Each generation of Battlefield alumni adds to a consistent narrative of risk-taking, community support, and milestone achievements, while inviting readers to apply or nominate founders for the 2026 Battlefield, as Build Mode Season 2 goes live and Season 3 is planned for fundraising.

Startup Battlefield is more than a pitch competition—it serves as a launchpad for tech startups with a track record of notable successes like Dropbox, Cloudflare, Discord, Mint, Trello, Forethought, and N26.

Featured stories spotlight veterans of the program, including Kevin Damoa of Glӓid (2025 champion) from a military logistics background; Capella Kerst of geCKo Materials (2024 runner-up) innovating gecko-inspired adhesives with wide-ranging applications; and Deon Nicholas of Forethought AI (2018 winner, later acquired by Zendesk), illustrating a long Battlefield arc.

Forethought AI’s journey is highlighted as a quintessential Battlefield success, culminating in its Zendesk acquisition and informing the Season 3 focus on fundraising.

The alumni network’s influence extends to acquisitions among its members, exemplified by Dropbox’s 2021 purchase of DocSend.

Top finalist narratives offer cautionary lessons on fundraising before product-market fit and on using AI in hiring for cultural fit, with insights shared on Build Mode.

Recent alumni are profiled through Build Mode and TechCrunch’s founder-focused podcast series, emphasizing go-to-market, team-building, and fundraising.

To date, more than 1,700 companies have competed on the Battlefield, collectively raising about $32 billion and achieving over 250 exits, including major tech acquisitions.

Readers are encouraged to apply for Startup Battlefield 2026, nominate founders, subscribe to Build Mode, and note that affiliate links may support the publication.