Meet the latest VC judges joining Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

The countdown has begun for the Startup Battlefield 200 competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, set to take place from October 27 to 29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. This year's event promises to elevate the stakes as twenty innovative founders prepare to pitch their groundbreaking ideas on the Disrupt Stage. Only one will claim the prestigious $100,000 equity-free prize along with the highly sought-after Disrupt Cup. To ensure the best decision-making, a distinguished panel of judges—comprising renowned investors and industry leaders—will evaluate the pitches. Today marks the announcement of the third group of judges who will bring their invaluable expertise and rigorous questioning to this year’s competition. Attendees can look forward to more judge announcements in the coming weeks. Among the notable judges is Jon Chu, a partner at Khosla Ventures with a keen focus on machine learning and its transformative effects on enterprise solutions. Jon's impressive background includes significant roles in various tech companies, from an early engineering position at Palantir to leading product and engineering teams at Opendoor and Facebook. Another key figure is Eryk Dobrushkin of Index Ventures, who invests in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence and robotics. Eryk’s previous experience includes a pivotal role at Databricks, where he witnessed firsthand the rapid growth of an enterprise software giant. Cathy Friedman, with nearly four decades in finance and healthcare, serves as an executive venture partner at GV, where she advises on investments that span the healthcare spectrum. Her focus lies in addressing adolescent mental health and creating more equitable systems for underserved communities. Jen Hoskins, who heads cloud and partnerships for Nvidia Inception, is dedicated to fostering startup innovation. With a robust background at Microsoft and Cisco, she brings a wealth of experience to the panel. Lastly, Jon McNeill, co-founder and CEO of DVx Ventures, has a track record of launching successful companies and driving significant growth at Tesla and Lyft. His leadership has resulted in remarkable returns for investors and substantial job creation. TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is shaping up to be an unparalleled gathering, uniting over 10,000 startups and venture capitalists. Attendees will have the opportunity to witness the Startup Battlefield 200 live, participate in insightful sessions, and forge connections that could lead to the next wave of innovation. Secure your ticket soon to take advantage of savings before prices increase after September 26.