"Startup Battlefield 2025 Judges: VCs as Innovation Gatekeepers and Growth Architects"

The Startup Battlefield 2025 judging panel has been further strengthened with the addition of five prominent venture capitalists, intensifying the stakes for the competition set to take place October 27–29, 2025 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. These new investors bring a wealth of experience in early-stage and growth-stage technology investing, having collectively supported hundreds of startups, including several unicorns. The judges will not only evaluate the founders vying for the $100,000 grand prize but also provide rigorous insight, shaping the trajectory of the most promising startups in the ecosystem. Their inclusion underscores the growing influence of venture capital in the startup innovation landscape and the importance of mentorship and strategic feedback at this critical stage of development.

Among the newly announced judges is Crissy Behrens, a Principal at Insight Partners, who focuses on high-growth software investments in SaaS, DevOps, and infrastructure. With a background in both seed-stage and growth-stage investing at firms like Primary Venture Partners and B Capital Group, Behrens brings a well-rounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by startups at different stages. Her prior experience in go-to-market roles at several B2B startups further equips her to understand the operational and strategic hurdles entrepreneurs encounter. Her inclusion in the judging panel highlights the increasing emphasis on market viability and execution, alongside technological innovation, in the startup evaluation process.

Charles Hudson, Managing Partner of Precursor Ventures, also joins the panel, adding a strong early-stage focus to the competition. As the founder of Precursor Ventures, Hudson has led investments in over 400 companies and supported more than 450 founders, including high-profile exits such as The Athletic, which sold for $525 million in 2022. Precursor’s mandate is to invest in people over products at the very earliest stages of an entrepreneur’s journey, a philosophy that aligns with the ethos of Startup Battlefield. His presence on the panel reinforces the event’s commitment to fostering innovation at the grassroots level and identifying the next generation of transformative companies.

Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, brings a corporate venture capital perspective to the judging panel. Leading TDK’s $350 million initiative to invest in early-stage startups in digital and energy innovation, Sauvage has backed 45 companies since 2019, including three unicorns—Ascend Elements, Groq, and Silicon Box. His six-year streak on the GCV Powerlist and induction into the Kauffman Fellows program underscore his influence in the corporate venture capital space. His inclusion signals the growing intersection between corporate strategy and startup innovation, as large corporations increasingly look to venture-backed companies to drive digital and technological transformation.

Katie Stanton, founder and general partner of Moxxie Ventures, adds another layer of expertise with her diverse background spanning Silicon Valley, government service, and investment across over 100 early-stage companies. Stanton’s career has included leadership roles at companies like Twitter, Google, and Yahoo, as well as a stint in the Obama administration. Her investments in companies such as Airtable, Coinbase, and Modern Fertility reflect her ability to identify and support high-impact ventures. Her presence on the panel highlights the increasing importance of cross-sector experience in evaluating the broader implications of startup innovations, particularly in fields with regulatory and social dimensions.

Finally, Santi Subotovsky of Emergence Capital completes the panel, with a track record of successful early-stage investments, including a pivotal role in Emergence’s investment in Zoom during its early days. Subotovsky has also served on the boards of companies like Crunchbase and Zipline, and his work with Quasar Ventures and High Alpha demonstrates his commitment to fostering innovation in diverse entrepreneurial ecosystems, particularly in Latin America. His inclusion underscores the global nature of today’s startup landscape and the need for a diverse set of perspectives to accurately assess the potential of international ventures.

The Startup Battlefield 2025 is anticipated to draw over 10,000 startups and VC leaders, creating a dynamic environment for networking, deal-making, and showcasing the next wave of technological innovation. With this latest round of judges, the event continues to elevate the quality of mentorship and insight available to participating founders, offering them a platform to engage with some of the most influential investors in the venture capital industry.

Source: [1] Next set of VC judges locked in for Startup Battlefield 2025 (https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/next-batch-of-startup-battlefield-200-judges-revealed/) [2] Next Wave of Investors Announced for Startup Battlefield ... (https://news.ssbcrack.com/next-wave-of-investors-announced-for-startup-battlefield-2025/)