TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Reveals Five More Startup Battlefield Judges

Startup Battlefield 200 is about more than delivering an impressive pitch. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, founders will need to demonstrate that they are building companies capable of solving meaningful problems and creating sustainable businesses.

A major part of that evaluation will come from the venture capital investors serving as Startup Battlefield judges. Their experience gives them a close look at how early-stage companies approach markets, build products, execute their strategies, and define opportunities for growth.

TechCrunch has now announced the next five venture capital investors who will judge Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco.

For more than 15 years, Startup Battlefield has provided an opportunity for emerging companies to present their businesses to investors, founders, and technology leaders. The 2026 competition will once again bring together startups from different industries and give them a platform to showcase their products and business models.

Five New VC Judges Join Startup Battlefield 200

The newly announced judges bring experience across fintech, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, healthcare, developer tools, consumer technology, and other technology sectors.

Aditi Maliwal — Upfront Ventures

Aditi Maliwal is a general partner at Upfront Ventures. She invests primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages, with interests spanning fintech, enterprise SaaS, AI applications, and developer tools.

Her portfolio includes companies such as Clair, Writer, Arcade, and General Translation. Before joining Upfront, Maliwal worked at Google and Deutsche Bank and previously led the Series A investment in Chime while working at another venture firm.

She is also Upfront Ventures’ first partner based in San Francisco.

Michael Palank — MaC Ventures

Michael Palank serves as a general partner at MaC Ventures, a majority Black-owned venture capital firm investing in seed-stage consumer and enterprise startups.

His investment interests include AI, fintech, healthcare, media, entertainment, and aerospace and defense. The firm describes its approach as being influenced by cultural perspectives when identifying investment opportunities.

Before moving into venture capital, Palank worked in Hollywood talent representation at William Morris and Overbrook Entertainment, the production company associated with Will Smith.

Nell Daly — Revenge Capital

Nell Daly is co-founder and managing partner of Revenge Capital, an evergreen, sector-agnostic investment fund.

The firm focuses on founders who have historically received less venture funding, including women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodiverse entrepreneurs across the United States and United Kingdom.

Daly previously worked as a psychotherapist before entering venture capital. She brings that experience into her founder-focused approach to working with entrepreneurs.

Grace Ge — Amplify Partners

Grace Ge is a partner at Amplify Partners, where she focuses on investments across AI, developer tools, data infrastructure, and modern SaaS.

Her investment focus includes technology connecting foundation models with enterprise applications. Her portfolio includes Pinecone, Eppo, Vivun, Orb, and Avoca.

Amplify Partners’ broader portfolio includes technology companies such as Datadog, Fastly, Temporal, dbt, and Modal. Ge has also been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Venture Capital.

Crystal Huang — GV

Crystal Huang is a general partner at GV, where she invests in enterprise SaaS, AI infrastructure, and fintech.

Her investment approach includes a focus on product-led and developer-led go-to-market strategies. Companies in her portfolio include Typeface, Pecan AI, Sardine, Cacheflow, PostHog, Roboflow, and Sift.

Before joining GV, Huang worked as an investor at NEA and GGV Capital. She also previously worked in technology mergers and acquisitions at Blackstone.

Startup Battlefield 200 Returns to Disrupt 2026

The addition of these five investors expands the group of venture capital professionals participating in Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt 2026.

For founders, the competition provides an opportunity to present their companies to experienced investors while gaining exposure to a broader technology audience. The judging process is expected to focus on areas such as the strength of the business, market opportunity, execution, product, and the company’s potential for long-term growth.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place from October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. The event is expected to bring together more than 10,000 founders, investors, technology leaders, and other members of the startup ecosystem.

Startup founders and technology professionals attending the event will also have opportunities to connect with investors, discover emerging startups, and follow discussions about the future of the technology industry.

TechCrunch is offering savings of up to $200 on Disrupt 2026 tickets before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with additional savings available for group registrations.

Also read : TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Exhibit Deadline Is Just 5 Days Away