The competition, running October 13–15 at Moscone West, serves as a high-stakes masterclass in venture evaluation. Each founder receives six minutes to pitch, but the core of the event lies in the subsequent Q&A, where judges probe for defensibility, market scale, and execution capability. This year’s additions bring diverse expertise spanning enterprise software, AI, and industrial automation.
In section Startups & Technology
TechCrunch Unveils New Wave of Judges for Disrupt 2026 Battlefield
When founders step onto the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 this October, they will face more than just a timer. Five new venture capitalists have joined the Startup Battlefield 200 judging panel, tasked with vetting the next generation of startups competing for a $100,000 equity-free prize in San Francisco.
Vaibhav ‘Dr.V’ Agrawal of ODDBIRD VC joins the panel, bringing a background in medicine and AI-driven reindustrialization. He is joined by Anu Bharadwaj, a partner at ICONIQ and former Atlassian executive, alongside Sho Sho Leigha Ho, who focuses on early-stage investments at General Catalyst. Rounding out the group are Miloni Madan Presler of IVP, who specializes in growth-stage enterprise software, and Aidan Madigan-Curtis from Eclipse Ventures, known for her work in physical AI and supply chain manufacturing. These experts will help narrow down the field of 200 contenders, offering participants and the 10,000-strong audience a glimpse into the metrics that define modern investment success.
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