TechCrunch Disrupt
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Last chance to save on Disrupt 2020 passes
It’s last call startup fans, last call. We’re not talking about International Beer Day (which is a thing and it’s today — look it up). No, we mean August 7 is your absolute last chance to save up to $300 on a pass to Disrupt 2020. Beat the clock, buy your early-bird pass before 11:59 p.m. (PT), then hoist a beer to celebrate your savvy shopping. We’ll drink to that!
Every new challenge presents new opportunities, and that holds true for TechCrunch’s first all-virtual Disrupt. Now Disrupt is bigger, more accessible and more global than ever. Thousands of attendees across the world have five full days — September 14-18 — to connect, network, exhibit, compete and learn new and better ways to build their business.
As always, Disrupt features the top minds and makers in tech, investment and business. Check out the interviews, panel discussions, interactive Q&As and workshops that explore and tackle new trends, crucial issues and a metric ton (we measured) of how-tos designed to inform and support early-stage startups.
In a nod to the diverse, global aspect of this Disrupt, we’re also planning sessions that focus on Europe and Asia. Translation: time zone-friendly scheduling that won’t keep you up at night. Stay tuned for more on that front soon.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the Disrupt 2020 agenda, with just some of the topics leading experts will discuss. We’ll divulge more in the coming weeks. Hey, that’s another reason to stay tuned.
We’ve just scratched the surface of what you can do at Disrupt.
Network with CrunchMatch, our AI-powered platform that gets smarter the more you use it. It easily finds and connects you with the right people — you know, the ones who can help you reach your goals. And it opens weeks ahead of Disrupt to give you even more time to expand your network.
Explore hundreds of early-stage startups in Digital Startup Alley — or exhibit there yourself. Find new customers, potential investors, exciting partnerships.
Watch some of the most promising early-stage startups around the world go head-to-head in the renowned Startup Battlefield pitch competition. Which team will earn the Disrupt Cup and take home $100,000 in equity-free cash?
It’s time. Time to heed the last call, buy your Disrupt 2020 pass before 11:59 p.m. (PT) today and save up to $300. You could celebrate the heck out of International Beer Day with that kind of money — hey, we don’t judge.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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48 hours left on early-bird savings to buy Disrupt 2020 passes
You won’t find a better deal than this on Disrupt 2020 passes, but you won’t find it at all if you don’t take action within 48 short hours. The opportunity to save up to $300 dollars on your pass disappears when the early-bird deadline expires.
Wake up, smell the savings and buy your Disrupt pass before August 7 at 11:59 p.m. (PT).
This all-virtual Disrupt spans five days — September 14-18 — and it includes an unprecedented number of attendees and early-stage startups from around the world. Translation? More time and opportunity to learn, connect and collaborate with influential people who can help you move your business forward.
Let’s face facts. In our current global situation, building a successful startup requires every tool in the shed. Disrupt is a prime source for gathering new, effective tools. Still on the fence? Listen to what three of your peers have to say about their Disrupt experiences:
“Disrupt was a great place to look for potential partners beyond our blockchain world. We got to meet and collaborate with founders in complimentary technologies like IoT and AI. Building those relationships will help all of us provide customers with better solutions. It’s a win-win.” — Joel Neidig, founder of SIMBA Chain.
“I wanted to get the most out of my time at Disrupt. I learned a lot by splitting my time between the Startup Battlefield, the Main Stage speakers and the how-to presentations for founders on the Extra Crunch Stage.” — JC Bodson, founder and CEO of Arbitrage Technologies.
“I’ve attended many tech events and demo days. I like Disrupt’s approach. It combines demos with educational components — like speakers, panels and Q&As — that help you learn new trends and tactics. It’s more like a tech summit.” — Daniel Lloreda, general partner at H20 Capital Innovation.
Check out this preview of just some of the Disrupt speakers and sessions, take advantage of the new Pitch Deck Teardown and don’t forget about CrunchMatch. Our AI-driven networking platform opens weeks ahead of Disrupt so you have even more time to find and connect with the people who align with your business goals.
So many reasons to attend Disrupt 2020 and so little time left to score early-bird savings. Hop off the fence, buy your pass before August 7 at 11:59 p.m. (PT), save up to $300 and get ready to add a bunch of new tools to your startup arsenal.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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Hear Cloudflare and PlanGrid’s amazing journey from founding to exit at Disrupt 2020
How and when should startup founders think about the “exit”? It’s the perennial question in tech entrepreneurialism, but the hows and whens are questions to which there are a multitude of answers. For one thing, new founders often forget that the terms of the exit may not eventually be entirely in their control. There’s the board to think of, the strategic direction of the company, the first-in investors, the last-in. You name it. We’ll be chatting about this at Disrupt 2020.
