you different. Express your confidence through your cameras, not just your metrics.
Selected companies work closely with the TechCrunch team to prepare their presentations ahead of Disrupt. Each company will give a six-minute live presentation and demo on the Disrupt Stage, followed by a live Q&A with top investors such as Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures), Kirsten Green (Forerunner), Navin Chaddha (Mayfield), Chris Farmer (SignalFire), Dayna Grayson (Construct Capital), Ann Miura-Ko (Floodgate), and Hans Tung (Notable Capital).
Five of the top 20 were selected to present again on the final day of Disrupt before a new panel of celebrity judges. The winner will receive a $100,000 capital prize and the Disrupt Cup.
Check out the top 20 for 2024 and 2025.
Wasn’t it originally ranked in the top 20? you’re still running
The list will not be final until after Disrupt. Every year things change. Founders drop out, schedules change, and the top 200 companies rise quickly during the program.
We will keep the top 20 confidential until the event begins and a final list of companies ready to participate. This happens every cycle.
And more importantly, reaching age 200 is where real opportunity begins. The stage is a moment. But the access, exposure, and networks you gain as part of a cohort go far beyond the cohort.
What Every Startup Battlefield 200 Company Gets
You don’t have to be in the top 20 of Startup Battlefield to change your trajectory.
All selected companies will receive a fully funded demo booth at TechCrunch Disrupt. Free event passes for your team; Access to pre-event virtual programming featuring world-class VCs, operators and founders Exclusive pitch preparation; And you’re invited to a private Startup Battlefield reception.
All 200 companies will attend Disrupt. Whether you’re on the Disrupt Stage competing for a $100,000 prize or a showcase stage for the best in the industry, both are real opportunities to stand out in front of investors, media, and partners who come to Disrupt looking for the next step.
On the editorial side, all companies participate in the TechCrunch ecosystem. Coverage is not guaranteed, but our editors actively track Startup Battlefield companies through articles, the Build Mode podcast, the Equity podcast, and future updates as they grow. Outstanding companies are often invited to present, speak and return across TechCrunch platforms. These are opportunities that compound over time.
Additionally, we joined the Startup Battlefield alumni community, which includes over 1,700 companies including Dropbox, Discord, Cloudflare, and more, raising a total of $32 billion and creating over 250 exits. This is not a mailing list. A network of founders who have gone through the same experience and continue to support each other.
Graduates receive ongoing opportunities to present and speak at TechCrunch events, discounted and free access to future events, and exclusive benefits from our partner network.
The stage is a moment. Network, visibility and access are paramount.
You can get value just by applying to Startup Battlefield
Even if you are not selected, there are advantages to applying. Applicants will receive exclusive discounts on Disrupt tickets and exhibition opportunities, along with resources from our partners, allowing them to stay close to the ecosystem and come back stronger in the next cycle.
If you’re not sure if you’re ready, apply anyway. It’s free, you can’t take anything from the table, and it’s our job to let you know when it’s not the right time. Entrepreneurs who wait until they feel ready often wait too long.
While you prepare, check out Build Mode, TechCrunch’s podcast for early-stage founders featuring past Startup Battlefield companies, groundbreaking founders, and top-tier investors. Consider the inside track you need to build the right company for Battlefield.
(Listen to Build Mode →)
Application Deadline June 8, 2026. TechCrunch Disrupt takes place October 13-15 in San Francisco.
If you think you have what it takes to be in the top 20, apply for Startup Battlefield 2026.
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