Startup Battlefield 200 applications close before May 27  | TechCrunch

The deadline to apply or nominate Start Battlefield 200 is Friday, May 27. This program is your chance to access venture capital, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free financing. If you’re building a groundbreaking startup – or know a founder who is – now is the time to get moving.

Apply today for the opportunity to enter the TechCrunch Disrupt Stage alongside 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups.

Final countdown for early stage founders

Pre-Series A founders, this is your final call: the strongest startups are already entering the arena and the application window is closing quickly.

If your startup has already been nominated, do not wait to complete your application. Finals week always moves quickly and last-minute entries are at risk of being scrutinized as applications surge ahead of Friday’s deadline.

Do you know a startup that deserves the spotlight? Nominate them now So they still have time to register before May 27.

The companies that define categories rarely start out polished

Some of the most influential companies in technology history didn’t launch with splashy fundraising announcements. They started with a pitch.

Dropbox demonstrated to a room full of skeptics. Cloudflare entered the stage before most people understood what edge networking meant. Discord was still a scrappy gaming startup called Hammer & Chisel.

They all went through the same crucible: Startup Battlefield 200. That’s not a coincidence: it’s a pattern. And it starts with a request.

Start Battlefield 200 has never been a competition for the most polished companies. It is a competition for the most promising. Pre-launch is fine. No income is fine. What matters is whether what you build really changes something – not incrementally, but meaningfully.

If you or a founder you know is building something impactful, the application itself becomes the first pitch. Apply before May 27.

More than a pitch competition

Start Battlefield 200 is where breakout companies are discovered.

Select startups will present live on the Disrupt Stage to more than 10,000 attendees, leading venture capital firms, global media and the broader TechCrunch audience. This is your chance to showcase investors, receive direct VC feedback, and prove that your company belongs to the next generation of category-defining startups.

Each of the 200 selected companies will receive:

• A fully funded three-day exhibition stand at Disrupt

• Founder masterclasses with world-class VCs and operators

• A featured startup profile in the events app

• Access to the press list and lead generation capabilities

• Opportunities for TechCrunch editorial coverage, podcasts and speaking engagements as the company grows

And every selected company pitches, whether on the Disrupt Stage or the Pitch Showcase Stage. Both present the founders to the investors, media and partners who go to Disrupt specifically to discover what’s next.

You don’t have to make it into the top 20 for this experience to change your trajectory. Get started by nominating and applying here.

Startup Battlefield 200’s track record speaks for itself

More than 1,700 companies participated in Startup Battlefield 200. Together they raised more than $32 billion and generated more than 250 exits, including acquisitions by Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Uber and Amazon.

The network is so deep that alumni have even acquired each other: Dropbox acquired fellow Battlefield 200 alum DocSend in 2021.

This is also the same launch pad that helped accelerate companies like Fitbit, Trello, and Mint.

Behind each of these outcomes was a founder willing to publicly make a bet on himself, in front of observant people. Apply and learn more here.

Who must submit an application?

We are looking for ambitious early-stage startups building innovative, potentially category-defining products.

Applications are open worldwide in all sectors. Most selected companies are pre-Series A, although select Series A startups may qualify on a case-by-case basis.

To apply, startups must have:

• Founders with vision, execution and real traction

Thousands sign up every year. Only 200 have been selected. Only 20 finalists will pitch live on the Disrupt Stage. One startup takes the cake, winning $100,000 in equity-free funding.

Last days to make your move

The founders who wait until they feel ready often wait too long. You don’t need to polish. You have to be promising.

If you’ve thought about this, here’s the reality: the worst outcome is that you don’t get selected this cycle – and you come back next year with a stronger application because you went through the process.

The stage is important. The community continues to exist. The milestone is a fact. But the deadline is now a week away.

If you’re building something that defines the category – or know a startup that deserves the spotlight – submit your nomination and complete your application by Friday, May 27.