# Meet the judges who will crown Australia's next breakout startup TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition kicks off in Sydney. - **Source:** [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com) - **Published:** 2026-07-24 - **Topic:** [Entrepreneurship](https://brifing.si/c/entrepreneurship) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/5929b0de-037f-4a0e-b661-bb77588dd2fe ## Startup Battlefield in Sydney TechCrunch's prestigious Startup Battlefield competition is coming to Sydney this year. On August 19, eight early-stage startups will pitch their ideas to judges and investors. Winners will receive prizes and an automatic entry to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco. ## The importance of jury experience The competition's jury consists of some of the best in Australia's startup ecosystem. Jasmine Liew from Stripe, Brendan Hill from Ten13, and Jarron Aizen, founder of Hapana, will evaluate the startups. Each brings unique perspectives to understand the challenges entrepreneurs face. ## Stripe's role Event sponsor Stripe is not just providing financial support but also offering the infrastructure to help startups grow. Winning startups will receive Stripe credits and access to resources needed for global scaling. ## Past successes Startup Battlefield has a track record of successful companies like Dropbox, Cloudflare, and Trello. Alumni have raised $32 billion collectively and achieved over 250 exits. The previous Sydney winner, HealthMatch, is now valued at $25 million. ## Prizes and opportunities The grand prize winner gets $15,000 in Stripe credits and automatic entry to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Second and third places also receive Stripe credits. All finalists gain access to judges, media attention, and investor networks. ## Significance for Australia's startup ecosystem This competition is a major opportunity for Australia's startup ecosystem. It provides a platform for new ideas to be discovered, connect with investors, and reach the global stage. All eyes are on Sydney on August 19 to see which startup will shine next. ## Sources covering this story - https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/23/meet-the-judges-who-will-crown-australias-next-breakout-startup/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._