TechCrunch just made the official announcement that this year’s Disrupt will be in San Francisco. So save the date for October 27-29, 2025! It’s hard to believe, but this year is our 20th anniversary of making the startup ecosystem more inclusive. Looking to meet the next big startup—are you an investor? The main event We’re maybe most excited about the return of our flagship Startup Battlefield competition. Organized by Isabelle Johannessen, this legendary pitch competition features some of the most promising early-stage startups.
Over the years, TechCrunch Disrupt has become a signature global event for the most ambitious talent across technology and business. It’s quickly become one of the East Coast’s premiere tech conferences, drawing top talent from the industry, venture capitalists, and young entrepreneurs each year. This year’s Startup Battlefield will feature the 2025 Startup Battlefield 200 cohort. This cohort of startups is made up of top emerging startups, hand-picked from an extremely competitive applicant pool.
The Startup Battlefield competition has become synonymous with TechCrunch Disrupt, offering participants the chance to pitch their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of judges and a live audience. In addition to the $100,000 prize, the winner gets the highly coveted Disrupt Cup to take home with them. This award can make a dramatic difference in a startup’s visibility and perceived credibility in the tech community.
The 2024 Startup Battlefield saw Salva Health emerge victorious, thanks to its innovative portable device designed to detect breast cancer at an early stage. Salva Health impressed the heck out of TechCrunch’s editorial team. They placed it in the Top 20 finalists from a highly competitive field of over 200 high growth potential startups. This finalist victory highlights the level of cutting-edge innovation that TechCrunch Disrupt is known for inspiring year after year.
The excitement towards the 2025 Startup Battlefield 200 list starts now. It will be announced on August 27 at 9:00 a.m. PT, marking an important milestone for many aspiring entrepreneurs. Following the announcement, these selected startups will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions and innovations on stage during TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
In addition to Startup Battlefield, TechCrunch Disrupt will provide attendees with live demos and pitches from various startups, further enriching the event experience. Google Cloud returns as the top-level sponsor, providing incredible resources and value to the competition. This acquisition is a great example of how today’s tech leaders are dedicated to continuing innovation alongside the incredibly talented startup community.
Isabelle Johannessen, who leads Startup Battlefield, encourages entrepreneurs to seize this opportunity to gain exposure and connect with potential investors and partners. If you have any questions about the competition or the event, she can be reached at isabelle.johannessen@techcrunch.com.
