Pitchers and Pitches

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Watch these 6 startups compete in Pitchers & Pitches tomorrow

Published September 1, 2020

What do you get when you combine six early-stage startup founders with a panel of top VCs and savvy TechCrunch editors? It’s Pitchers & Pitches, a rapid-fire pitch competition with a hefty side of advice to turn your 60-second pitch into a key that unlocks opportunity.

Grab a snack, bring your questions and tune in to our pre-Disrupt 2020 masterclass tomorrow, September 2, at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. You can register here. We randomly chose six startups — all exhibitors in Digital Startup Alley — to throw their best pitch. Our esteemed judges (we’ll name all the names in a moment) will critique each one and offer tips to sharpen what is arguably an entrepreneur’s most essential tool.

Get ready to take copious notes. Free advice from experts — the kind who hear pitches for a living — doesn’t come along every day, and chances are you can apply much of what you hear to your own pitch. Plus, the viewing audience decides which startup delivered the best pitch.

You can’t have a competition without a prize, and this one’s pretty nifty. The winning startup scores a consulting session with cela, a company that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help scale their businesses.

Hannah Webb, CEO of Findster Technologies, winner of the first Pitchers & Pitches session, dishes on the result of her P&P experience. “Disrupt and Digital Startup Alley haven’t even officially started yet, and we’ve already seen great benefits. cela introduced us to multiple accelerators in the NYC area and one is a perfect fit for our company’s situation.”

Now, without further ado, the panel of judges waiting to be impressed includes two top VCs — Konstantine Buhler, partner at Sequoia Capital, and Anne Gifford, investor at Tusk Ventures — and two pitch-savvy TechCrunch editors, Anthony Ha and Darrell Etherington.

As for the early-stage startups taking the mound, they are:

Join us for the next Pitchers & Pitches — tomorrow, September 2 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. Listen, learn and turn your pitch into a key that opens doors to opportunities at Disrupt 2020 — and beyond.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Register for our last pitch-off next week on September 2

Published August 27, 2020

It’s time again to start warming up your pitching arm. Our next Pitchers & Pitches session takes place next week on September 2. Register today!

Pitchers & Pitches sessions combine critique and competition with a focus on helping early-stage startup founders create an iron-clad, 60-second pitch. Here’s how it works. Everyone is welcome to attend, but only founders exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley at Disrupt 2020 will be invited to pitch.

We’ll feature five startups from Digital Startup Alley to present their best, rapid-fire pitch to a panel of experts. Previous P&P judges have featured leading VCs, including Monique Idlett-Mosley, Jeff Morris Jr., Sydney Thomas and Curtis Rodgers. Who better than top VCs to provide constructive feedback on your pitch? They’ll help you cut to the chase and present the essential information in the best possible light.

The viewing audience will choose which of the five startups presented the best pitch, and that lucky team will win a consulting session with cela, a company that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help scale their businesses.

Listen to what the winner of our first Pitchers & Pitches session, Hannah Webb, CEO of Findster Technologies, says about her experience:

Disrupt and Digital Start Up Alley haven’t even officially started yet, and we’ve already seen great benefits. Cela introduced us to multiple accelerators in the NYC area and one is a perfect fit for our company’s situation.

Even if you don’t get to pitch, you still get to benefit. Take that top VC advice and apply it to your own business to make your pitch a more effective tool. You need a pitch that impresses, that opens doors and starts conversations. This is a rare opportunity to get advice from the very people you want to attract.

Here are even more reasons to attend Pitchers & Pitches:

Get familiar with the new virtual Disrupt platform before it goes live in September
Watch and interact with the pitch-off event on the virtual main stage
Meet and video network with other attendees
Connect with the five pitchers in their virtual booth in the startup expo

The next Pitchers & Pitches takes place on September 2 at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET — Register to see all of the action today. And while you’re at it, get your Disrupt Digital Startup Alley Package so you can start to reap all of the benefits of Disrupt 2020 right away! Get warmed up and ready to throw the first pitch!

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Register for our next pitch-off happening on August 13

Published August 7, 2020

Here’s a shout-out to all the early-stage founders attending Disrupt 2020. Don’t forget to register for our next Pitchers & Pitches — on August 13 — and get ready to hone your 60-second pitch to a razor’s edge.

If you’re not in the know, our ongoing Pitchers & Pitches webinar series is a pitch-off-masterclass-mashup. It’s a chance to deliver your best pitch to a panel of experts who will provide invaluable critique to help you craft a more compelling pitch. Better pitches equal more opportunities, amirite?

Anyone can benefit by attending Pitchers & Pitches, but only companies exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley can compete. Want to be eligible to pitch in next week’s event? Buy a Disrupt Digital Startup Alley Package here.

We’ll randomly select five startups to pitch, receive direct feedback and have a shot at taking the top prize. We love prizes…especially the kind that help build a better startup. The winning founders receive a consulting session with cela, a company that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help scale their businesses.

