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.