The 16 top logistics, manufacturing, materials startups from Disrupt Startup Battlefield

Summary

Every year, TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield pitch contest draws thousands of applicants. We whittle those applications down to the top 200 contenders, and of them, the top 20 compete on the big stage to become the winner, taking home the Startup Battlefield Cup and a cash prize of $100,000. But the remaining 180 startups all blew us away as well in their respective categories and compete in their own pitch competition. Here is the full list of the logistics, manufacturing, and materials Startup Battlefield 200 selectees, along with a note on why they landed in the competition. Logistics What it does: This app helps ride-share and delivery drivers analyze what trips will make them the most money. Why it’s noteworthy: It’s addressing the sore point that many drivers have, which is that trips often aren’t worth the money for all the hassle. The company hopes this app will help these drivers increase earnings and customize their ride-share experience. What it does: Glīd is building self-driving, autonomous vehicles that handle moving freight around railyards. Why it’s noteworthy: Glīd won the 2025 TechCrunch Startup Battlefield for its system that elegantly solves a problem that the autonomous vehicle industry has largely overlooked. What it does: A robotics company with sensory technology that processes at rapid speed. Techcrunch event San Francisco | October 13-15, 2026 Why it’s noteworthy: Its simple robot design, using the latest LLM technology, lets it adapt to warehouse problems in a smart and safe way. Manufacturing, materials, and industrial What it does: CloEE offers a platform for manufacturing sites that uses AI to analyze millions of data points on machine performance. Why it’s noteworthy: CloEE’s use of AI helps fine-tune manufacturing processes for better efficiency, not just for production but for machine care as well. What it does: CosmicBrain offers a no-code/low-code platform to train robots. Why it’s noteworthy: Before robots can really become everyd...