Isabelle Johannessen

Head of the Startup Battlefield Program, TechCrunch

Isabelle leads Startup Battlefield, TechCrunch’s iconic launchpad and competition for the world’s most promising early-stage startups.

You can contact or verify outreach from Isabelle by emailing isabelle.johannessen@techcrunch.com.

She scouts top founders across 99+ countries and prepares them to pitch on the Disrupt stage in front of tier-one investors and global media. Before TechCrunch, she designed and led international startup acceleration programs across Japan, Korea, Italy, and Spain—connecting global founders with VCs and helping them successfully enter the U.S. market. With a Master’s in Entrepreneurship & Disruptive Innovation—and a past life as a professional singer—she brings a blend of strategic rigor and stage presence to help founders craft compelling stories and stand out in crowded markets.

Isabelle Johannessen

Latest from Isabelle Johannessen

Podcast Host

TechCrunch's Build Mode logo
Build Mode

9 Episodes

Last update: Feb 2026

Build Mode is a survival guide for early-stage founders navigating the messy, high-stakes chaos of building a company from scratch….

Newsletter Contributor

Startup Battlefield news and updates, for new companies and alumni alike.