The stakes don’t get higher than this. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the Startup Battlefield 200 finalists will take the stage one last time to compete for the $100,000 equity-free prize. Deciding their fate will be a select group of the most respected and influential investors in the industry — our final round judges. These are the leaders who sit at the very top of venture capital, and they’ll make the ultimate call on who takes home the title of Startup Battlefield champion.
Don’t miss a minute of one of the most intense and anticipated startup pitch competitions of the year, live on the Disrupt Stage. Register now to save up to $444 on your pass — and get 60% off a second pass for a guest. Prices go up when doors open on October 27.
Meet the judges deciding the fate of Startup Battlefield 200 finalists
Check out the Disrupt agenda to meet the other 20 Startup Battlefield judges.
Kirsten Green, Founding Partner, Forerunner
Kirsten Green is the founder and managing partner of Forerunner, a consumer-driven venture capital firm, partnering with ambitious founders and companies redefining industries.
Combining an unconventional and powerful blend of professional experiences and acquired investment expertise, Green launched San Francisco-based Forerunner in 2012 and has since led the firm to raise nearly $3 billion in assets under management. Kirsten’s 25+ years of evaluation and investment success stem from a combination of product savvy, consumer insight, research, and a thesis-driven approach that has been the basis of all her investments — from pre-revenue startups to multibillion-dollar enterprises. Her early investor and board member roles span Faire, Hims & Hers, Chime, Ritual, Daydream, Decagon, Warby Parker, Wonder, and Balance, among others.
She is also on the board of the National Venture Capital Association and has been part of 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, a publicly traded company, and served as its CEO for the first 11 years. Prior to Eventbrite, Kevin co-founded Xoom, a money remittance company that was acquired by PayPal in 2015 for over $1 billion. He is a prolific technology investor having backed companies such as PayPal, Airbnb, Pinterest, Ramp, Trulia, and Anduril at the seed stage, and he was an early investor in Uber, Palantir, SpaceX, Square, Gusto, Decagon, Ramp, and many others.
Aileen Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Cowboy Ventures
Aileen Lee is the founder of Cowboy Ventures, a leading seed-stage-focused venture firm investing in enterprise and consumer software, including companies like Dollar Shave Club, Drata Security, Guild, and Ironclad Software. Prior to Cowboy, Aileen was a partner at Kleiner Perkins for over a decade, was the founding CEO of early digital media company RMG Networks, and worked at Gap Inc. in operating roles.
Lee is also known for coining the business term “unicorn” and is a co-founder of All Raise, a non-profit focused on accelerating success for women in the tech ecosystem. She has been included on the Forbes Midas List, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people. She has degrees from MIT and HBS, is a mom 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 rebooted social platform Digg, where he now serves as board chair, investor, and key adviser. Rose’s entrepreneurial career spans multiple startups, including the original Digg, Revision3, Zero, Oak, and PROOF. He has held leadership roles such as CEO of Hodinkee and general partner at Google Ventures, backing companies like Uber, Slack, and Nextdoor. He is a top angel investor recognized by Bloomberg, with a portfolio that includes Twitter, Facebook, Solana, OpenAI, and Magic Spoon. Rose also hosts The Kevin Rose Show and co-hosts The Random Show with Tim Ferriss.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
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October 27-29, 2025
His contributions to tech and media have earned accolades from Forbes, Time, and MIT. As an innovator with multiple social media patents, Rose remains deeply engaged in emerging tech while maintaining a dedicated Zen meditation practice.
This is it — Startup Battlefield 200 kicks off with Disrupt in 4 days
If you’ve been on the fence about attending TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, this is your last chance to grab your pass before prices rise when doors open on October 27. Save up to $444 on your ticket and get 60% off a second, so you can experience the “World Series” of startup pitches live at Moscone West in San Francisco, October 27–29. Register now.
