VC Judges Set for TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Competition

A distinguished panel of venture capital leaders, each with a proven track record of founding and scaling investment firms, will preside over the Startup Battlefield competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. These five investors bring a wealth of experience, having personally navigated the entrepreneurial journey and subsequently backed numerous successful ventures. Their collective expertise spans decades of identifying disruptive technologies, guiding high-growth companies, and making pivotal investment decisions that have shaped the technology sector.

The selected judges are: Stacy Brown-Philpot, Founder and Managing Partner at Cherryrock Capital; Chi-Hua Chien, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital; Dayna Grayson, Co-Founder and General Partner at Construct Capital; Carter Reum, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at M13; and Alexa Von Tobel, Founder and Managing Partner at Inspired Capital. Each brings a unique investment thesis and a portfolio rich with industry-defining companies.

Stacy Brown-Philpot, formerly CEO of TaskRabbit before its acquisition by IKEA, now directs Cherryrock Capital, focusing on Series A and B software companies founded by Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. Her notable investments include the AI platform Coactive AI and healthcare provider Vitable Health. Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital, a firm dedicated to consumer and prosumer technology, has backed over 17 unicorns, including early investments in giants like Facebook and Spotify, and more recently, TikTok/Musical.ly and Monzo.

Dayna Grayson, a former partner at NEA, co-founded Construct Capital to invest in technology critical to foundational American industries such as manufacturing and logistics. Her portfolio features companies like Veho and Hadrian. Carter Reum, through M13, manages $1.9 billion and targets seed to Series B investments in future-of-work, commerce, health, and money technologies, with past successes including Lyft and Pinterest. Alexa Von Tobel, founder of Inspired Capital and the successful financial planning platform LearnVest (acquired by Northwestern Mutual), also brings significant operational and investment acumen, having backed companies like MosaicML (acquired by Databricks) and Chief.

These judges will not only determine the ultimate winner of the Startup Battlefield competition, which features 200 promising startups, with only 20 advancing to pitch on the main Disrupt Stage from October 13-15. They will also participate in a live Ask-Me-Anything session on the Builders Stage later in the event. This provides attendees an invaluable opportunity to gain direct insights into the criteria VCs use to evaluate startups, strategies for fundraising, and perspectives on future investment trends within the dynamic technology ecosystem.

The selection of these judges underscores the caliber of talent and innovation expected at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. With over 10,000 tech leaders, founders, and investors anticipated, the event serves as a critical platform for networking, deal-making, and discovering the next wave of technological advancements. The Startup Battlefield remains a cornerstone of the conference, offering startups a high-profile stage to showcase their potential to a discerning audience of industry veterans.