The stakes couldn't be higher. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Startup Battlefield 200 finalists will take the stage one last time to compete for $100,000 in equity-free prizes. Their fate will be decided by a select group of the industry's most respected and influential investors – the final round of judges. These are the leaders at the top of venture capital and ultimately decide who takes home the title of Startup Battlefield Champion.
Don't miss out on watching one of the year's most competitive and anticipated startup pitch competitions live on Disrupt Stage. Register now to save up to $444 on passes and receive 60% off your guest's second pass. Prices will increase when we open on October 27th.
Meet the judges who will decide the fate of the Startup Battlefield 200 finalists
Check out the Disrupt agenda and meet the other 20 Startup Battlefield judges.
Kirsten Green, Founding Partner, Forerunner
Kirsten Green is the Founder and Managing Partner of Forerunner, a consumer-driven capital that partners with ambitious founders and companies redefining industries.
Combining an unconventional and powerful blend of professional experience and acquired investment expertise, Mr. Green launched San Francisco-based Forerunner in 2012 and has since led the company in raising approximately $3 billion in assets under management. Kirsten's 25+ years of valuation and investment success stems from a combination of product knowledge, consumer insights, research, and a thesis-driven approach that underlies all of her investments, from pre-revenue startups to multi-billion dollar companies. Her roles as an early investor and board member include Faire, Hims & Hers, Chime, Ritual, Daydream, Decagon, Warby Parker, Wonder, and Balance, among others.
She is also a board member of the National Venture Capital Association and has been named to both the Forbes Midas List and the Forbes World's 100 Most Powerful Women List for the past nine years.
Kevin Hartz, General Partner, A*
Kevin Hartz is co-founder and general partner of A*, an early stage venture capital firm. He co-founded the publicly traded company Eventbrite and served as CEO for its first 11 years. Prior to joining Eventbrite, Kevin co-founded the money transfer company Xoom. Xoom was acquired by PayPal in 2015 for more than $1 billion. He is a prolific technology investor, having backed companies such as PayPal, Airbnb, Pinterest, Ramp, Trulia, Anduril at the seed stage, and was an early investor in companies such as Uber, Palantir, SpaceX, Square, Gusto, Decagon, Ramp, and many others.
Eileen Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Cowboy Ventures
Aileen Lee is the founder of Cowboy Ventures, a leading seed-stage focused venture firm that invests in enterprise and consumer software such as Dollar Shave Club, Drata Security, Guild, and Ironclad Software. Prior to joining Cowboy, Eileen was a partner at Kleiner Perkins for more than 10 years, was the founding CEO of RMG Networks, an early digital media company, and held sales positions at Gap Inc.
Lee is also known for coining the business term “unicorn” and is the co-founder of All-Raise, a nonprofit focused on accelerating the success of women in the technology ecosystem. She has been named to Forbes' Midas List, Fortune's Most Powerful Women, and Time's 100 Most Influential People. She has degrees from MIT and HBS, is a mother of three, and is married to a startup founder.
Kevin Rose, True Ventures Partner and Digg Founding CEO
Kevin Rose is a partner at True Ventures and the founding CEO of the newly relaunched social platform Digg, where he currently serves as Chairman of the Board, Investor, and Principal Advisor. Rose's entrepreneurial career spans multiple startups, including the original Digg, Revision3, Zero, Oak, and PROOF. He has held leadership roles including CEO of HODINKEE and General Partner of Google Ventures, and has backed companies such as Uber, Slack, and Nextdoor. A top angel investor recognized by Bloomberg, his portfolio includes Twitter, Facebook, Solana, OpenAI, and Magic Spoon. Rose is also the host of The Kevin Rose Show and co-host of The Random Show with Tim Ferriss.
tech crunch event
San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025
His contributions to technology and media have received praise from Forbes, Time, and MIT. As an innovator with multiple social media patents, Rose remains deeply involved in emerging technologies while maintaining an avid Zen meditation practice.
This is it — Startup Battlefield 200 opens at Disrupt in 4 days
If you're thinking about attending TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, this is your last chance to grab a pass before the doors open on October 27th and prices go up. Save up to $444 on tickets and get 60% off every second to experience the World Series of Startup Pitches live at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27th to 29th. Register now.