CES is loud, obnoxious and just too big. It will shave years off your life. I love it. And if you’re a hardware startup, you probably love it too.
We’re looking for startups to compete in Hardware Battlefield, where 24 companies will battle for a $50,000 check, a robot trophy and the chance to rise above the noise as the champion of Hardware Battlefield. Apply here.
Hardware Battlefield is part of TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield series, but with a few small differences. Of course, there is the requirement that participating companies must have a hardware component to their product. That means everything from IoT devices to 3D printing, health wearables to drones are accepted. And, of course, robots.
This is the fourth year we’ve held our startup competition at CES. Past winners include CubeSensors, Voltera and 6SensorLabs for the Nima gluten detector.
Hardware Battlefield takes place at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 5-8, 2017. Battlefield contestants still have six minutes to pitch to our judging panel followed by six minutes of live Q/A. Judges include hardware investors like Rob Coneybeer, Highway1 and HAX, top designers like Yves Behar and product experts like Susan Paley of GM. Martha Stewart and 50 Cent have also been known to stop by.
This year TechCrunch is going bigger. This year’s booth is located right at the Mezzanine of the Sands Expo outside of Eureka Park.
Last year’s Hardware Battlefield batch was quite a group. Nima, a discreet, portable gluten tester and 2016’s winner, has raised $17.2 million and joined us onstage at Disrupt SF. Calliope Waterworks went through Highway1 with their smart water monitoring device. Other teams created custom insoles with 3D scanning, affordable and safe robotic arms, easy to carry drones and mouth guards that warn of possible concussions.
Applying and participating in the Hardware Battlefield is entirely free and we welcome entries from across the globe. Startups must have a functional prototype to demo to the selection committee. TechCrunch will give preference to companies debuting a product to the public and press via the competition.
So, looking for a way to stand out from the noise at CES? Want to get feedback from the biggest gadgets enthusiasts on the planet? Apply now to be a part of Hardware Battlefield!