TechCrunch Unveils New Judging Panel for Startup Battlefield 200

The upcoming event at San Francisco’s Moscone West, scheduled for October 13–15, will feature a select group of founders pitching to some of the most influential minds in venture capital. The newly announced judges include Caleb Appleton of Bison Ventures, who specializes in physical AI and robotics; Sara Deshpande of Maven Ventures, known for her focus on seed-stage consumer software; and Aatish Nayak of Kleiner Perkins, who brings extensive experience from his time at Harvey and Scale AI. Rounding out the group are Jason Risch of Greylock, an expert in enterprise security and data platforms, and Mark Xu of Index Ventures, who targets cybersecurity and AI infrastructure.

These investors join a broader panel tasked with vetting the 200 startups selected for the showcase. Attendees at Disrupt will have the opportunity to witness these pitches live as companies compete for the top prize. With over 10,000 tech leaders expected to attend, the event remains a central venue for early-stage companies to gain exposure to the broader investment community. Registration for the conference is currently open, with tiered discounts available for group attendance.