How to make the Startup Battlefield Top 20 — and what every company gets regardless
Startup Battlefield offers founders a chance to pitch on the Disrupt Main Stage for top-tier investors. The application deadline has been extended to June 8, and the selection process focuses on compelling and differentiated companies. Even if not selected for the Top 20, all participants gain valuable exposure and networking opportunities.
- ▪Every founder who applies to Startup Battlefield aims for the Disrupt Main Stage to pitch live.
- ▪The Startup Battlefield Top 20 is chosen based on the uniqueness and potential impact of their ideas.
- ▪All 200 participating companies receive benefits such as a demo booth and access to a network of investors.
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| Original publisher | TechCrunch |
| Canonical URL | https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/how-to-make-the-startup-battlefield-top-20-and-what-every-company-gets-regardless/ |
| Publication time | Mon, 01 Jun 2026 23:20:52 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-06-01T23:53:02.768Z |
| Last seen | 2026-06-01T23:54:46.572Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Every founder who applies to Startup Battlefield wants the same thing: the Disrupt Main Stage. Six minutes to pitch and demo live, in front of top-tier Silicon Valley investors. A dedicated TechCrunch article published as you present. A shot at the $100,000 equity-free prize and the Disrupt Cup. And all of that could be yours, but every path to Startup Battlefield success begins with an application. And we actually have extended the deadline for this year’s cohort to June 8, so you only have a brief window to send yours in. Head here to start up that application right now, but for a head start, we have some advice based on past competitions, and some detail on why participant perks start well before the main stage at Disrupt kicks off.
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