Startup Battlefield

TechCrunch has announced the panel of judges who will evaluate the Startup Battlefield 200 companies at Disrupt 2026 and pick the competition winner. The lineup is a key detail for the startups entering the contest, since the judges' picks determine who advances and who takes the top prize. The announcement gives participants and attendees a first look at who will be assessing the field.

TechCrunch has announced the panel of judges for the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. The judges will evaluate the competing startups and decide which company takes the top prize at the conference. The lineup leans heavily toward technology and AI-focused investors and operators, drawing attention from the startup community ahead of the event.

Protego Ventures has closed its inaugural fund at $125 million, dedicated to investing in Israeli defense technology startups. The fund will back early-stage companies developing military and security technologies in Israel, a sector drawing growing interest from investors amid rising global defense spending and demand for battlefield innovation such as drones, sensors and AI-driven systems.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will run October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. The announced program covers AI, transportation, social media and what comes after smartphones, along with sessions on AI's growing demands for computing power, energy and funding. The Startup Battlefield competition remains a centerpiece, drawing early-stage founders pitching to investors.