TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Meet the Startup Battlefield Finalists

Following two days filled with live demonstrations and presentations, it is now time to reveal the five finalists of this year’s Startup Battlefield.

These finalists were carefully chosen from a vast pool of applicants, with TechCrunch’s editorial team narrowing it down to the top 200 companies that participated in Disrupt, with the top 20 competing on the Disrupt Stage.

After receiving feedback from our expert judges, the finalists have been selected. They will have one more opportunity to showcase their ideas on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. PT, competing for the grand prize of $100,000 in equity-free funding and the prestigious Startup Battlefield Cup. The finals can be viewed via livestream on the TechCrunch website or in person at the Disrupt Stage.

Without further delay, here are the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield finalists for the year 2025:

Charter Space

Charter Space has developed a developer tool for aerospace engineers, with a focus on becoming a fintech company for the space sector. The software captures manufacturing and testing data directly from the source, which is then used in an underwriting interface connected to major insurance carriers. The aim is to provide quicker, more cost-effective, and reliable risk assessment for spacecraft insurance, as well as enabling new forms of financing for space companies beyond traditional venture capital and public markets.

Glīd

Glīd, pronounced as “Glide,” aims to simplify the intricate process of moving shipping containers from ships to freight trains. The company has developed hardware and software solutions to expedite and reduce the expenses associated with transporting containers to the railhead and their final destination. Their initial product, GliderM, is a hybrid-electric vehicle equipped with a hook that can lift and transport 20-foot containers directly to the rail without the need for forklifts or hostler trucks.

MacroCycle

MacroCycle has introduced an innovative method to make recycled plastic as affordable as virgin material. By extracting desirable synthetic fibers from waste textiles, leaving unwanted components behind, MacroCycle’s process differs from traditional chemical recycling methods. Instead of breaking down polymers, the process loops polymer chains into macrocycles, which remain after contaminants are removed, offering a sustainable solution for plastic recycling.

Nephrogen

Nephrogen is a biotech startup utilizing AI and advanced screening techniques to develop a specialized delivery system for effectively delivering gene-editing medications to specific kidney cells. Founder Demetri Maxim has successfully created a delivery mechanism that is 100 times more efficient at delivering medicine to the kidney compared to FDA-approved vehicles. Maxim, who lives with polycystic kidney disease, plans to partake in the clinical study himself, underscoring his commitment to the project.

Unlisted Homes

Unlisted Homes functions as a platform similar to Zillow but focuses on properties not yet listed on the market. By leveraging public records of 21 million homes, Unlisted Homes provides detailed profiles for each property, offering information typically found on real estate listings sites. The company does not facilitate real estate transactions but instead offers sponsorships to real estate agents for individual ZIP codes, positioning them as local experts for every home in that area.