https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/23/meet-the-five-judges-who-will-pick-the-2021-winner-of-techcrunch-disrupts-startup-battlefield/

The battle to win Startup Battlefield began long before TechCrunch Disrupt kicked off Tuesday. Startup founders from all over the world applied to what has been described as the most competitive batch in TechCrunch history. Twenty startups competed this week on the TechCrunch virtual stage for $100,000 in equity-free prize money and last night, we announced the finalists: Adventr, Cellino, Koa, Nth Cycle, and Tatum.

The stakes stretch beyond prize money, however. The winner will become known to investors and potential partners and customers, thanks to global press coverage the event enjoys. It’s a hefty award and one that requires a panel of expert judges to help determine who should receive it. It’s a critical appointment — while brief — that can have a lasting impact on the founders who win, as well as help maintain TechCrunch’s reputation as an outlet that finds innovative tech and entrepreneurs behind it.