The Grand Revelation: TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2024 Finalists Announced!
Well, folks, it’s that time of year again — the time when hopefuls gather to showcase their wildest tech dreams, and the rest of us gather round like spectators at a gladiator arena. Welcome to the Startup Battlefield, where innovation meets desperation, and dreams come as packaged deals with a side of funding.
This year, the TechCrunch editorial team selected a staggering 200 companies from a pool of ambitious entrepreneurs, all clamoring to make their mark — and perhaps, to snag a venture capitalist or two. Out of those 200, 20 finalists were chosen to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 — that glorious event where uncertainty serves as the main course and a slightly panicked hope is the dessert. Now, drumroll please… let’s meet the five finalists contending for glory!
Meet the Innovators!
First up, we’ve got Gecko Materials, helmed by Capella Kerst. This isn’t just some pet lizard’s wet dream; the woman is dangling a full wine bottle from her pinky like it’s a party trick! You knew that was a thing, right? Well, she’s managed to combine years of academic research into a super-strong dry adhesive inspired by everyone’s favorite wall-crawling reptile. Forget Velcro; this adhesive is like Velcro on a strict diet — one side only, no residue, and a durability that would make a gold medalist jealous. It can stick around for a casual 120,000 attachments before it throws in the towel!
Next on stage is Luna, an app that could have saved many of our awkward teen years. Designed to help teen girls navigate the labyrinth that is adolescence, Luna allows users to track everything from their periods to their moods — not to mention, it puts direct lines to health experts. Created by the masterminds Jas Schembri-Stothart and Jo Goodall during their MBA at Oxford, this app is a genuine friend with better advice than your average high school counselor.
Yes, the real world isn’t all glitter and rainbows, and that brings us to MabLab — safety in a world filled with dubious substances! Co-founders Vienna Sparks and Skye Lam developed a testing strip capable of detecting the most nefarious additives lurking in your weekend party favors. You see, this isn’t about being a party pooper; it’s about keeping people alive, which sadly is a heroic task in today’s landscape of unregulated substances. Their personal story touches many hearts, and the potential impact of their work is as profound as that of a very moving soap opera.
Pay attention now, because next up is an inspiring story of survival — let’s welcome Valentina Agudelo and her team, who identified a troubling gap in breast cancer survival rates between Latin America and the developed world. They are on a mission to help women access early detection tools that could save lives. Inspired to create a portable device for breast cancer detection, Valentina’s work is like a TED Talk waiting to happen. Talk about using your powers for good!
Lastly, we have a techy twist: a solution for fire investigations, or more accurately — the flames of yesterday’s naval disaster! This innovative team has leveraged lidar technology to assess the devastating fire onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard. They’re not just targeting the flames, but also the grey areas of how such tragedies can lead to better prevention strategies in the future. And, I must say, thank goodness for tech advances; otherwise, we’d be back to good old-fashioned guesswork!
What’s Next?
These five finalists are set to pitch once again on the Disrupt Stage this Wednesday, October 30, at 11:30 a.m. PT. The judges include some heavy hitters like Navin Chaddha from Mayfield and Chris Farmer from SignalFire, who are no doubt preparing their poker faces as these brave souls reveal innovative solutions that could change the world — or at the very least, bring a few laughs. So grab your popcorn, strap in, and prepare for the spectacle of tech entrepreneurship at its finest!
Until then, keep those dreams burning bright (like the USS Bonhomme Richard — but hopefully not literally), and let’s raise a glass (or a wine bottle dangling from a pinky) to the future of innovation!
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here: the announcement of the five outstanding finalists for the prestigious Startup Battlefield. Earlier this year, the TechCrunch editorial team undertook the monumental task of sifting through thousands of applicants to narrow down to 200 innovative companies. Following in-depth evaluations and rigorous selection processes, the team ultimately identified 20 exceptional finalists, who showcased their groundbreaking ideas this week on the illustrious stage of TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, captivating both investor judges and a packed audience.
This year’s remarkable finalists continue the legacy of Startup Battlefield greats such as Dropbox, Discord, Cloudflare, and Mint, who have graced the Disrupt Stage in the past. With an impressive alumni network of over 1,500 companies having participated in the program, these Startup Battlefield alumni have collectively raised a staggering $29 billion, boasting more than 200 successful exits within the industry.
The five finalists are set to make another compelling pitch on the Disrupt Stage on Wednesday, October 30 at 11:30 a.m. PT. They will present their innovative solutions to an esteemed panel that includes notable investors like Navin Chaddha (Mayfield), Chris Farmer (SignalFire), Dayna Grayson (Construct Capital), Ann Miura-Ko (Floodgate), and Hans Tung (Notable Capital).
Now, without further ado, here are the five standout finalists for the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2024:
Gecko Materials, founded by Capella Kerst, showcases an astonishing innovation: dangling a full wine bottle precariously from her pinky finger. The only thing preventing it from shattering is her startup’s remarkable super-strong dry-adhesive, a product born from extensive academic research. Drawing inspiration from the incredible grip of geckos’ feet, this adhesive operates like a modern-day Velcro—requiring just one side for attachment, leaving no sticky residue and allowing for quick detachment. Capable of adhering at least 120,000 times, as Kerst enthusiastically noted in a recent TechCrunch interview, this adhesive can maintain its hold for a matter of seconds, minutes, or even years.
Luna is an innovative health and well-being app tailored specifically for teen girls, designed with the intention of guiding them through the complexities of adolescence. The app offers a safe space for teens to ask questions regarding their health and wellness, providing expert responses in real-time. Moreover, it enables users to track vital aspects of their lives, including menstrual cycles, moods, and skin conditions. Conceived by best friends and co-founders Jas Schembri-Stothart and Jo Goodall during their MBA program at Oxford, Luna’s mission is to educate and empower teen girls as they navigate the trials of growing up.
For anyone immersed in nightlife or enthusiastic about dancing, the unsettling reality of unknowingly consuming adulterated drugs is a substantial concern. Addressing this critical issue, MabLab has developed a groundbreaking testing strip capable of detecting the five most prevalent and hazardous additives within minutes. Co-founders Vienna Sparks and Skye Lam, who forged their partnership in high school, were tragically inspired by the loss of a friend to overdose during their college years. This poignant story resonates with many individuals and has led to the widespread adoption of testing strips, which have become a familiar sight in venues and health centers, with hundreds of millions shipped annually.
During her exploration for a college entrepreneurship competition, Valentina Agudelo uncovered a glaring disparity in breast cancer survival rates between Latin America and developed nations. Women in her native Colombia and throughout the continent face significantly higher mortality rates owing to late detection. Acknowledging the treatability of breast cancer when diagnosed early, she recognized that many Latin American countries consists of vast rural populations lacking access to essential diagnostic tools like mammograms. Consequently, she and her two closest friends resolved to develop a theoretical portable device dedicated to early breast cancer detection.
In the summer of 2020, a catastrophic fire ravaged the USS Bonhomme Richard while docked in San Diego Bay, drawing extensive firefighting efforts that lasted four days. Helicopters soared above, releasing buckets of water, while boats gushed water from below, and firefighters battled fiercely onboard. As soon as the flames were quelled, lidar (light detection and ranging) scans were promptly conducted to evaluate the damage and investigate the fire’s origins. However, the investigation faced hurdles, largely due to the complexities associated with transmitting lidar scans.
