The next wave of Startup Battlefield 200 VC judges revealed at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch

Startup Battlefield 200 in TechCrunch disabled 2025 We’re almost there, and the pressure has never been greater. with $100,000 At stake, the top 20 early-stage startups know they have to give their absolute best Deactivation stage October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. At the same time, our venture capital judges will bring sharp questions, deep experience, and a keen eye to distinguish between the promising and the truly exceptional.

Founders They can gain invaluable insights into what makes a winning pitch and a sustainable startup from experienced venture capitalists. Investors They can discover pitch-ready and impactful startups to add to their pipeline. Everyone else can witness the intense startup showdown, where the top 20 startups vetted by TechCrunch compete for the free prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup.

Register now To watch and save up to $ 444 on your card, bring your team or friends and Save up to 30% with bundle passes. Don’t miss this exciting “World Championship” of live stadium competitions.

Meet the next batch of Battlefield 200 referees

Today, we are excited to introduce the fourth batch of judges joining the competition. Only one revelation remains. Stay tuned Disrupt the agenda To find out who the final five judges will be.

Alison Baum Gates, General Partner, SemperVirens Venture Capital

Alison Baum Gates He is a general partner in SemperVirensa venture fund that invests in healthcare, fintech, and enterprise SaaS. To date, it has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from limited partners in the US, Europe and Asia, deployed capital into more than 70 companies, including nine unicorns and 24 exits, and holds 10 board positions.

Gates has been featured in major publications such as the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and TechCrunch, and has taught hundreds of business school students. She is a lecturer in management at Stanford GSB and the author of Breaking into Venture (McGraw-Hill, 2023), a comprehensive guide to navigating the venture capital industry. Her second book, “Beyond the Pitch: The Psychology of Raising Venture Capital Funding,” is scheduled to be published next year. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics with honors from Harvard University and is fluent in three languages.

Caitlin Holloway, co-founder of SevenSevenSix

Caitlin Holloway He is a founding partner at early-stage venture capital firm Alexis Ohanian, Seven seven six. As a seasoned investor with over 20 years of operating experience at companies such as Pixar and Reddit, Holloway supports transformative startups in diverse sectors. It invests in solutions that expand human potential and resilience, advance health, explore new frontiers, advance sustainability, enhance creativity, and enrich the human experience.

At SevenSevenSix, Holloway combines her operational experience with a deep commitment to supporting founders as they navigate early-stage challenges and scale their vision. It is dedicated to reshaping venture capital by empowering generational entrepreneurs to take on humanity’s greatest challenges while achieving exceptional returns.

Melonie Madan Pressler, Partner, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP)

Melonie Madan Pressler Passionate about partnering with companies that innovate with purpose – companies that solve real problems rather than innovate for the sake of innovation. As a general partner in Institutional Project Partners (IVP)It focuses on supporting founders who build products and solutions that people really need, not just want. It looks for companies that are bridging gaps in fragmented ecosystems, automating outdated processes, and delivering data-driven platforms capable of transforming industries. Madan is driven by the belief that these companies – and their impact – will outlast any single investment, and it is this pursuit of lasting change that fuels their commitment and intent in every partnership.

Sarah Itelson, Partner at Accel

Sarah Itelson She joined Accel in 2022 and focuses on consumer, enterprise, and early-stage AI companies. before I’m acceleratingShe was head of strategic partnerships at Faire and previously worked in global business development at Uber. Etelson is from Chico, California, and graduated from Northwestern University and Stanford.

Rinki Sethi, Co-Founder, Lockstep

Rinki Sethi He is the chief security officer at Security upwind And founding partner in Lockstep. She previously served as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Twitter, BILL, and Rubrik and has held senior security leadership roles at Palo Alto Networks, IBM, eBay, and Intuit. Sethi brings deep experience to both the private sector and corporate boards, shaping security strategy at the highest levels.

It’s time to save your Disrupt Card

Don’t miss this year’s Startup Pitch Contest, live. With its electric energy, high stakes, and intense questions, Startup Battlefield 200 has long served as a launching pad for early-stage startups. Brands like Discord, Trello, and Mint got a big break on the Disrupt Stage. Register here To join before ticket prices rise.