Today marks the final deadline for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200, with applications closing at 11:59 p.m. PT. The competition offers 200 early-stage startups a chance to win $100,000 in equity-free funding and pitch before 10,000-plus attendees at TechCrunch Disrupt. Past alumni include Dropbox, Cloudflare, Discord, Fitbit, Mint, and Trello. Collectively, over 1,700 participating startups have raised more than $32 billion and produced 250-plus exits, including acquisitions by Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Uber, and Amazon.
In-Depth:
Today is the final day to apply or nominate a startup for Startup Battlefield 200. Once the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. PT, the window closes on your chance to compete for $100,000 in equity-free funding, gain global visibility, connect directly with investors, and launch on the TechCrunch Disrupt stage.
If you’re building a breakout startup — or know a founder who is — this is the moment to shift.
Apply now for the opportunity to join 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups at TechCrunch Disrupt.
Last call for ambitious founders
Founders, this is it. The application window closes tonight.
The strongest startups are already in the arena, and applications always surge in the final hours. If your company has been nominated but you haven’t completed your application yet, don’t risk missing your shot by waiting until the last minute.
And if you know a startup that deserves investor attention, media exposure, and a global stage, nominate them now while there’s still time to apply before the deadline.
Breakout startups started with compact moments
Some of the most influential companies in tech history didn’t launch with perfect pitches or massive funding rounds. They started by taking a chance.
Dropbox demoed to skeptics before cloud storage was mainstream. Cloudflare pitched before most people understood edge infrastructure. Discord entered as a scrappy gaming startup called Hammer & Chisel.
All of them came through Startup Battlefield.
That’s becaapply Startup Battlefield 200 has never been about rewarding the most polished companies. It’s about identifying the most promising ones. Pre-launch is fine. Early traction is fine. No revenue is fine. What matters is whether you’re building something that genuinely modifys an industest.
The application itself is your first pitch. And today is your final opportunity to build it.
More than a pitch competition
Startup Battlefield 200 is where breakout startups receive discovered.
Selected companies will displaycase at TechCrunch Disrupt in front of 10,000+ attfinishees, leading venture capital firms, global media, and the broader TechCrunch audience. Founders gain direct investor access, live exposure, and the opportunity to prove they belong among the next generation of category-defining companies.
Every selected startup receives:
- A fully funded three-day exhibition booth at Disrupt
- Complimentary team passes
- Founder masterclasses with top VCs and operators
- A featured startup profile in the event app
- Press list access and lead-generation opportunities
- Opportunities for TechCrunch editorial coverage, podcasts, and speaking appearances as the company grows
Every selected company pitches live, whether on the Disrupt Stage or the Pitch Showcase Stage. Both put founders directly in front of investors, media, customers, and partners viewing for what’s next.
You do not necessary to win the competition for this experience to modify your company’s trajectory. The exposure you receive from this alone could be what pushes the necessaryle.
The track record speaks for itself
More than 1,700 startups have participated in Startup Battlefield over the years. Toreceiveher, they’ve raised over $32 billion and produced more than 250 exits, including acquisitions by Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Uber, and Amazon.
Alumni include companies like Dropbox, Cloudflare, Discord, Fitbit, Mint, and Trello.
Behind every one of those success stories was a founder willing to put their company forward before the rest of the world caught up.
Who should apply?
We’re viewing for ambitious early-stage startups building innovative, potentially category-defining products.
Applications are open globally across industries. Most selected startups are pre-Series A, though select Series A companies may qualify.
To apply, startups should have:
- Founders with vision, execution, and traction
Thousands apply every year. Only 200 are selected. Just 20 finalists pitch on the main Disrupt Stage. One startup wins $100,000 in equity-free funding.
The deadline is tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT
The founders who modify industries rarely wait until they feel completely ready. They apply before certainty exists.
If you’ve been debating whether to submit, this is your final chance. The deadline closes tonight, 11:59 p.m. PT.
If you’re building something category-defining — or know a startup that deserves the spotlight — submit your nomination and complete your application before time runs out.
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