After an intense two days of live demonstrations and pitches, TechCrunch has revealed the five finalists for the Startup Battlefield at the 2025 Disrupt conference. Selected from an impressive pool of thousands of applicants, the finalists emerged from an initial group of 200 companies, with the Top 20 showcasing their innovations on the Disrupt Stage.
The finalists will return to the stage on **October 29, 2025**, at **11:30 a.m. PT**, vying for a grand prize of **$100,000** in equity-free funding and temporary possession of the coveted Startup Battlefield Cup. Attendees can watch the finals live at the conference or via the livestream on the TechCrunch website.
Finalists Showcase Innovative Solutions
The five finalists represent a diverse range of industries, each presenting unique solutions to significant challenges.
Charter Space aims to revolutionize the aerospace sector by functioning as a fintech company for space. Its software captures manufacturing and test data directly from the source, feeding into an underwriting interface linked to major insurance carriers. The goal is to enhance risk evaluation for spacecraft insurance, ultimately facilitating new forms of credit and funding for space ventures.
Glīd, pronounced “Glide,” is transforming the logistics of shipping containers. The company has developed both hardware and software solutions designed to expedite the transfer of containers from ships to freight trains. Its flagship product, the GliderM, is a hybrid-electric vehicle capable of moving 20-foot containers directly to railheads without the need for additional equipment, thus reducing costs and time.
Innovations in Sustainability and Healthcare
MacroCycle is tackling the pressing issue of plastic waste by making recycled plastic as affordable as virgin material. The startup’s innovative process extracts desirable synthetic fibers from waste textiles, looping polymer chains back on themselves to create macrocycles. This method stands out by avoiding the breakdown of polymers, allowing for a more efficient recycling process.
In the healthcare sector, Nephrogen is leveraging artificial intelligence to develop a specialized delivery system for gene-editing medicines targeted specifically at kidney cells. Founder Demetri Maxim reports that after three years of development, Nephrogen’s delivery mechanism is now 100 times more efficient than existing FDA-approved methods. Maxim, who lives with polycystic kidney disease, plans to participate in the upcoming clinical study to aid in its success.
Finally, Unlisted Homes offers a fresh approach to real estate by creating profiles for homes not yet on the market. Utilizing public records of **21 million homes**, the platform provides detailed information akin to traditional real estate listings. Rather than facilitating transactions, Unlisted Homes plans to monetize by selling sponsorships to real estate agents, positioning them as local experts within specific ZIP codes.
The Startup Battlefield finalists are set to make a significant impact, showcasing cutting-edge innovations and solutions across diverse industries. As the competition unfolds, all eyes will be on the Disrupt Stage to see who will take home the grand prize and recognition in the startup ecosystem.