Here’s another great reason to exhibit in Digital Startup Alley. You get exclusive access to our three-part interactive webinar series. Check the dates and topics below:

August 12: The Dos and Don’ts of Working with the Press
August 19: COVID-19’s Impact on the Startup World
August 26: Fundraising and Hiring Best Practices

We’ll announce the pitching lineup — and the specific VC judges those founders need to impress — on August 12. Remember, only startups exhibiting at Disrupt 2020 are eligible to pitch. If you want in on the action, get yourself a Digital Startup Alley Package today.

Register here and join us for the next Pitchers & Pitches on August 13. And hey, even if you don’t compete, you’ll hear loads of good advice on ways to improve your presentation skills and make the most of your 60-second pitch.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Watch & interact with these 5 startups competing in tomorrow’s Pitchers & Pitches session

Published July 22, 2020

How’s your 60-second pitch working for ya? Could it stand a refresh? Get ready to learn new and better ways to make your pitch more effective at opening doors to opportunity. Step one: register here — it won’t cost you a dime.

Step two: tune in and join us tomorrow, July 23 at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT, for the next Pitchers & Pitches competition. We randomly chose five Digital Startup Alley exhibitors to bring the heat — in the form of their best 60-second pitch — in front of a panel of expert judges. We’ll name all the names in just a minute.

Note: Anyone can attend Pitchers & Pitches, but only companies exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley during Disrupt 2020 are eligible to pitch.

The invaluable critique, feedback and advice pitchers receive will help them take their elevator pitch to new heights — a great way to prepare for showcasing their tech at Disrupt 2020. Not pitching? No problem — you can apply what you learn to your own business and take your elevator pitch up a few more floors.

Here are five more excellent reasons to tune in:

Check out the new virtual Disrupt platform before it goes live in September
Watch and interact with the pitch-off event on the virtual main stage
Meet and video network with other attendees
Connect with the five pitchers in their virtual booth in the startup expo
The viewing audience (that’s you folks) chooses which team wins the pitch-off

The founders of the winning startup get a consulting session with cela, a company that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help scale their businesses.

Okay, let’s get to the judges for this session. We’ve tapped the experienced minds of two TechCrunch editors — Jordan Crook and Alex Wilhelm. Rounding out the panel we have two top featured VCs — Monique Idlett, of Reign Ventures and Jess Morris Jr., general partner and founder of Chapter One VC. They’ll drop a whole lot of knowledge to help you impress potential investors and customers alike.

Here are the five pitchers currently warming up in the bullpen and ready to take the mound in tomorrow’s competition:

The next Pitchers & Pitches takes place tomorrow, July 23 at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. Register here for free. Don’t miss your chance to improve your pitch, bring the heat and unlock more opportunity.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Sign up for next week’s Pitchers & Pitches competition on 7/23

Published July 16, 2020

Can one minute really make a difference in your startup success? If we’re talking about your 60-second pitch (and we are), then heck yeah! A crisp, concise and compelling pitch opens doors to opportunity, and we’re here to help you pump up your pitch.

Join us online for the next Pitchers & Pitches competition on July 23 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, where you’ll hear rapid-fire pitches from five Digital Startup Alley exhibitors who will be participating at Disrupt this year. The five early-stage startups will take the virtual stage and present their best pitch to a panel of highly qualified judges — TechCrunch editors who coach Startup Battlefield competitors and leading VCs. Seriously, who wouldn’t want feedback from pros like that?

After each pitch, the judges provide the founders with an invaluable critique, tips and advice. Even if you don’t pitch, you can apply what you’ve learned to take your elevator pitch to the next level. Plus, the viewing audience gets to choose the best pitch of the session. The winning startup gets a consulting session with cela, a company that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help scale their businesses.

This is also an opportunity for the TechCrunch community to try out our new virtual Disrupt platform before we go live in September.

You’ll have an opportunity to check out some of our new features, like:

Watch and interact with the pitch-off event on the virtual main stage.
Meet and video network with other attendees.
Connect with the five pitchers in their virtual booth in the startup expo.

Note: Anyone can attend Pitchers & Pitches, but only companies exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley during Disrupt 2020 are eligible to pitch. There’s still time to be considered for the July 23 pitch-off — if you act quickly and purchase a Disrupt Digital Startup Alley Package. We randomly select the startups that get to participate, and we’ll announce them — and the judges — on July 22.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Register for next week’s Pitches & Pitchers session

Published June 24, 2020

Does your elevator pitch lack traction? Could it do with a serious makeover? We’re here to help. Tune into Pitchers & Pitches, an interactive pitch-off and feedback session, on July 1 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. This event is 100% free — simply register here to attend.

Pitchers & Pitches — part pitch-off, part masterclass — features startups (all exhibitors in Digital Startup Alley during Disrupt 2020) delivering their best 60-second pitch to a panel of judges. The panel for this session consists of two TechCrunch editors — Jordan Crook and Kirsten Korosec — and two VCs — Matthew Hartman of Betaworks Ventures and Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital.

