Five Founder-Led Investors to Judge Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

After thousands of applications, 200 startups qualified for Startup Battlefield. The competition narrows further to just 20 companies pitching on the Disrupt Stage during the October 13-15 event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Five judges will ultimately determine the champion.

The selection criteria for judges reflects a demanding standard: each must have founded or co-founded the venture firm they currently lead. Together, these investors possess extensive track records of supporting founders, developing companies from early stages to scale, and making significant investment decisions that have shaped their firms' reputations. Their combined expertise allows them to distinguish between compelling presentations and genuinely promising businesses — the distinction that will decide this year's winner.

The judging process extends beyond the final pitch. All five judges will appear together on the Builders Stage later that day for a public question-and-answer session. Attendees can pose questions about what impressed them during the competition, their criteria for evaluating founders, fundraising strategy, company scaling, and their current investment priorities.

The five judges

Stacy Brown-Philpot

Brown-Philpot founded and manages Cherryrock Capital, a venture fund specializing in Series A and Series B software investments from Black and Latinx founders. Her investments include Coactive AI, which develops multimodal AI technology for the media and entertainment sector, and Vitable Health, offering primary care coverage designed for hourly workers. She previously held the CEO position at TaskRabbit before IKEA's acquisition and spent over a decade in executive positions at Google. Her educational background includes an MBA from Stanford University.

Chi-Hua Chien

Chien co-founded Goodwater Capital and serves as its managing partner, concentrating on consumer technology investments spanning mobile, fintech, e-commerce, digital health, and consumer AI across the United States and Asia. His career has involved backing more than 17 unicorns, with portfolio companies including Spotify, Chime, Monzo, TikTok/Musical.ly, Coupang, Toss, and Udemy. Prior to establishing Goodwater, Chien held the position of general partner at Kleiner Perkins and principal at Accel.

Dayna Grayson

Grayson co-founded Construct Capital and serves as general partner at this Washington, D.C.-based early-stage fund targeting technology for core American industries including manufacturing, logistics, transportation, supply chain, and defense. Her portfolio encompasses Veho, Hadrian, Copia Automation, Arkestro, and Verve Motion. Before establishing Construct, Grayson worked as a partner at NEA, where she led early-stage investments including Desktop Metal, which achieved a public listing on the NYSE. She holds a systems engineering degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Carter Reum

Reum co-founded M13 and manages the firm, which oversees $1.9 billion in assets and invests in seed through Series B companies shaping the future of work, commerce, health, and money. Across more than 200 investments, M13 has supported companies including Lyft, Pinterest, Ring, Daily Harvest, and Tonal, with 15 unicorns in its portfolio. Before launching M13, Reum co-founded VEEV Spirit, an independent spirits brand that grew rapidly and was acquired in 2016. He co-authored the national bestseller "Shortcut Your Startup" and holds a BA from Columbia University.

Alexa Von Tobel

Von Tobel founded and manages Inspired Capital, established in partnership with former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Her investments include MosaicML, which Databricks acquired, along with Chief, Finix, and Dandy, with nine unicorns backed throughout her investing career. Before launching Inspired Capital, Von Tobel founded LearnVest, a financial planning platform that Northwestern Mutual purchased. She has authored a New York Times bestseller and holds certification as a financial planner.

What to expect at Disrupt 2026

Startup Battlefield serves as an intensive demonstration of pitching fundamentals and startup scaling strategies. The judges will illuminate what venture investors prioritize when evaluating companies for backing and the characteristics that distinguish scalable ventures. The competition unfolds exclusively on the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where more than 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and technology professionals convene. The conference features over 250 technology leaders presenting across 200+ sessions distributed among six industry stages, roundtables, and breakout sessions.

Ticket pricing offers several options: standard passes save up to $100, with second passes available at 50% off. Groups of four or more receive discounts up to 30%. Those who have experienced layoffs can purchase an Expo+ Pass for $75 while supplies remain available. Doors open October 13.