TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Meet the Startup Battlefield Judges
The final showdown of the Startup Battlefield 200 is approaching, and the stakes for the competing founders have never been higher. With TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 just four days away, the event organizers have confirmed the high-profile panel of venture capital leaders who will evaluate the finalists and determine the ultimate winners.
The Expert Panel
This year’s jury features a blend of seasoned investors and entrepreneurs who have collectively shaped the modern technology landscape. The final round will be judged by:
- Kirsten Green: Founding Partner at Forerunner.
- Kevin Hartz: General Partner at A*.
- Aileen Lee: Founder and Managing Partner at Cowboy Ventures.
- Kevin Rose: Partner at True Ventures and founding CEO of Digg.
Kirsten Green, Forerunner
Kirsten Green established the San Francisco-based firm Forerunner in 2012. With over 25 years of investment experience, she currently oversees nearly $3 billion in assets. Her thesis-driven approach has backed prominent companies such as Warby Parker, Faire, Chime, and Hims & Hers. Beyond her firm, Green serves on the board of the National Venture Capital Association and has been a fixture on the Forbes Midas List and the list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women for nine consecutive years.
Kevin Hartz, A*
As a co-founder and general partner at A*, Kevin Hartz brings deep operational and investment expertise to the stage. He previously co-founded and served as CEO of Eventbrite for over a decade and co-founded Xoom, which was sold to PayPal for more than $1 billion in 2015. His investment track record includes early-stage support for industry titans like Airbnb, Pinterest, Uber, SpaceX, and Square.
Aileen Lee, Cowboy Ventures
Aileen Lee, the founder of Cowboy Ventures, is perhaps best known for coining the term “unicorn” to describe billion-dollar startups. Her firm focuses on seed-stage investments in enterprise and consumer software, including companies like Drata Security and Guild. Previously a partner at Kleiner Perkins, Lee also co-founded All Raise, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing female representation and success within the tech ecosystem.
Kevin Rose, True Ventures
Kevin Rose is a partner at True Ventures and currently serves as board chair for the recently rebooted social platform Digg. A veteran entrepreneur, Rose has held leadership roles at Google Ventures and founded several companies, including Revision3 and Zero. His portfolio as an angel investor includes high-profile names such as Twitter, Facebook, OpenAI, and Solana.
Attendees can view the full Disrupt agenda to see the complete list of 20 judges participating across the various stages of the Startup Battlefield competition.