If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a new and awesome opportunity available for early-stage startup founders at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco on October 18-20. It’s called the Startup Battlefield 200, and it’s packed with perks and possibilities.
Here’s the thing — it’s a time-sensitive application process, and you only have until July 31 to be considered. TechCrunch will vet every application and then hand-pick a cohort of the top 200 startups.
We began accepting applications in April, and the competition is already fierce. But don’t let that stop you. Here are six very good reasons why you should apply to the Startup Battlefield 200 (SBF 200).
1. Full, free access to Disrupt: SBF 200 founders attend Disrupt for free and receive VIP access to all the presentations, breakouts and roundtables at the show.
2. Free exhibition space for all three days of the show: The SBF 200 will be the only early-stage startups allowed to exhibit at Disrupt. Pay-to-play is gone, and no one can buy their way on to the exhibition floor.
3. Investor interest and media exposure: The TechCrunch seal of approval is not easy to earn, and it carries weight in the startup world. You can bet investors hunting for future unicorns and journos looking for the next big story will gravitate to the SBF 200.
4. Workshops and pitch training: SBF 200 founders will be invited to exclusive workshops and receive special pitch training from TechCrunch staff. Oh, and a few other surprise perks to be named later.
5. Flash-pitch in front of investors and TechCrunch editors: That special training will come in handy when it comes time to make your pitch count. You’ll receive invaluable feedback, and who knows? You might even catch an investor’s interest.
6. A shot at competing for $100,000 in Startup Battlefield: We saved the best for last. TechCrunch editors will select 20 startups from the SBF 200 to be Startup Battlefield Finalists. Founders from those 20 companies will receive private pitch coaching, be featured on TechCrunch and pitch on the main stage in front of the entire Disrupt audience. The ultimate winner takes home the $100,000 equity-free prize and all the glory.
Think you have what it takes to join the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200? To be eligible for consideration, your company should:
- Be an early-stage startup
- Have a minimally viable product
- Represent any vertical
- Represent any geography
- Have step-function innovation in your vertical
- Be bootstrapped or have pre-scale funding (variable by industry)
We’re accepting applications on a rolling basis, so submit your application here ASAP. The deadline is July 31, and we started sending out acceptance notices on July 1.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 takes place in San Francisco on October 18-20 with an online day on October 21. You just read six compelling reasons listing all the perks and possibilities this opportunity offers. Take your best shot, beat the July 31 deadline, and apply to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.
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