Isabelle is the Head of the Startup Battlefield Program at TechCrunch, where she leads the sourcing and selection of 200 game-changing, early-stage companies each year to showcase at TechCrunch Disrupt.

Before this, she managed a global startup accelerator, helping hundreds of startups from countries like Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain expand to the U.S.

Isabelle is passionate about supporting women founders and was recognized by the World Trade Organization for launching an accelerator program that brought women entrepreneurs from Spain to the U.S., winning the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Behind the scenes with Isabelle Johannessen, head of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, exploring the selection of 200 innovative startups for TechCrunch Disrupt.

• Insights into the rigorous selection process and the global reach of the program, emphasizing diversity with nearly 50% international founders.

• The evolution of Startup Battlefield from Battlefield 20 to featuring 200 startups, showcasing groundbreaking innovations.

• The importance of perfecting pitch presentations, leveraging AI, and engaging with top-tier VC judges.

• Tips for startup applications, focusing on progress towards KPIs, realistic business models, and market readiness.

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Supporting Resources:

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-johannessen/

Website - https://techcrunch.com/apply

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