Startup Battlefield Drops Equity Stakes for Winners

TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield competition now awards $100,000 to winners with zero equity dilution—a structural break from traditional accelerators. Glīd won the 2025 edition under this model. The shift addresses a friction point for founders concerned with control retention and capital efficiency, particularly acute since the 2022-2023 funding contraction. Applications for the 2026 competition close today, May 27.