How to Make a First Battlefield Top 20 – and what every company is getting anyway

Every founder working on the Startup Battlefield is looking for the same thing: The Disrupt Main Stage. Six minutes of pitch and live demo, in front of top-tier Silicon Valley investors. A dedicated TechCrunch article published as you present. A photo of the $100,000 equity prize and the Disrupt Cup.

And all of that can be yours, but every road to Startup Battlefield success starts with an app. And we’ve actually extended the deadline for this year’s team to June 8, so you have a shorter window to submit yours.

Go here to start this process right now, but first, we have advice based on previous competitions, and details on why the benefits of participants start well before the start of the main stage of Disrupt.

What it takes to make the Startup Battlefield Top 20

The Startup Battlefield Top 20 represents the best from the Startup Battlefield 200. Companies with significantly different ideas, defining a category, and able to make a big impact in their industry or space. The selection comes down to which companies are the most compelling, diverse, and ready for the global stage.

Your product and founder videos are everything. They are the first impression and play a very important role in identifying which companies are ready for the Disrupt Stage. Show your product in action. Be specific about what makes you different. Let your conviction show on camera, not just your metrics.

The selected companies work closely with the TechCrunch team in preparing the platform before disrupting. Each company pitches and demos live for six minutes in the Disruption Stage, followed by a live Q&A with high-profile investors such as Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures), Kirsten Green (Forerunner), Navin Chaddha (Mayfield), Chris Farmer (SignalFire), Dayna Grayson (Construct Capital), Ann Miura-Ko (Floodgate), Notable Hans.

From the Top 20, five are selected to play again on the final day of Disrupt in front of a new panel of top judges. The winner receives $100,000 in equity prize money and the Disrupt Cup.

Check out the Top 20 from 2024 and 2025.

Not selected in the Top 20 initially? He’s still running

The list doesn’t stop there until it goes on. Every year, things change – founders quit, schedules change, and top 200 companies rise quickly during the program.

We keep the Top 20 secret until the event starts and keep a shortlist of companies ready to enter. All cycles happen.

And more importantly, being at 200 is where the real opportunity begins. The stage is one minute. But the access, exposure, and network you get as part of a group goes beyond that.

That’s what every Startup Battlefield 200 company finds

You don’t have to make the Top 20 battlefield to change your trajectory.

Every selected company gets a fully sponsored demo booth at TechCrunch Disrupt; passes to the team’s congratulatory event; access to a virtual pre-event program with world-class VCs, operators, and founders; dedicated pitch correction; and an invitation to the Startup Battlefield private reception.

At Disrupt, all 200 companies are present. Whether you’re on the Disruption Stage competing for a $100,000 prize or on the Showcase Stage for Best in Industry, both are real opportunities to stand out in front of investors, media, and partners who come to Disruption to find what’s next.

On the planning side, every company fits into the TechCrunch ecosystem. Coverage is not guaranteed, but our editors are actively tracking Battlefield 1 companies with articles, the Build Mode podcast, the Equity podcast, and future updates as you grow. Outstanding companies are often invited to pitch, speak, and give back on all TechCrunch platforms. It is an opportunity that accumulates over time.

Additionally, you join the Startup Battlefield alumni community, which includes 1,700+ companies, such as Dropbox, Discord, and Cloudflare, that have raised $32 billion in funding and generated 250+ exits. This is not a mailing list — it’s a network of founders who have been through the same situation and continue to support each other.

Alumni receive ongoing opportunities to pitch and speak at TechCrunch events, discounted and complimentary access to future events, and exclusive benefits from our partner network.

The stage is one minute. Networking, visibility, and access are the bottom line.

You get value by applying to Startup Battlefield

Even if you are not selected, applying has its advantages. Applicants receive special discounts on disruption tickets and demonstration opportunities, as well as resources from our partners, to stay close to the ecosystem and come back stronger for the next cycle.

If you’re on the fence about whether it’s ready, use it anyway. It’s free, it leaves nothing off the table, and it’s our job to tell you when it’s not the right time. Founders who wait until they feel ready tend to wait too long.

While you’re getting ready, check out Build Mode, TechCrunch’s podcast for early-stage founders with previous Startup Battlefield companies, breakout founders, and high-profile investors. Consider the inside track on what it takes to build a Battlefield-ready company.

[Listen to Build Mode →]

Apps are closing June 8, 2026. The TechCrunch event takes place October 13–15 in San Francisco.

Apply for Startup Battlefield 2026 if you think you have what it takes to make the Top 20.