The deadline to apply or nominate for Start Battlefield 200 is Friday, May 27. This program is your chance for VC access, global exposure, TechCrunch coverage and $100,000 in equity-free funding. If you’re building a breakout startup—or know a founder who is—now is the time to make the move.
Apply today for the opportunity to take the TechCrunch Disrupt Stage alongside 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups.
Final countdown for early adopters
Pre-Series A founders, this is your last call: the strongest startups are already entering the arena and the application window is closing fast.
If your startup is already nominated, don’t wait to complete your application. The final week always goes quickly, and last-minute submissions risk being buried as applications pile up before Friday’s deadline.
Do you know a startup that deserves attention? Nominate them now so they still have time to apply before May 27.
The companies that define categories rarely start out polished
Some of the most significant companies in tech history didn’t launch with splashy fundraising announcements. They started with a pitch.
Dropbox is demonstrated in a room full of skeptics. Cloudflare hit the scene before most people understood what edge networking meant. Discord was still a scrappy gaming startup called Hammer & Chisel.
They all went through the same crucible: Startup Battlefield 200. It’s not a coincidence – it’s a pattern. And it starts with an application.
Start Battlefield 200 has never been a competition for the most polished companies. It is a competition for the most promising. Pre-launch is fine. No income is fine. What matters is whether what you build really makes a difference – not incrementally, but meaningfully.
If you or a founder you know is building something impactful, then the application itself becomes the first pitch. Apply before 27 May.
More than a pitch competition
Start Battlefield 200 this is where breakout companies are discovered.
Selected startups will showcase live on the Disrupt Stage in front of 10,000+ attendees, leading VCs, global media and the wider TechCrunch audience. This is your opportunity to gain investor exposure, receive direct VC feedback and prove that your company belongs among the next generation of category-defining startups.
Every single one of the 200 selected companies receives:
- A fully funded three-day exhibition booth at Disrupt
- Founder Masterclasses with world-class VCs and operators
- A featured startup profile in the events app
- Press list access and lead generation options
- Opportunities for TechCrunch editorial coverage, podcasts and speaking engagements as the company grows
And each selected company pitches, whether on the Disrupt Stage or the Pitch Showcase Stage. Both put the founders in front of the investors, media and partners who attend Disrupt specifically to find what’s next.
You don’t need to reach the top 20 for this experience to change your trajectory. Get started nominating and applying here.
Startup Battlefield 200 track record speaks for itself
More than 1,700 companies have competed in the Startup Battlefield 200. Collectively, they have raised over $32 billion and generated more than 250 exits, including acquisitions by Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Uber and Amazon.
The network runs so deep that alumni have even acquired each other: Dropbox acquired fellow Battlefield 200 alum DocSend in 2021.
This is also the same launch pad that helped accelerate companies like Fitbit, Trello and Mint.
Behind each and every one of these achievements, a founder was willing to publicly bet on himself in front of people who were paying attention. Apply and learn more here.
Who should apply?
We’re looking for ambitious early-stage startups building innovative, potentially category-defining products.
Applications are open globally across all industries. Most selected companies are pre-Series A, although selected Series A startups may qualify on a case-by-case basis.
To apply, startups must have:
- Founders with vision, execution and real traction
Thousands apply every year. Only 200 are selected. Only 20 finalists pitch live on the Disrupt Stage. One startup takes the crown and wins $100,000 in equity-free funding.
Last days to move
Founders who wait until they feel ready often wait too long. You don’t need to be polished. You must be promising.
If you’ve been sitting on this, here’s the reality: The worst outcome is that you don’t get selected this cycle—and you come back next year with a stronger application because you went through the process.
The scene matters. Community endures. The milestone is real. But the deadline is now a week away.
If you’re building something category-defining – or know a startup that deserves the spotlight – submit your nomination and complete your application by Friday, May 27.
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