In November 2017, TechCrunch brought Startup Battlefield to Australia for the first time. Fifteen startups from across Australia and New Zealand took to the stage in Sydney to speak to investors and judges and compete for a spot on the world stage.
It happened one day. One stage. What happened next is exactly why we keep coming back.
Sydney, August 19, 2026
On August 19, Startup Battlefield returns to Sydney in partnership with Stripe, one of the world's most iconic technology companies. We're hosting Stripe Tour Sydney for an unforgettable night for Australia's startup ecosystem. Ten selected companies will pitch live in front of leading investors, the global press and the cream of Australia's technology community. The top three winners will receive up to $10,000 in Stripe fee credits. The winner gets something even bigger. That's automatic entry into the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October. There is no application, no competition. A guaranteed spot on the world's most iconic startup stage.
But this is not just an event with 10 companies participating. This is a moment for the entire Australian startup ecosystem – the founders, investors, managers and builders who have been quietly doing world-class work from half a world away. We want to see all the ambitious founders out there, whether it's on stage or in the audience. Because it's a night that reminds me why I started my business.
Learn more about Stripe x Startup Battlefield applicants and learn more here.
what happened the last time we were here
Don't just take our word for it. Here's what happened on a day in Sydney in 2017.
The winner became a global health tech platform
Manuri Gunawardena was in her final year of medical school when she proposed HealthMatch, a machine learning platform that matches patients with clinical trials. She won. This win led to more than $25 million in funding, expansion in the U.S., and more than 1 million patients worldwide, with support from Square Peg Capital and SEEK co-founder Paul Bassat.
Runner-up founded a global agritech company
Runner-up FluroSat used hyperspectral imaging to help farmers reduce waste. The Startup Battlefield stage gave the company its first real recognition. A Microsoft M12 seed round followed, followed by a merger to form Regrow Agriculture, which has now raised more than $60 million and is backed by Microsoft, Airtree, and Cargill.
Winners and runners-up combined for one day in Sydney raised more than $85 million. It happens when you create a stage and invite the right people to it.
Broad class of 2017
Together, 26 Australian Battlefield alumni have raised more than $147 million, resulting in three successful acquisitions. They are backed by Y Combinator, Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg, Khosla Ventures, Microsoft, Airtree, Startmate, Techstars, and SOSV. CancerAid later became Osara Health. Life Whisperer partners with fertility clinics around the world.
These were companies the rest of the world had never heard of until they stood in a room in Sydney and made their case. That's how we do it at Startup Battlefield. We discover companies before the world knows their names.
Are you ready to make history?
We're looking for your next HealthMatch. Next regro. The next company you've never heard of is building something important.
Applications are currently being accepted until July 6th.
Apply now for Stripe x Startup Battlefield Australia 2026. Application is free. No capital is acquired. In-person event in Sydney on August 19, 2026.
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