Exits normally happen in only one of two ways: Either the startup gets acquired for enough money to give the investors a return or it grows big enough to list on the public markets. And it just so happens we have two perfect founders who will be able to unpack their own journeys on those two roads.
When Cloudflare went public last year it certainly wasn’t the end of its 10-year journey, and nor was it PlanGrid’s when it was acquired by Autodesk in 2018.
Cloudflare’s Michelle Zatlyn saw every nook and cranny of the company’s journey toward its IPO, which received a warm reception, even if there were a few bumps along the road leading up to it. What comes after an IPO and how do you even get there in the first place? Zatlyn will be laying it all out for us.
PlanGrid’s journey to acquisition by Autodesk was equally fascinating, and Tracy Young — who, as CEO and co-founder, shepherded the company to an $875 million exit — will be able to give us insight into what it’s like to dance with a potential acquirer, go through that (often fraught) process and come out the other side.
We’re excited to host this conversation at Disrupt 2020 and expect it to fill up quickly. Grab your pass before this Friday to save up to $300 on this session and more.
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Disrupt 2020 early-bird savings extended until next week
Even the hard-charging world of early-stage startups has its share of procrastinators, lollygaggers, slow-pokes, wafflers and last-minute decision makers. If that’s your demographic, today is your lucky day.
You now have an extra week (courtesy of Saint Expeditus, the patron saint of procrastinators), to score early-bird savings to Disrupt 2020, which takes place September 14-18. Buy your pass before the new and final deadline — August 7 at 11:59 p.m. (PT) — and save up to $300. Who says prayers (or secular entreaties) go unanswered?
Your pass opens the door to five days of Disrupt — the biggest, longest TechCrunch conference ever. Drawing thousands of attendees and hundreds of innovative early-stage startups from around the world, you won’t find a better time, place or opportunity to accelerate the speed of your business.
Here are four world-class reasons to attend Disrupt 2020.
World-class speakers. Hear and engage with leading voices in tech, business and investment across the Disrupt stages. Folks like Sequoia Capital’s Roelof Botha, Ureeka’s Melissa Bradley and Slack’s Tamar Yehoshua — to name just a few. Here’s what you can see onstage so far.
World-class startups. Explore hundreds of innovative startups exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley — including the TC Top Picks. This elite cadre made it through our stringent screening process to earn the coveted designation, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more varied and interesting set of startups.
World-class networking. CrunchMatch, our AI-powered networking platform, simplifies connecting with founders, potential customers, R&D teams, engineers or investors. Schedule 1:1 video meetings and hold recruitment or extended pitch sessions. CrunchMatch launches weeks before Disrupt to give you more time to scout, vet and schedule.
World-class pitching. Don’t miss Startup Battlefield, the always-epic pitch competition that’s launched more than 900 startups, including big-time names like TripIt, Mint, Dropbox and many others. This year’s crop of startups promises to throw down hard for bragging rights and the $100,000 cash prize.
Need another reason to go? Take a page out of SIMBA Chain founder Joel Neidig’s playbook:
Our primary goal was to make people aware of the SIMBA Chain platform capabilities. Attending Disrupt is great way to get your name out there and build your customer base.
It’s time for all you last-minute lollygaggers to get moving and take advantage of this second, final chance to save up to $300. Buy your pass before August 7 at 11:59 p.m. (PT).
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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Just 5 days left: Save up to $300 on passes to Disrupt 2020
We’re T-minus five and counting, startup fans — counting the days you have left to save up to $300 on passes to Disrupt 2020. The early-bird clock stops ticking on July 31 precisely at 11:59 p.m. PT. Be a savvy saver. Beat the clock, buy your pass and keep that extra cash in your wallet.
Disrupt 2020 runs from September 14-18, giving you five magnificent days to meet attendees from around the world, explore new technologies, discover the latest trends, expand your startup knowledge and connect with the people who can help your business grow.
Let’s talk about two of the main features of Disrupt 2020 — Digital Startup Alley and the Startup Battlefield. Head on over to Digital Startup Alley and discover hundreds of pre-Series A startups — including the TC Top Picks, a cadre of outstanding startups selected by discerning TechCrunch editors — exhibiting their latest tech products, platforms and services. Schedule video meetings to watch product demos, talk with founders and discover opportunities for collaboration, investment or employment.
And CrunchMatch, our AI-powered networking platform, makes it easier than ever to find the people and startups that align with your goals and interests — or for those folks to find you. Fill out a few quick questions and get ready for efficient networking done right.
