Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 16
TechCrunch Adds 5 VC Judges for Disrupt 2026 Startup Battlefield 200
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 16

TechCrunch Adds 5 VC Judges for Disrupt 2026 Startup Battlefield 200

3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 16

Summary

  • Five new venture capitalists will judge Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, expanding the investor panel for the startup competition running October 13-15 in San Francisco.
  • The new judges are Aditi Maliwal of Upfront Ventures, Michael Palank of MaC Ventures, Nell Daly of Revenge Capital, Grace Ge of Amplify Partners, and Crystal Huang of GV.
  • Their remit is to evaluate startups across industries on business durability, execution, clarity, and category-leading potential rather than polished pitches or demos alone.
  • TechCrunch said Disrupt 2026 will bring together more than 10,000 tech leaders, founders, and investors at Moscone West, with ticket discounts of up to $200 available until September 25.

Insights

With a $100,000 prize on the line, what hidden criteria will these five new VC judges use to crown the next tech unicorn?
Can TechCrunch's live stage truly look past polished pitches to find the next Dropbox, or does the format secretly favor charismatic founders?