Over the course of three days this week, 20 startups took part in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. These companies were chosen from the Startup Battlefield 200 to showcase the most promising talent, all vying for the Startup Battlefield Cup and a $100,000 prize. After a series of intense presentations, we have our champion.
Each of these startups was carefully selected to join the Startup Battlefield, where they delivered live demonstrations before a panel of venture capitalists and technology industry leaders who served as judges.
Following extensive discussions, TechCrunch editors reviewed the judges’ feedback and selected five startups as finalists: Charter Space, Glīd, MacroCycle, Nephrogen, and Unlisted Homes.
These five finalists advanced to the grand finale, where they showcased their products to a distinguished panel of judges, including Cowboy Ventures founder and managing partner Aileen Lee, and Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg.
We are excited to reveal the winner of the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2024:
Winner: Glīd
Glīd (pronounced “Glide”) is focused on simplifying the intricate, multi-stage process of transferring a shipping container from a vessel to a freight train. Founded by Kevin Damoa (pictured), the company has built a suite of hardware and software solutions designed to accelerate and lower the costs of moving containers from port to rail and ultimately to their final destination. Their flagship product, GliderM, is a hybrid-electric vehicle equipped with a rear hook that can lift and transport 20-foot containers straight to the rail line, eliminating the need for forklifts or hostler trucks.
You can find more details about Glīd in our dedicated article.
Runner-up: Nephrogen
Nephrogen is a biotechnology company leveraging artificial intelligence and advanced screening techniques to create a targeted delivery platform for gene-editing therapies, ensuring they reach specific kidney cells safely. Founder Demetri Maxim shares that after three years of research, Nephrogen has developed a delivery system that is 100 times more effective at transporting medicine to the kidney than currently FDA-approved methods. Maxim, who lives with polycystic kidney disease, also intends to participate in the clinical trials himself.
Discover more about Nephrogen in our separate feature.
These two startups join the ranks of Startup Battlefield icons such as Dropbox, Discord, Cloudflare, and Mint, all of whom have graced the Disrupt Stage. With over 1,500 alumni, Startup Battlefield participants have collectively secured more than $29 billion in funding and achieved over 200 successful exits.
