The 22 top clean tech and energy startups from Disrupt Startup Battlefield | TechCrunch

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 clean tech and energy Startup Battlefield 200 selectees, along with a note on why they landed in the competition. AraBat What it does: AraBat has developed a recycling technology that recovers critical metals like nickel, cobalt, and others from spent lithium‐ion batteries. Why it’s noteworthy: The company’s process is bio-based, using plant waste like citrus peels rather than toxic chemicals. Aruna Revolution What it does : Aruna Revolution has developed a compostable natural fiber menstrual pad from agricultural by-products. Why it’s noteworthy: Aruna has redesigned the menstrual pad into a product that works well yet still decomposes quickly and avoids plastic and harmful chemicals. CarbonBridge What it does: CarbonBridge builds bioreactors for microbial gas fermentation that transforms waste gases like methane and CO2 into valuable molecules. Join the Disrupt 2026 Waitlist Add yourself to the Disrupt 2026 waitlist to be first in line when Early Bird tickets drop. Past Disrupts have brought Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, and Vinod Khosla to the stages - part of 250+ industry leaders driving 200+ sessions built to fuel your growth and sharpen your edge. Plus, meet the hundreds of startups innovating across every sector. Join the Disrupt 2026 Waitlist Add yourself to the Disrupt 2026 waitlist to be first in line when Early Bird tickets drop. Past Disrupts have brought Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, and Vinod Khosla to the stages - part of 250+ industry leaders driving 200+ sessions built to fuel your growth and sharpen your edge. Plus, meet the hundreds of startups innovating across every sector. Why it’s noteworthy: CarbonBridge says its technology is more efficient than other methods to synthesize molecules. Carbon Negative Solutions What it does: Carbon Negative uses an AI-powered platform to turn industrial wastes and minerals into cement. Why it’s noteworthy: The company says its cement can be used with standard equipment, making it affordable, yet its process transforms this major building material to become carbon negative. COI Energy What it does: COI Energy runs a marketplace where enterprises can buy and sell excess energy capacity, as well as get better, predictive insights into their energy needs. Why it’s noteworthy: By letting enterprise campuses share their reserved energy allotments with each other, the company instantly optimizes grid usage. Coral What it does : Coral offers an AI-powered carbon accounting management platform. Why it’s noteworthy: It automates data collection and reporting of the energy footprint and uses the blockchain to trace, and stay...

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