At a Glance
- TechCrunch lists 200 finalists in logistics, manufacturing, and materials.
- The list showcases innovations from ride-share analytics to AI-driven manufacturing.
- Companies range from autonomous freight vehicles to biodegradable leather alternatives.
- Why it matters: These startups could reshape supply chains, production efficiency, and sustainable materials.
TechCrunch’s annual Startup Battlefield 2026 has unveiled the 200 finalists across logistics, manufacturing, and materials, showcasing a diverse array of tech innovations that promise to transform industry practices.
Logistics Startups
Logistics startups in the 200 selectees focus on driver earnings, autonomous freight, and warehouse robotics.
- GigU: An app that helps ride-share and delivery drivers analyze trips for maximum earnings, addressing the hassle of low-value trips.
- Glīd: Builds autonomous vehicles that move freight in railyards, winning the 2025 TechCrunch Startup Battlefield for solving a previously overlooked problem.
- Kinisi: A robotics company with rapid-sensing technology for fast data processing.
Manufacturing, Materials, and Industrial Startups
Manufacturing and materials startups emphasize AI optimization, low-code robot training, and sustainable materials.
- CloEE: Offers a platform that uses AI to analyze millions of machine performance data points, fine-tuning production and maintenance.
- CosmicBrain AI: Provides a no-code/low-code platform to train robots for everyday tasks.
- Delft Circuits: Created new network cable technology tailored for quantum computing, featuring specialized microwave and thermal performance.
- Evolinq: Delivers AI agents that automate enterprise procurement workflows without complex integration.
- ExoMatter: An AI platform that helps material science teams evaluate inorganic crystalline materials by performance, sustainability, and cost.
- Kamet AI: Uses predictive AI to uncover inefficiencies in manufacturing and warehouses, reducing cost or improving output.
- Koidra: Offers an AI-powered automation control platform for indoor agriculture, employing physics-aware AI.
- Mbodi: Provides a cloud-to-edge system that lets industrial robots learn new skills faster, integrating with existing stacks.
- MycoFutures: Produces a mycelium-based material that mimics leather, biodegradable and free of harmful chemicals.
- OKOsix: Created a biodegradable material intended to replace plastics, designed for durability.
- Ravel: Invented a process to unravel blended textiles back into mono-materials, making them recyclable.
- Strong by Form: Developed engineered wood strong enough to replace concrete and steel in structural floors, lighter and eco-friendly.
- Xronos: Offers an open-source platform that speeds the development and deployment of robotics or automation solutions with deterministic behavior.
Key Takeaways
- The 200 finalists span a wide spectrum of logistics, manufacturing, and materials innovations.
- Many startups use AI to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve sustainability.
- The selection highlights emerging solutions that could reshape supply chains, production, and material science.
These startups exemplify how technology can drive operational excellence and environmental stewardship across multiple industries.
