Twenty founders have been selected to participate in the 2026 Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt. These companies will compete for a $100,000 prize and the Disrupt Cup.
The startups are developing technologies across various sectors, including space and physical AI, energy and manufacturing, health tech and life sciences, and enterprise and security. A recurring theme among the cohort is making previously invisible signals measurable and turning the physical world into data for machines.
Examples of the innovations include a company aiming to launch cargo into space using a hydrogen-powered cannon, another growing miniature human organs for drug development, and a firm using AI to prevent wildlife collisions at airports.
Semifinal sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, and Wednesday, October 14. Five companies will advance to the Startup Battlefield Finals on Thursday, October 15, where one will be crowned champion.