Unveiling the Next Wave of 200 VC Startup Battleground Judges at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch

Startup Battlefield 200 has TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is almost here, and the pressure has never been higher. With $100,000 On the line, the Top 20 early-stage startups know they must deliver their best Disruption stage Since October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Meanwhile, our venture judges will bring strong questions, deep experience and a discerning eye to distinguish promise from truly exceptional.

Founders can gain invaluable insights into what makes a winning pitch and sustainable startup from these seasoned VCSs. Investors can discover practiced and impactful startups to add to their pipeline. Everyone can watch the intense startup showdown, where the top 20 startups Vetted TechCrunch for the no-equity prize and the coveted Disruption Cup.

Register now to watch and save up to $444 on your pass, or bring your team or friends and Save up to 30% with bundle passes. Don’t miss these “World Series” nail-biting live pitching competitions.

Meet the next batch of Battlefield 200 judges

Today we are excited to introduce the Fourth wave of judges join the competition. All that remains is one revelation. Stay tuned to Disruption Agenda to see who the final five judges will be.

Allison Baum Gates, General Partner, Sempervirens Venture Capital

Allison Baum Gates is a general partner at Sempervirens, a venture capital fund investing in healthcare, fintech and SaaS companies. To date, she has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from LPs in the United States, Europe and Asia, and has deployed capital in more than 70 companies, including nine unicorns, 24 exits and holds 10 advisory positions.

Gates has been featured in major publications such as the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes and TechCrunch, and has taught hundreds of business school students. She is a lecturer in management at Stanford GSB and author of Walk around the company (McGraw-Hill, 2023), a comprehensive guide to navigating the venture capital industry. His second book, Beyond Height: The Psychology of Venture Fundraisingwill be released next year. She holds a BA in Economics with honors from Harvard University and is proficient in three languages.

Katelin Holloway, founding partner, 776

Katelin Holloway is a founding partner of Alexis Ohanian’s early-stage venture capital firm, 776. A seasoned investor with over 20 years of operational experience at companies like Pixar and Reddit, Holloway backs transformative startups across various industries. It invests in solutions that expand human potential and resilience, advancing health, exploring new frontiers, driving sustainability, fostering creativity and enriching the human experience.

At 776, Holloway combines operational expertise with a deep commitment to supporting founders as they navigate rapid-stage challenges and evolve their visions. She is dedicated to reshaping venture capital by enabling generational entrepreneurs to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges while delivering exceptional returns.

Miloni Madan Presler, Partner, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP)

Miloni Madan is passionate about partnering with companies that innovate with purpose – companies that solve real problems rather than innovate for innovation’s sake. As a General Partner at Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), she focuses on supporting founders who are building products and solutions that people really need, not just that. It seeks companies that fill gaps in fragmented ecosystems, automate outdated processes, and provide data-driven platforms capable of transforming industries. Madan is driven by the belief that these companies – and their impact – will last far beyond any single investment, and it is this pursuit of lasting change that fuels his commitment and intentionality in each partnership.

Sara Ittelson, Partner, Accel

Sara Ittelson joined Accel in 2022 and focuses on early-stage consumer, enterprise and AI companies. Prior to Accel, she was head of strategic partnerships at Faire and previously worked in global business development at Uber. Ittelson is a native of Chico, California, and graduated from Northwestern University and Stanford.

Rinki Sethi, Founding Partner, Lockstep

Rinki Sethi is Director of Security at Upwind Security and Founder partner of Lockstep. Previously, she was vice president and chief information security officer at Twitter, Bill and Rubrik and held security leadership roles at Palo Alto Networks, IBM, eBay and Intuit. Sethi brings deep expertise to private sector boards and businesses, shaping security strategy at the highest level.

Now is the time to save on your disruption pass

Don’t miss the Startup of the Year competition, live. With the electrifying energy, high stakes and sharp questions, Startup Battlefield 200 has long been the launch pad for early-stage startups. Brands like Discord, Trello, and Mint got their big break in the disrupted scene. Register here to join before ticket prices increase.