Five New VC Judges Join Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
With TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 just weeks away, the excitement is building for the Startup Battlefield 200, the global pitch competition where 20 startups will compete live on stage for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the prestigious Disrupt Cup. Scheduled for October 27–29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, this event promises to deliver high-stakes innovation and investment opportunities.
TechCrunch today announced the addition of five distinguished venture capital judges who will evaluate the competing startups. These judges bring deep industry expertise spanning machine learning, enterprise software, healthcare, cloud computing, and startup growth. This announcement represents the third group of judges revealed, with two more batches expected in the coming weeks.
Meet the Latest Judges
- Jon Chu, Partner, Khosla Ventures: With a background as an early engineer at Palantir and leadership roles at Docker, Opendoor, and Facebook, Chu focuses on machine learning’s impact on enterprise infrastructure and developer tools.
- Eryk Dobrushkin, Partner, Index Ventures: Dobrushkin invests across AI, infrastructure, and robotics. His prior experience includes a key role at Databricks and a consulting background at Boston Consulting Group.
- Cathy Friedman, Executive Venture Partner, GV: Friedman brings nearly 40 years of experience in finance, technology, and healthcare, advising GV’s life sciences portfolio with a focus on mental health and women’s health.
- Jen Hoskins, Head of Cloud and Partnerships for Startups, Nvidia: Leading Nvidia Inception, Hoskins supports startups globally in accelerating innovation and growth, with previous roles at Microsoft and Cisco.
- Jon McNeill, CEO and Co-Founder, DVx Ventures: McNeill has founded multiple companies and held senior leadership at Tesla and Lyft, driving significant revenue growth and operational scale. He also serves on several corporate boards.
Event Details and Registration
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will convene over 10,000 startups, investors, and industry leaders for three days of pitches, sessions, and networking. Attendees can witness Startup Battlefield 200 live and gain insights into scaling startups and securing investment. This year marks TechCrunch’s 20th anniversary, underscoring the event’s legacy in fostering innovation.
Early registration is open with significant discounts available until September 26. After this date, ticket prices will increase.
FinOracleAI — Market View
The announcement of high-profile venture capital judges enhances the credibility and visibility of Startup Battlefield 200, likely attracting increased investor attention and startup participation. The judges’ diverse expertise across AI, healthcare, and cloud sectors aligns with current market trends favoring technology-driven innovation.
Risks include potential competition from other startup events and market volatility affecting investor sentiment. Close attention should be paid to the startups selected and the outcomes of the pitches, which may indicate emerging investment themes.
Impact: positive
