The Startup Battlefield 2025 judging panel is getting even stronger. Our first wave of VCs introduced severe firepower, and now we’re including extra prime buyers who will grill founders, unpack the massive questions, and assist crown this yr’s $100,000 champion at TechCrunch Disrupt, going down October 27–29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West.

Just like the legendary buyers who’ve judged in years previous, this subsequent group brings the perception, expertise, and instincts that may change a founder’s trajectory in only one Q&A.

Right here’s the subsequent set of buyers able to carry their sharpest inquiries to the Disrupt Stage. Secure your ticket now to save $650+ and to witness the pitch-off stay.

Meet the subsequent wave of our Startup Battlefield 200 judges

Introducing the second batch of 5 VCs who will assist crown this yr’s Startup Battlefield champion, with extra buyers on the best way. Verify the Disrupt speaker page to get to know our judges.

Thomas Krane, Managing Director, Perception Companions

Thomas Krane is a managing director at Insight Partners and has been with the agency since 2012, when he joined as an analyst. As an investor, his focus areas embody cybersecurity, DevOps, IT automation, and utility software program. 5 of his investments have gone on to comprehend an IPO (Tenable, JFrog, Darktrace, 1stdibs, SentinelOne), and extra have seen profitable strategic exits, together with Recorded Future, Adaptive Defend, Thycotic, Nearpod, Cylance, and QASymphony. Thomas studied astrophysics on the College of Pennsylvania, the place he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and earned his grasp’s diploma in 4 years.

Charles Hudson, Managing Associate, Precursor Ventures

Charles Hudson is the managing accomplice and founding father of Precursor Ventures, an early­-stage enterprise capital agency targeted on investing within the first institutional spherical of funding for essentially the most promising software program and {hardware} corporations. He invests in folks over product on the earliest stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Beneath his management, Precursor has raised 4 funds and has $250+ million beneath administration. He has invested in over 400+ corporations and has supported 450+ founders, together with the groups behind Bobbie Child, Carrot, Unimaginable Well being, Juniper Sq., Trendy Well being, Pair Eyewear, Rad AI, and The Athletic (bought to the New York Occasions for $525 million in 2022).

Nicolas Sauvage, President, TDK Ventures

Nicolas Sauvage is president of TDK Ventures, the company enterprise capital arm of TDK Company, the place he leads the agency’s $350 million mandate to spend money on early-stage startups driving digital and power innovation. Since its founding in 2019, TDK Ventures has backed 45 startups beneath its management, together with three unicorns — Ascend Components, Groq, and Silicon Field.

Acknowledged globally, Sauvage has appeared on the GCV Powerlist for six consecutive years, most just lately rating No. 17 among the many prime 150 heads of company enterprise. He’s additionally one in every of solely two company VCs inducted into the distinguished Kauffman Fellows program.

Katie Stanton, Founder and Normal Associate, Moxxie Ventures

Katie Stanton is the founder and normal accomplice of Moxxie Ventures, an early-stage enterprise fund. Previous to Moxxie, Stanton served in quite a few govt working roles at Twitter, Google, Yahoo, and Colour. Along with working in Silicon Valley, Stanton served within the Obama White Home and State Division and commenced her profession as a banker at J.P. Morgan Chase. Stanton sits on the Board of Vivendi, a French multinational media firm headquartered in Paris, and beforehand served on the board of Time Inc. She began her enterprise profession as a founding accomplice of #Angels and has invested in over 100 early-stage corporations, together with Airtable, Calm, Cameo, Carta, Coinbase, Literati, Trendy Fertility, and Form Safety.

Santi Subotovsky, Normal Associate, Emergence

Santi Subotovsky is a normal accomplice at Emergence Capital, the place he has been a driving power behind among the agency’s most profitable investments since becoming a member of in 2010, together with Refrain and Openpath. He led Emergence’s funding in Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) when it was a little-known startup and stays on its board as the corporate stands as a $24 billion market cap large. He additionally serves on the boards of main corporations like Crunchbase, Logik.io, Zipline, Tundra, and Class, and works intently with startup studio and accelerator Excessive Alpha and Quasar Ventures, which helps Latin American entrepreneurs carry disruptive concepts to life.

Disrupt: The place tech innovation launches — and lasts

The final word world pitch-off awaits. This October 27-29, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 brings collectively 10,000+ startups and VC leaders, turning San Francisco’s Moscone West into the tech epicenter. The startup area might have modified, however Disrupt stays the place founders launch tomorrow’s innovation. Be a part of the classes, make the offers, and witness Startup Battlefield stay. Secure your ticket now before prices rise.