Five Startups Advance to Finals at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
After two days of intense live demos and pitches, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 has revealed the five finalists competing for the prestigious Startup Battlefield grand prize. These startups were meticulously selected from thousands of applicants, narrowed down to 200 companies invited to Disrupt, with the top 20 presenting on the main stage. Following expert judges’ evaluations, the finalists will present once more at 11:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday. The winner will receive $100,000 in equity-free funding and temporary custody of the Startup Battlefield Cup. The final event will be streamed live on the TechCrunch website and broadcast on the Disrupt Stage for attendees.
Charter Space: Fintech Innovation for Aerospace Risk Management
Charter Space develops cutting-edge developer tools tailored for aerospace engineers, with a broader mission to serve as a fintech platform for the space industry. Their software captures manufacturing and testing data directly from spacecraft production sources, feeding into an underwriting interface connected to leading insurance carriers. This approach aims to deliver faster, more cost-effective, and reliable risk assessments for spacecraft insurance. Ultimately, Charter Space envisions enabling new credit facilities and nondilutive funding options for space ventures beyond traditional venture capital and public markets.
Glīd: Revolutionizing Container Logistics with Hybrid-Electric Vehicles
Glīd (pronounced “Glide”) addresses the complex logistics of transferring shipping containers from vessels to freight trains. The company has engineered both hardware and software solutions designed to accelerate container movement and reduce associated costs. Their flagship product, GliderM, is a hybrid-electric vehicle equipped with a rear hook capable of lifting and transporting 20-foot containers directly to railheads, eliminating the need for forklifts and hostler trucks. MacroCycle has devised a breakthrough process to make recycled plastic as affordable as virgin material. Their technique selectively extracts valuable synthetic fibers from waste textiles, leaving contaminants behind without breaking down polymer chains. Unlike traditional chemical recycling, MacroCycle forces polymer chains into macrocycles—ring-shaped structures—after which impurities are washed away, enhancing recycling efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Nephrogen: AI-Driven Precision Gene-Editing Delivery for Kidney Diseases
Nephrogen is a biotech startup pioneering an AI-enabled delivery system that targets gene-editing therapies specifically to kidney cells. After three years of research, Nephrogen’s technology reportedly achieves 100 times greater delivery efficiency compared to FDA-approved carriers. Founder Demetri Maxim, himself living with polycystic kidney disease, plans to participate in clinical trials, underscoring the startup’s commitment to patient-centric innovation.
Unlisted Homes: Unlocking Real Estate Data for Off-Market Properties
Unlisted Homes offers a Zillow-like platform focusing on properties not yet listed on the market. Leveraging public records covering 21 million homes, the company generates comprehensive profiles with detailed property information. Rather than facilitating transactions, Unlisted generates revenue by selling sponsorships to real estate agents within specific ZIP codes, positioning them as local experts across all homes in their areas.
FinOracleAI — Market View
The 2025 TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield finalists showcase a diverse array of innovations spanning aerospace fintech, logistics technology, sustainable materials, biotech, and real estate data analytics. Their solutions address critical inefficiencies and emerging market needs, positioning them as promising contenders in their respective sectors.
- Opportunities: Each startup targets high-growth markets with scalable technologies, from space insurance underwriting to AI-driven medical delivery systems.
- Risks: Commercial adoption timelines, regulatory approvals (especially in biotech), and capital intensity remain key challenges.
- Cross-sector innovation highlights increasing convergence between technology, sustainability, and finance.
- Equity-free funding and visibility from Disrupt provide critical early-stage support.
Impact: These finalists exemplify the forefront of early-stage innovation, with the potential to disrupt traditional industries and attract significant investor interest as they scale.