“The CrunchMatch networking platform, which is basically speed-dating for techies, was very helpful. I scheduled at least 10 short, precise meetings. I learned about startups in stealth mode, what big corporations were up to — things not yet picked up by the press. It was great, and I followed up on three or four of those connections.” — Jens Lehmann, technical lead and product manager, SAP.
Don’t miss the gem of every Disrupt event — the Startup Battlefield pitch competition. Early-stage startups from around the world applied, and only a small cadre met TechCrunch editors’ exacting standards. They’ll have just six minutes to deliver their best pitch and demo to a tough panel of expert judges.
What’s at stake? The coveted Disrupt Cup, massive exposure to global media and investors and — drum roll please — $100,000 in equity-free cash. Who knows, you just might witness future tech giants launching on a world stage.
We haven’t even touched on the dozens of speakers, panel discussions and breakout sessions you can enjoy across the Disrupt stages — and we’re announcing more speakers every week.
Disrupt 2020 takes place on September 14-18. If you want to be a savvy saver, you need to play “beat the clock.” Buy your early-bird pass before July 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT to save up to $300.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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Less than two weeks left to save big on Disrupt 2020 passes
Ready to do everything in your power to keep your startup on track for success — and keep more of your hard-earned currency in your wallet? Listen up. Early-bird pricing on passes to Disrupt 2020 ends in less than two weeks. Buy your pass before the bird expires on July 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT, and you’ll save up to $300.
Disrupt 2020 will occur on September 14-18 — five full days of exploration, exhibition, education and connection. No matter your role in the startup universe, you’ll see innovative technologies, learn new skills, discover new resources, share ideas and network with people who can help your business move to the next level and beyond. And it all happens on a global scale.
A Digital PRO Pass is your ticket to everything Disrupt offers, including CrunchMatch, our AI-powered networking platform. Based on a profile you create, CrunchMatch makes short work of finding and connecting you with people who share your business goals. The newly upgraded algorithm makes faster, more precise matches, and it gets smarter the more you use it.
It’s the perfect tool to help you meet Disrupt attendees from around the world. Use it as you explore hundreds of cutting-edge early-stage startups exhibiting in Digital Startup Alley. Meet founders, view product demos and uncover the latest innovations.
Want more? Okay — schedule 1:1 video meetings with potential investors and customers, showcase your innovative products, host private roundtable events or interview prospective employees.
I used CrunchMatch to schedule meetings, and the digital aspect made connecting easier. It helped me stay organized, meet people and still have time to take in a piece of everything at Disrupt. — JC Bodson, founder and CEO of Arbitrage Technologies.
If you like specifics, your Digital PRO Pass lets you view content from multiple stages as it happens, and it provides replays on demand. Our growing speaker roster includes top investors, founders and experts from across the startup ecosystem.
This is not a passive experience, folks. You get to engage with what’s happening while it’s happening. Ask questions and participate in polling during live-streamed sessions.
Don’t miss Startup Battlefield as this year’s cohort of extraordinary startups competes virtually for glory, massive media attention, investor affection and, of course, $100,000 in equity-free cash. Nothing virtual about those benefits, no ma’am.
Disrupt 2020 takes place from September 14-18, but you have less than two weeks to reap the lowest price. Choose the early bird’s smaller bill. Buy your pass before July 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT, and use the $300 savings to feather your nest.
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Zoom founder and CEO Eric Yuan will speak at Disrupt 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has bruised and battered many technology startups, but it has also boosted a small few. One such company is Zoom, which has shouldered the task of keeping us connected to one another in the midst of remote work and social distancing.
So, of course, we’re absolutely thrilled to have the chance to chat with Zoom founder and CEO Eric Yuan at Disrupt 2020 online.
Yuan moved to Silicon Valley in 1997 after being rejected for a work visa nine times. He got a job at WebEx and, upon the company’s acquisition by Cisco, became VP of Engineering at the company. He pitched an idea for a mobile-friendly video conferencing system that was rejected by his higher-ups.
And thus, Zoom was born.
Zoom launched in 2011 and quickly became one of the biggest teleconferencing platforms in the world, competing with the likes of Google and Cisco. The company has investors like Emergence, Horizon Ventures and Sequoia, and ultimately filed to go public in 2019.
With some of the most reliable video conferencing software on the market, a tiered pricing structure that’s friendly to average users and massive enterprises alike, and a lively ecosystem of apps and bots on the Zoom App Marketplace, Zoom was well poised to be a public company. In fact, Zoom popped 81% in its first day of trading on the Nasdaq, garnering a valuation of $16 billion at the time.
But few could have prepared the company for the explosive growth it would see in 2020.
The coronavirus pandemic necessitated access to reliable and user-friendly video conferencing software for everyone, not just companies moving to remote work. People used Zoom for family dinners, cocktail hours with friends, first dates and religious gatherings.
