There’s nothing bigger than this moment. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the Startup Battlefield 200 finalists will make their final presentations, all vying for the $100,000 prize with no equity taken. Their fate will be determined by a handpicked panel of the industry’s most prominent and influential investors — our final round judges. These top-tier venture capital leaders will ultimately decide who will be crowned the Startup Battlefield champion.
Be sure to catch every second of one of the year’s most high-stakes and eagerly awaited startup pitch showdowns, happening live on the Disrupt Stage. Register today to save as much as $444 on your ticket — plus, enjoy a 60% discount on a second pass for a guest. Ticket prices increase once doors open on October 27.
Introducing the judges who will determine the outcome for Startup Battlefield 200 finalists
Explore the Disrupt agenda to discover the other 20 Startup Battlefield judges.
Kirsten Green, Founding Partner, Forerunner
Kirsten Green is the founder and managing partner at Forerunner, a consumer-focused investment firm that collaborates with visionary founders and companies transforming industries.
With a unique mix of professional experience and deep investment knowledge, Green established Forerunner in San Francisco in 2012. Since then, she has guided the firm in raising close to $3 billion in assets under management. Over 25 years of evaluating and investing, Kirsten’s achievements are rooted in her product expertise, consumer understanding, research, and a thesis-driven strategy that has shaped all her investments — from early-stage startups to billion-dollar enterprises. She was an early investor and board member at companies like Faire, Hims & Hers, Chime, Ritual, Daydream, Decagon, Warby Parker, Wonder, and Balance, among others.
She also serves on the Board of the National Venture Capital Association and has appeared on both the Forbes Midas List and Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women List for the past nine years.
Kevin Hartz, General Partner, A*
Kevin Hartz is a co-founder and general partner at A*, an early-stage venture capital firm. He co-founded Eventbrite, which is now publicly traded, and led the company as CEO for its first 11 years. Before Eventbrite, Kevin co-founded Xoom, a money transfer company that PayPal acquired in 2015 for over $1 billion. He is a prolific tech investor, having supported companies like PayPal, Airbnb, Pinterest, Ramp, Trulia, Anduril at the seed stage, and was among the first investors in Uber, Palantir, SpaceX, Square, Gusto, Decagon, Ramp, and many more.
Image Credits:TechCrunchAileen Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Cowboy Ventures
Aileen Lee is the founder of Cowboy Ventures, a top seed-stage venture firm investing in both enterprise and consumer software, backing companies such as Dollar Shave Club, Drata Security, Guild, and Ironclad Software. Before launching Cowboy, Aileen spent over ten years as a partner at Kleiner Perkins, was the founding CEO of early digital media company RMG Networks, and held operational roles at Gap Inc.
Lee is also credited with coining the term “unicorn” in business and co-founded All-Raise, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating women’s success in tech. She has been recognized on the Forbes Midas List, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. She holds degrees from MIT and Harvard Business School, is a mother of three, and is married to a startup founder.
Kevin Rose, Partner, True Ventures and Founding CEO, Digg
Kevin Rose is a partner at True Ventures and the founding CEO of the newly relaunched social platform Digg, where he now acts as Board Chair, investor, and key advisor. Rose’s entrepreneurial journey includes launching several startups, such as the original Digg, Revision3, Zero, Oak, and PROOF. He has held executive positions like CEO of HODINKEE and General Partner at Google Ventures, where he invested in companies like Uber, Slack, and Nextdoor. Recognized by Bloomberg as a leading angel investor, his portfolio features Twitter, Facebook, Solana, OpenAI, and Magic Spoon. Rose also hosts The Kevin Rose Show and co-hosts The Random Show with Tim Ferriss.
His impact on technology and media has been recognized by Forbes, Time, and MIT. As an innovator with several social media patents, Rose continues to be active in emerging technologies while also practicing Zen meditation.
Image Credits:Steve Jennings for TechCrunch / Getty ImagesThe countdown is on — Startup Battlefield 200 launches with Disrupt in just 4 days
If you’re still undecided about attending TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, now is your final opportunity to secure your ticket before prices increase when doors open on October 27. Save up to $444 on your admission and receive 60% off a second ticket, so you can witness the “World Series” of startup pitches live at Moscone West in San Francisco, October 27–29. Register today.