The panel will critique each presentation, offer advice and suggest ways to forge a pitch for the ages. Take their tips, adapt them your specific situation and get ready to super charge your elevator pitch.

Note: The Pitchers & Pitches webinar series is free and open to all, but only companies that purchased a Disrupt Digital Startup Alley Package are eligible to pitch. We randomly chose these startups to compete on July 1st:

Cognidna – provides DNA insights on cognitive traits, helping parents make more informed educational decisions for their children.

Munch – a digital platform for restaurants designed to create better customer experiences.

Flexlane – an online wholesale marketplace that transforms the way local retailers in Asia buy for their stores.

Bitsensing – aims to design future safety in the era of Autonomous Vehicles.

What’s a pitch-off without a prize? One pitching startup will win a consulting session with cela. cela connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help them scale their businesses.

And while the judges evaluate and provide feedback, it’s the virtual audience (i.e. you) who determines the ultimate winner. That said, everyone who attends the event comes away with a stronger pitch and stands a greater chance of catching investor attention. Win-win.

Keep your startup focused and on track. Register for Pitches & Pitchers and join us next week, July 1 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. If you want to be eligible to pitch your startup at Pitchers & Pitches, purchase your Digital Startup Alley ticket and opt in to being considered for our fourth installment of Pitchers & Pitches.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Sign up for tomorrow’s Pitchers & Pitches session

Published June 9, 2020

We’re just 24 hours away from the second installment of Pitchers & Pitches. If you want to whip your elevator pitch into shape, select your favorite beverage and join us for an interactive pitch-off and feedback session. We kick off tomorrow, June 10 at 4pm ET / 1pm PT. It won’t cost you a penny, so register here today.

You’ll walk away with insightful advice and actionable tips to help you create a 60-second pitch that highlights the best of your business. The companies competing in the pitch-off will vie for a consulting session with cela, an organization that connects early-stage startups to accelerators and incubators that can help them scale their business.

Scanta protects machine learning algorithms and the businesses that use them.
Qualetics has developed a platform that helps Startups and SaaS companies scale AI-based solutions.
Findster gives pet parents peace of mind by monitoring pets’ health and safety 24/7.
Hiago is a hyperlocal social network that empowers cities to organize neighbors around shared interests.
Whip Mobility is a B2B SaaS platform for auto dealerships.

The VCs providing feedback for this session are Amish Jani, managing director at First Mark Capital and Merritt Hummer, partner at Bain Capital Ventures. On the TechCrunch side, we have Darrell Etherington and Jordan Crook, two TechCrunch editors with years of experience coaching founders in Startup Battlefield, the OG of startup pitch competitions. The four will evaluate the pitches and offer insightful feedback. The virtual audience will declare the pitch-off winner.

Whether you compete or simply watch and take copious notes, you’ll hear plenty of ideas and tips to help you craft the kind of pitch that captures investor interest, imagination and — not to be too crass about it — money.

Grab every opportunity to keep your startup moving forward. Register for Pitches & Pitchers today, and join us tomorrow, June 10 at 4pm ET / 1pm PT.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Throw us your best 60-second pitch on May 13 at Pitchers and Pitches

Published April 23, 2020

Founders have always faced big challenges, but they pale in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Moving your business forward will require new thinking, new tools and new opportunities along with tried-and-true essentials. We’ve got you covered on all fronts.

Case in point — catching investor attention in this climate will require a pitch par excellence. Pour yourself a cold one (or a tall glass of water because that’s great, too!) and join us on May 13 at 4pm ET / 1pm PT for Pitchers and Pitches, an interactive elevator pitch feedback session with TechCrunch editors. Get feedback that can help you take your pitch to a whole new level.

Our first Pitchers and Pitches session is free and open to the public — register now. You can let us know during registration if you want to participate and we’ll randomly select five startups to give us their best 60-second pitch. Even if you’re not selected to pitch, it’ll be a learning experience for all who attend and you can also give feedback via live polling. You’ll gain valuable insight into the art of telling your startup’s story in under a minute.

While we’ll continue with a series of content sessions, they will be exclusive to Startup Alley exhibitors — both those who exhibit onsite at Disrupt San Francisco 2020 (September 14-16) and founders who purchase a Digital Startup Alley Package.

Wait — you haven’t heard about the Digital Startup Alley? We tapped our resources and industry connections to replicate the Startup Alley experience as a truly world-class virtual event. It’s designed to help you keep momentum despite lockdowns, travel restrictions or budgetary concerns.

We don’t have a crystal ball to see how long this pandemic will remain in play. However, if it turns out you can attend Disrupt SF in person, you have the option to upgrade your exhibit package and still access the benefits of Digital Startup Alley. Value, meet add.

Startups in the age of COVID-19 will need every tool in the shed — and a few new ones — to adapt and keep moving forward. Start with exceptional coaching and sharpen your pitch to a keen edge.

Register now for our free Pitchers and Pitches session, which takes place on May 13 at 4:00pm ET / 1:00pm PT.

TechCrunch is mindful of the COVID-19 issue and its impact on live events. You can follow our updates here.