Intero Biosystems has been named the winner of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026, beating four other finalists to claim the Startup Battlefield Cup and a $100,000 prize at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.
Over three days, 20 promising startups competed in the annual event, selected from the Startup Battlefield 200 to showcase their innovations and compete for the top prize. Each company delivered a live demonstration before a panel of venture capitalists and technology leaders.
Following hours of deliberation, TechCrunch editors reviewed the judges’ feedback and selected five finalists: Apate, Flox Intelligence, Intero Biosystems, Industrial Next, and Satlyt.
The finalists then presented their solutions before a final judging panel comprising Alexa von Tobel of Inspired Capital, Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital, Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital, Karl Alomar of M13, and Stacy Brown-Philpot of Cherryrock Capital.
Intero Biosystems Takes the Top Prize
Based in Denver, Intero Biosystems was founded by Charlie Childs and Madeline Eiken and emerged from the University of Michigan. The startup is developing miniature human intestinal organoids, approximately one millimeter in size, that replicate aspects of the human gut.
The lab-grown tissues offer researchers another way to investigate how drugs and other compounds affect the human body before testing them in people. Through its flagship product, GastroScreen, the company serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food, and chemical businesses seeking alternatives for evaluating the effects of various substances.
By using human intestinal models, Intero Biosystems aims to provide companies with a more representative approach to early-stage testing.
Apate Named Runner-Up
Australian startup Apate secured second place with its approach to combating fraud and online scams using artificial intelligence.
Founded by Dali Kaafar, who developed the concept while conducting research at Macquarie University in Sydney, Apate deploys thousands of AI agents designed to engage with scammers while gathering valuable intelligence.
The agents pose as unsuspecting victims, responding to fraudulent calls, suspicious emails and messages, phishing links, and interactions within social media groups. Their activities help expose scammers’ tactics and provide insights into emerging threats.
Apate also offers customers access to an intelligence and analytics portal that tracks scams targeting their users, employees, brands, and products. The platform is designed to help organizations better understand fraud patterns and strengthen their defenses.
A Launchpad for Emerging Startups
With its latest winner and runner-up announced, Startup Battlefield continues to build on a track record that includes companies such as Trello, Discord, Cloudflare, and Mint, all of which have appeared on the Disrupt stage.
More than 1,700 startups have participated in the program, with its alumni collectively raising over $30 billion in funding and recording more than 200 successful exits.
The 2026 competition once again highlighted the range of ideas emerging from early-stage companies, from biotechnology and drug testing to AI-powered fraud detection, underscoring Startup Battlefield’s role in connecting ambitious founders with investors and industry leaders.
