Apply to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Latin America

The TechCrunch crew is practically giddy to be heading to São Paulo, Brazil to host the inaugural Startup Battlefield Latin America on November 8, 2018. This is the first time we’ve hosted an event in Latin America, and we’re stoked to cover and support the region’s fast-growing startup scene.

We’re looking for 15 of Latin America’s best pre-Series A startups to go head-to-head in our premier startup pitch competition. The application deadline is August 6 at 5 p.m. PST, but if your company fits our description, why wait? Apply now to participate in Startup Battlefield.

Here’s how it all works. You must meet certain eligibility requirements — see that info listed below. Our crack team of TechCrunch editors (seriously, they have mad skills when it comes to spotting potential-laden startups) review every eligible application and will select 15 companies to join us onstage at São Paulo’s Tomie Ohtake Institute.

Each team receives free pitch-coaching from TechCrunch editors, so they’ll be primed and ready to do their best come the big day. The competition begins with three preliminary rounds — five startups per round will each have just six minutes to pitch their company and present their product demo to top-tier VC judges in front of a live audience of 500 people.

The judges have six minutes following each pitch to ask the team probing questions. Of the 15 startups, a fortunate five will be chosen to move on to the finals and pitch again — this time to a fresh set of judges. And from those five finalists comes one shining startup to be named champion of the first Startup Battlefield Latin America.

The winning founders receive US$25,000, plus a trip for two to the next TechCrunch Disrupt, where they can exhibit for free in Startup Alley. Who knows? They might even qualify to participate in that Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield.

Just participating in Startup Battlefield offers big perks — no winning required. Media exposure is almost as important as cold, hard cash at this startup stage, and we’ll record every Startup Battlefield session on video and post them all on TechCrunch.com. Marketing professionals start your engines!

Plus, every Battlefield competitor becomes part of the Startup Battlefield alumni community. This group of more than 750 companies — including Dropbox, Yammer, Mint, Getaround, Cloudflare, Vurb and many more — has collectively raised more than $8 billion and created more than 100 exits. We can’t wait to add 15 great Latin American founders to that elite cohort.

OK, let’s talk eligibility. These are the requirements founders need to meet:

  • Have an early-stage company in “launch” stage
  • Be headquartered in one of these countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, (Central America) Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama (Caribbean — including dependencies and constituent entities) Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
  • Have a fully working product/beta reasonably close to, or in, production
  • Have received limited press or publicity to date
  • Have no known intellectual property conflicts
  • Apply by August 6, 2018, at 5 p.m. PST

Startup Battlefield Latin America takes place on November 8, 2018 at the Tomie Ohtake Institute in São Paulo, Brazil. If you think your pre-Series A startup has what it takes to win our premier startup pitch competition, don’t wait another minute. Take your shot at making your startup dreams come true — and make some TechCrunch history in the process. Apply to Startup Battlefield Latin America today.