TechCrunch Disrupt is one of the most anticipated technology conferences of the year, and Startup Battlefield is the very heart of the event. Some 30 companies, chosen from hundreds of applicants, launch their products on the Disrupt stage before a live and online audience in front of a panel of expert judges. After the demos, pitches and a tough round of questions, TechCrunch’s editors, working with the VCs, seasoned entrepreneurs, and product experts, select six companies for a final, drama-filled round on the third and final day of Disrupt. Only one Battlefield contender can take home a $50,000 check and the coveted Disrupt Cup.
If you’re a startup in stealth, you may ask yourself why you should apply for Startup Battlefield. The reasons are clear and simple.
- Prestige. Past finalists at Startup Battlefield have included winners such as: Mint.com, Dropbox, Yammer, Tripit, Redbeacon, Qwiki, Getaround, Soluto and more. Runners-up have included the likes of: gTar (Incident), Sonar, BillGuard, CloudFlare, and others.
- Exposure. Our finalist judges are the top VCs and entrepreneurs in technology. Past judges have included: Michael Arrington, Marissa Mayer, Ron Conway, Fred Wilson, Roelof Botha and many more. The audience at TechCrunch Disrupt includes hundreds of investors. Online, thousands from around the world tune in to watch the livestream.
- Training. The TechCrunch team meets at least twice with each finalist before Disrupt to prep for a great pitch to the judges and audience.
- Press. Hundreds of journalists cover the Startup Battlefield. TechCrunch writes an article, sometimes more, about each and every finalist.
- Events. Battlefield finalists have the opportunity to meet investors and seasoned entrepreneurs in intimate settings. They also have the chance to attend special events with VIPs, guest speakers and judges.
- Admission. Battlefield finalists attend TechCrunch Disrupt free of charge. This also gets them into all of the after parties, which include the TechCrunch team, plus other guest judges and speakers.
- Exhibitor Space. Battlefield finalists exhibit at no charge on the Disrupt floor for all three days.
- Future Disrupts. Every Battlefield finalist team gets a free pass to all future TechCrunch Disrupt conferences. A handful of Battlefield Alumni give updates live on the Disrupt stage at each event.
- The Ultimate Prize. The winning Battlefield team takes home $50,000 and the coveted Disrupt Cup!
The requirements to apply are also simple.
- To compete in the Startup Battlefield, at time of application submission startups must be live for less than three months.
- In selecting final contestants, we will give heavy preference to companies that launch for the first time to the public and press at TechCrunch Disrupt. We consider new products from existing companies to be significant. Due to the limited number of competition slots on stage, companies launching new feature sets do not qualify as launch companies. The competition will take place in San Francisco, but companies from around the globe are welcome to submit their startups for consideration.
- You have not presented at other public launch events.
Applications for Disrupt SF are now closed as of Friday, July 13th, 2012 at 11:59pm PT.
If you are interested in attending Disrupt SF this year, Extra Early Bird tickets are on sale now. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, opportunities can be found here.