TechCrunch Startup Battlefield is coming to Australia — and we’re partnering with Stripe to seek out the nation’s most fun early-stage startups. On August 19, eight Australian startups will take the stage at Stripe Tour Sydney to pitch reside in entrance of buyers, press, and the tech neighborhood. Three will win prizes. One will earn an computerized ticket to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, going down in San Francisco from October 13-15.
The key to discovering the subsequent breakout founder? The judges.
Startup Battlefield has a monitor document that speaks for itself. The competitors has launched over 1,700 firms globally, together with Dropbox, Cloudflare, Discord, and Trello. Alumni have collectively raised $32 billion and produced 250+ exits. The final time Startup Battlefield got here to Sydney, the winner was HealthMatch — now valued at over $25 million with 1,000,000 sufferers globally.
That success doesn’t occur accidentally. It comes from having the suitable folks within the room, those who can spot potential, ask the exhausting questions, and open doorways for founders. This 12 months, we’ve assembled three judges who characterize the most effective of Australia’s startup ecosystem and international fintech innovation.
Meet your judges
Jasmine Liew, Head of Startup & Investor Partnerships for APAC, Stripe
Stripe doesn’t simply sponsor Startup Battlefield — the corporate can also be deeply embedded within the startup ecosystem. Jasmine Liew brings institutional data of what it takes to scale globally and the fee infrastructure that powers trendy commerce. When a founder pitches in entrance of her, they’re pitching to somebody who understands not simply the imaginative and prescient, but additionally the mechanics of turning that imaginative and prescient right into a revenue-generating machine.
Brendan Hill, angel investor and enterprise companion, Ten13
Brendan Hill represents the investor class that really writes checks. As a enterprise companion and energetic angel investor, he’s not simply evaluating concepts — he’s additionally evaluating whether or not he’d wager his personal cash on a staff. That’s the lens that issues when founders are attempting to lift their subsequent spherical.
Jarron Aizen, founder and CEO, Hapana
Jarron Aizen is a founder himself, which suggests he is aware of what it’s like to face the place these eight pitchers will likely be standing. He’s walked the trail from concept to firm, and that perspective is invaluable. When he asks a query from the decide’s desk, it’s knowledgeable by the wins and scars of constructing within the Australian market.
What’s on the road
The grand prize winner takes dwelling $15,000 in Stripe price credit — actual cash that may gasoline progress — plus computerized entry into Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. That’s not only a prize. That’s a launchpad. Second place takes $5,000 in Stripe credit. Third place takes $2,000 in Stripe credit. However extra importantly, all finalists get within the room with these judges, get press consideration, and get entry to the Stripe Tour Sydney viewers of founders, operators, and buyers.
The actual spectacle occurs on August 19
Should you’re an investor, a founder who’s not able to pitch, or simply somebody who needs to see the way forward for Australian startups unfold, Stripe Tour Sydney on August 19 is the occasion. Register to attend.
The stage is ready. The judges are prepared. The query is: Which startup will likely be subsequent?
Hosted and MC’d by Isabelle Johannessen, director of Startup Battlefield.
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