Some of the most influential tech companies didn’t start with big funding but with a pitch. Dropbox, Cloudflare, and Discord began at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, a launchpad that’s seen over 1,700 competitors raising $32 billion and over 250 exits with acquisitions by big names like Microsoft and Amazon. Alumni have even acquired each other, like Dropbox acquiring DocSend. This proves TechCrunch isn’t just a pitch competition; it’s where the world takes notice.
We revisited our recent alumni through our podcast, Build Mode: The Founder Survival Guide, showcasing their growth. Each season covers a different startup life chapter—season 1 was about go-to-market, season 2 is team-building, and season 3, about fundraising, premieres in June.
Kevin Damoa, founder of Glīd, 2025 winner, began in military logistics, ideal preparation for Startup Battlefield. Capella Kerst of geCKo Materials, 2024 runner-up, developed a unique adhesive for extreme conditions, now used even in space.
Deon Nicholas of Forethought AI, 2018 winner, believed AI could transform customer support, leading to its acquisition by Zendesk. David Park of Narada warns about fundraising mistakes before finding product-market fit. Sarah Lucena of Mappa uses AI for compatibility in hiring.
These founders shared their stories on Build Mode. Anna Sun of Nowadays, Hala Jalwan, and Alessio Tresanti of Rivio discussed family business dynamics. Kyle Rudolph and Jon Walburg of Alltroo emphasized networking as a market strategy. Jas Schembri-Stothart and Andre Peart talked about targeting underserved markets.
Startup Battlefield is a significant milestone, and applications for 2026 are open. Apply if you’re building something noteworthy or nominate a ready founder. Even if you’re not ready, listen to Build Mode for insights, with season 3 dropping soon.