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Meet the judges who will crown Australia’s next breakout startup
TechCrunch and Stripe will hold Startup Battlefield Australia at Stripe Tour Sydney on 19 August, where eight early-stage startups will pitch to investors, media and the technology community. The event matters because its winner will receive a place at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco, offering international exposure and a potential route to investment.
The judges are Stripe APAC startup partnerships head Jasmine Liew, Ten13 venture partner and angel investor Brendan Hill, and Hapana founder and chief executive Jarron Aizen. First prize includes $15,000 in Stripe fee credits and entry to Startup Battlefield 200; second and third prizes are $5,000 and $2,000 respectively. TechCrunch says the global competition has launched more than 1,700 companies whose alumni have raised $32 billion, while Sydney’s previous winner, HealthMatch, is now valued at over $25 million.
In short
- Eight Australian startups will pitch at Stripe Tour Sydney on 19 August.
- The winner earns Stripe credits and a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 place.
- Judges include leaders from Stripe, Ten13 and Hapana.
Explained simply
Startup Battlefield Australia is a competition where early-stage technology companies pitch to investors and industry figures. TechCrunch and Stripe are organising the event in Sydney on 19 August, with eight startups competing.
The winner receives a place at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, an international technology conference in San Francisco. This represents valuable international exposure and networking opportunities with major investors. Startup Battlefield has a proven track record: its alumni globally have raised $32 billion in funding, and Sydney's previous winner, HealthMatch, is now valued at more than $25 million.
The judging panel comprises Jasmine Liew, head of Stripe's Asia-Pacific startup partnerships; Brendan Hill, a venture partner and angel investor; and Jarron Aizen, founder and chief executive of Hapana. Prize money includes $15,000 in Stripe credits for first place.
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