TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield 200 competition closes its application window on May 27. The prize: $100,000 in equity-free funding for one winner, plus editorial coverage from TechCrunch and direct exposure to the venture capital investors who attend TechCrunch Disrupt.
Battlefield 200 is one of the more established startup competitions on the US conference circuit. Finalists pitch live in front of a panel of judges, with one winner selected at the close of the event. The equity-free structure - no ownership stake taken in exchange for the prize money - is less standard than it sounds. Most accelerators and competition formats take 5-10% equity as part of the deal. Battlefield doesn't.
The competition is open to early-stage startups across categories. AI-focused companies have featured prominently in recent years given where the broader market has shifted. Applications are open now on TechCrunch's website. The May 27 deadline is firm, with no extension currently signaled.
For founders already pitching investors or planning to, the Disrupt stage puts you in front of VCs who are specifically there to evaluate startups - a different dynamic than cold outreach or demo days where investor attention is more diffuse. The $100K matters less for most participants than the follow-on introductions the event tends to generate.