The search is in full swing for the most innovative, interesting and utterly disruptive early-stage tech startups to compete in Startup Battlefield, our premier pitch competition, at Disrupt San Francisco 2019 on October 2-4. Founders, if you think your startup has the right stuff, then by all means, apply right here, right now.

Not sure whether you should apply? We think it’s a no-brainer, but we’re happy to break it down for you. Buckle up and get ready for five reasons — in reverse order — why you should apply to compete in Startup Battlefield.

5. You have nothing to lose

It won’t cost you a dime to apply or, if you’re selected, to participate in Startup Battlefield. Nada, zip, zilch. Any early-stage startup — from any country, in any vertical — can apply. What’s more, TechCrunch does not charge any fees or take any equity.

4. Maximum exposure

We’re expecting record-breaking crowds at Disrupt SF ’19 with well over 10,000 attendees. Startup Battlefield takes place on the Disrupt Main Stage in front of a panel of elite venture capitalists and a live audience of thousands. That audience includes hundreds of media outlets and eager investors — influencers and dream makers whose interest and coverage hold the potential to change your life and the course of your company. What’s more, we live stream the entire competition around the world to millions of viewers.

3. Free expert pitch coaching

Battlefield teams have just six minutes to pitch and present a live demo to our panel of top VC judges. Following each pitch, the judges engage in a six-minute Q&A with each team. Fear not! Our Battlefield-tested editorial team will work with you extensively until your presentations, demos and business models are, well, pitch perfect.

2. Awesome access

All Startup Battlefield competitors receive prime access to events at Disrupt SF ’19. We’re talking three full days of exhibition space in Startup Alley — at no cost — backstage access, invitations to VIP events and free passes to all future TechCrunch events. It even includes complimentary subscriptions to Extra Crunch, our new editorial offering that provides in-depth content, coverage, products and events designed for our most engaged readers.

You’ll also become part of the Startup Battlefield Alumni Community. This impressive cohort includes the likes of Vurb, Dropbox, Get Around, Cloudflare, Mint and more. To date, 857 Battlefield teams have collectively raised $8.8 billion and produced 108 successful IPOs or acquisitions. Imagine all the networking possibilities in that crowd.

And finally, the top reason to apply for Startup Battlefield is — drum roll please:

1. You could win $100,000

That’s right — the winner of Startup Battlefield scores a $100K equity-free cash infusion. Plus, they’ll hoist the highly sought-after Disrupt Cup, become a media and investor darling and take their business to a whole new level.

Those are five mighty compelling reasons to apply, and we can’t wait to see what we know will be an incredible pool of applicants. It’s not easy choosing from among such a rich field of startups, but we’re up for the challenge and wouldn’t want it any other way.

Startup Battlefield takes place at Disrupt San Francisco 2019 on October 2-4. Don’t miss your chance to launch your startup on a world stage. Apply to compete in the Startup Battlefield today. We hope to see you in October!