Your chance at VC access, global exposure, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free funding ends in a week.
**Startup Battlefield 200 applications** close May 27. If you’re building an outstanding startup — or know a founder who is — act now.
**Apply today** for the opportunity to present during **TechCrunch Disrupt 2026**, October 13-15, with 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups.
**The clock is ticking for early-stage founders**
Pre-Series A founders, this is your final reminder: the best startups are already entering, and the **application window is closing fast**.
If you’ve been nominated, **don’t wait to complete your application**. This final week goes quickly, and last-minute entries risk being overlooked as applications peak before the deadline.
Know a startup that deserves attention? **Nominate them now** so they can apply before May 27.
**The companies that define categories rarely start polished**
Many significant tech companies didn’t launch with big fundraising announcements. They began with a pitch.
Dropbox pitched to skeptics. Cloudflare took the stage before edge networking was known. Discord was still Hammer & Chisel, a scrappy gaming startup.
They all went through Startup Battlefield 200. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a pattern. And it begins with an application.
**Startup Battlefield 200** isn’t for the most polished companies. It’s for the most promising ones. Pre-launch is okay. No revenue is okay. What’s important is whether what you’re building truly changes something significant — not incrementally.
If you or a founder you know is creating something impactful, the application itself becomes the first pitch. **Apply before May 27.**
**More than a pitch competition**
**Startup Battlefield 200** is where breakthrough companies are discovered.
Selected startups will showcase live on the Disrupt Stage in front of 10,000+ attendees, top VCs, global media, and the broader TechCrunch audience. This is your chance to gain investor exposure, receive direct VC feedback, and show your company belongs among the next generation of category-defining startups.
Every one of the 200 selected companies receives:
– A fully funded three-day exhibition booth at Disrupt
– Free passes for the team
– Dedicated pitch training
– Founder masterclasses with world-class 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, whether on the Disrupt Stage or the Pitch Showcase Stage, putting founders in front of investors, media, and partners looking for the next big thing.
You don’t need to be in the top 20 to change your trajectory. **Get started by nominating and applying here.**
**The Startup Battlefield 200 track record speaks for itself**
Over 1,700 companies have competed in Startup Battlefield 200. Together, they’ve raised over $32 billion and generated more than 250 exits, including acquisitions by Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Uber, and Amazon.
The network is so extensive that alumni have even acquired each other: Dropbox acquired fellow Battlefield 200 alum DocSend in 2021.
This is the launchpad that accelerated companies like Fitbit, Trello, and Mint.
Behind each outcome was a founder ready to bet on themselves publicly, in front of attentive audiences. **Apply and learn more here.**
**Who should apply?**
We’re looking for ambitious early-stage startups creating innovative, potentially category-defining products.
Applications are open globally across all industries. Most selected companies are pre-Series A, though some Series A startups may qualify on a case-by-case basis.
To apply, startups should have:
– A functional MVP
– A clear product demo
– Strong market potential
– Founders with vision, execution, and real traction
Thousands apply each year. Only 200 get selected. Just 20 finalists pitch live on the Disrupt Stage. One startup wins $100,000 in equity-free funding.
**One week left to make your move**
Founders who wait for readiness often wait too long. You don’t need to be polished. You need to be promising.
If you’ve been hesitating, here’s the truth: the worst outcome is not being selected this cycle — and returning next year stronger because you went through the process.
The stage matters. The community lasts. The milestone is real. The deadline is now one week away.
If you’re building something category-defining — or know a startup that deserves spotlight — **submit your nomination and complete your application before May 27.**