TL;DR
TechCrunch published a roundup of 14 fintech and real estate/proptech startups named among its Startup Battlefield 200 selectees. The list highlights firms using AI and automation across fraud detection, tax and investment tooling, construction design, and property discovery.
What happened
TechCrunch released a collection of 14 companies from the fintech, real estate, and proptech verticals that were included in its annual Startup Battlefield 200 roster. The broader Startup Battlefield process, the outlet explains, begins with thousands of applicants, narrows to 200 contenders, and then selects a top 20 to compete on the main stage for the Startup Battlefield Cup and a $100,000 cash award; the remaining startups compete in parallel pitch tracks. The fintech names called out include companies focused on AI document fraud detection, fractional CFO and accounting services for startups, consolidated banking systems, automated VC/PE deal analysis, kid-focused prepaid debit tools, AI tax optimization, and AI-driven trading signals. The real estate and proptech entries span AI-assisted structural design, data-center optimization, cross-border investment analysis, a subscription-style creative studio model, construction copilot automation, a pre-market home discovery platform, and a commission-rebate brokerage.
Why it matters
- AI and automation are central themes across both fintech and proptech entrants, signaling continued investment in efficiency tools for finance and real estate.
- Several startups aim to replace or consolidate expensive legacy tools used by banks, investors, and developers, which could shift procurement and workflow patterns.
- New consumer-facing models—such as prepaid chore-linked cards for kids and commission rebates for homebuyers—point to product innovation targeting underserved user needs.
- Tools that surface off-market property information or accelerate structural and construction workflows could shorten time-to-deal and project delivery cycles.
Key facts
- TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield process begins with thousands of applications and narrows to a 200-company Battlefield roster.
- From those 200, a top 20 are chosen to present on the main stage for the Startup Battlefield Cup and a $100,000 cash prize.
- Fintech startups listed include Clox AI, Cypher, Identifee, Kruncher, Lootlock, Muse, and ti¢ker.
- Real estate and proptech startups listed include Genia, Investwise, Smart Bricks, Soundspace Technology, Surfaice, Unlisted Homes, and Zown.
- Clox AI focuses on detecting tampering and forgery in digital documents using AI for faster verification.
- Cypher offers cloud-based fractional CFO and accounting services tailored to startups and high-growth tech companies.
- Unlisted Homes builds searchable ‘pre-market’ profiles for roughly 21 million U.S. homes using public records, per the report.
- Zown is presented as an AI-enabled brokerage that can return up to 1.5% of commission (capped at $25,000) to buyers prior to closing.
- Genia claims to convert architectural drawings into code-compliant, physics-validated structural designs and to speed that work by roughly tenfold.
- TechCrunch’s reporter and venture writer on the piece is Marina Temkin (contact details provided in the source).
What to watch next
- Which of these 14 selectees will advance into the Startup Battlefield top 20 and compete on the main stage: not confirmed in the source.
- Product pilots and enterprise integrations (for tools targeting banks, investors, and construction firms) that could validate commercial adoption: not confirmed in the source.
- Funding rounds or partnerships that might accelerate scaling for these startups: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Startup Battlefield: An annual pitch competition run by TechCrunch that narrows thousands of applicants to 200 selectees and then a top 20 who compete for a cash prize.
- Proptech: Technology products and services that aim to improve how people buy, sell, manage, design, or build real estate.
- Fractional CFO: A part-time or on-demand chief financial officer service that provides financial leadership to companies without a full-time hire.
- Pre-market (real estate): Listings or property profiles created and marketed before a home is formally put up for sale on public marketplaces.
- AI copilot: An AI assistant designed to augment human workflows by automating routine tasks, providing recommendations, or generating outputs.
Reader FAQ
What is the Startup Battlefield selection process?
TechCrunch says thousands apply, the field is reduced to 200 selectees, and then a top 20 compete on the main stage for the cup and a $100,000 prize.
Which startups were named in this roundup?
The report lists 14 companies across fintech and real estate/proptech, including Clox AI, Cypher, Identifee, Kruncher, Lootlock, Muse, ti¢ker, Genia, Investwise, Smart Bricks, Soundspace Technology, Surfaice, Unlisted Homes, and Zown.
Will any of these startups win the main Startup Battlefield prize?
not confirmed in the source
Where can I find more information about Disrupt events?
TechCrunch has a Disrupt waitlist and published a plug mentioning Disrupt 2026 dates and location (San Francisco, Oct. 13–15, 2026) in the source.
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…
Sources
- The 14 fintech, real estate, proptech startups from Disrupt Startup Battlefield
- The 14 fintech, real estate, proptech startups from Disrupt …
- Proptech Startups funded by Y Combinator (YC) 2025
- Top NYC, NY PropTech Companies 2025
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