TechCrunch names five judges for Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2026

In short: TechCrunch has announced the five investors who will judge the final round of Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.

What happened

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 runs from October 13 to 15 in San Francisco. As part of the event, TechCrunch will hold its Startup Battlefield competition, where early stage companies present short talks to try to win.

TechCrunch said thousands of startups applied for Startup Battlefield. Two hundred were selected for the “Startup Battlefield 200,” and only 20 will get to pitch on the main Disrupt Stage over the three days.

The winner will be chosen by five judges, all of whom lead investment firms they helped start. Venture capital firms are groups that invest money in young companies, like backers helping a new restaurant open more locations. The five judges are Stacy Brown-Philpot of Cherryrock Capital, Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital, Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital, Carter Reum of M13, and Alexa Von Tobel of Inspired Capital.

TechCrunch also said the judges will appear later the same day for a live AMA, which stands for “ask me anything,” where the audience can ask questions about what they look for in founders and companies.

Why it matters

Startup contests like this can shape which new products get attention and funding. Even if you never attend Disrupt, the companies that do well often become the apps and services people use later. Knowing who the judges are can also hint at the kinds of ideas that may be favored, such as consumer apps, business software, and AI tools.

Source: TechCrunch AI