Deadline Date: May 27, 2026
The TechCrunch is now accepting nominations for Startup Battlefield, its flagship global pitch competition that identifies and showcases promising early-stage startups with innovative, market-ready solutions.
Startup Battlefield is a globally recognized startup pitch competition by TechCrunch that identifies and showcases promising early-stage startups from around the world before they achieve mainstream recognition.
The program focuses on early-stage startup innovation, startup pitch competitions, founder visibility, investor engagement, working MVPs, startup mentorship, pitch training, startup networking, venture capital exposure, startup masterclasses, emerging technology trends, startup community building, and global startup ecosystem development.
For more than 15 years, Startup Battlefield has served as a launch platform for successful companies such as Dropbox, Trello, Cloudflare, and Discord before they became widely known. The initiative is designed to spotlight innovative startups with strong growth potential across any industry and from any country.
The competition provides selected founders with opportunities to gain exposure to TechCrunch’s editorial team and broader startup ecosystem. While selection does not automatically guarantee editorial coverage, it creates several pathways for visibility during and beyond the Disrupt event. The most promising startups will have the opportunity to pitch live before thousands of attendees at Disrupt.
Participants in Startup Battlefield also receive access to pitch training sessions, masterclasses with experienced operators and venture capital investors, and a large alumni network of founders and innovators. The program aims to strengthen startups by providing guidance, exposure, and connections that can support long-term growth.
For investors, Startup Battlefield serves as a high-signal platform to discover emerging startups and evaluate founders early in their growth journey. Investors attending the event can observe new ideas, identify market trends, and build relationships with startups that may become future investment opportunities.
Selected companies will present onstage at Disrupt and engage directly with investors throughout the event. Finalists will progress through a structured process that includes expert preparation, participation in the public reveal of the Startup Battlefield 200 cohort, and the possibility of becoming one of the 20 finalists showcased during the event before the eventual champion is selected.
The competition accepts both self-nominations from founders and nominations from third parties. Once nominated, founders receive an invitation to complete the official application process. Multiple nominations for the same startup do not increase the chances of selection.
Eligible startups must have a working minimum viable product (MVP) and be at an early stage of development, generally pre-Series A. However, selected Series A companies may also be considered, particularly those operating in capital-intensive sectors or fundraising outside the United States.
For more information, visit TechCrunch.