In fact, Zoom reported 300 million daily active participants in April.
But that growth led to increased scrutiny of the business and the product. The company was beset by security issues and had to pause product innovation to focus its energy on resolving those issues.
We’ll talk to Yuan about the growing pains the company went through, his plans for Zoom’s future, the acceleration in changing user behavior and more.
It’ll be a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Disrupt 2020 runs from September 14 to September 18, and the show will be completely virtual. That means it’s easier than ever to attend and engage with the show. There are just a few Digital Pro Passes left at the $245 price — once they are gone, prices will increase. Discounts are available for current students and nonprofit/government employees. Or if you are a founder, you can exhibit at your virtual booth for $445 and be able to generate leads even before the event kicks off. Get your tickets today.
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Airtable’s Howie Liu to join us at Disrupt 2020
Collaborative enterprise software is absolutely booming, and Airtable is riding that wave in a very real way.
The company, which offers a flexible, collaborative database product, has raised more than $170 million in funding from investors like CRV, Benchmark, Coatue Management and Thrive Capital. So it should come as no surprise that we’re simply thrilled to have Airtable co-founder and CEO Howie Liu join us at Disrupt 2020.
Liu went to Duke University before starting his first company, eTacts, which was an automated CRM system that received investment from the founders of YouTube, Powerset and Delicious, as well as investors like Ron Conway and Ashton Kutcher.
Liu then went on to lead the social CRM product for Salesforce before leaving to set his own course once again with Airtable .
Airtable was founded back in 2012 with a broad mission of democratizing software. At its essence, Airtable is a relational database. Laymen can think of it as a Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel on steroids, but it actually goes much deeper than that.
Software is built on data — organized data, to be exact — and while many of us can compile and organize data into a spreadsheet, few can make it sing its way to a software product. Airtable aims to make that possible for anyone, even a non-developer.
That said, the company faces several hurdles. Airtable is a product that can be used in many, many ways, from tracking sales goals to organizing product road maps to managing workflows. With this type of open-ended product, it can be difficult to educate the end-user on how to make the most of it, or how to use it to begin with.
We’ll talk with Liu about how to build a very complex product in the most user-friendly way possible. We’ll also ask him about the state of enterprise software sales at a time when most large companies are freezing or decreasing spending, the future of no- and low-code software and how he thinks about hyper-growth.
Disrupt is all virtual in 2020 and runs September 14 to September 18, and we have several Digital Pass options to be part of the action or to exhibit virtually, which you can check out here.
Liu joins a stellar roster of speakers, including Roelof Botha, Cyan Banister, Charles Hudson and Mike Cannon-Brookes, with more speakers to be announced soon!
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Render announces object storage service at TechCrunch Disrupt
It was a big day for startup Render, which participated in the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield today. It also announced some upgrades to its managed cloud platform.
First of all, it announced the ability to spin up object storage in the cloud, while greatly simplifying the tasks associated with adding storage. CEO and founder Anurag Goel says that the storage option is something customers have been requesting, and as with their other services, they handle a lot of the heavy lifting for them.
“One of the things that our users want us to do next is to build out object storage. Even though they can use things like Amazon S3 and other cloud storage options, they know that Render is going to be easier for them to use. So they really want object storage, and they want everything in one place,” Goel explained.
If you want to do that today without Render, you would have to spin up a virtual machine in the cloud, attach the storage, set up backup schedules and take care of all of these other associated tasks, and what Render is doing with Render Disk is stripping that all away and managing the process for them.
While the startup was at it, it also developed a concept called infrastructure as code. This allows developers to define their infrastructure requirements in a YAML file. When the developer sends the file to GitHub, Render can build the infrastructure for the customer on the fly based on the contents of this file.
Finally, they are offering a one-click launch to customers. This could come in handy for companies that are offering free trials or open-source tools to enable users to launch their applications with a single click from GitHub and it will load all of the required files.
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Prices increase tonight on passes to Disrupt SF 2019
This is it, the final day the super-early-bird is hanging out at TechCrunch dispensing serious savings on passes to Disrupt San Francisco 2019. Once the clock ticks onto 11:59 p.m. (PT) tonight, the bird flies off to parts unknown. The known part? Ticket prices go up.
Disrupt events provide outstanding ROI at any price. But seriously folks, why pay more? Prices start at $145 and, depending on the pass you buy, you can save up to $1,800. Buy your pass today — before the deadline hits.
One more thing about money. We, like most startuppers, are seriously budget-conscious, so we’ve created a payment plan option that lets you spread your payments over time. Simply select that option during checkout.
On to the main event. San Francisco — the home of the startup culture and spirit, and TC’s flagship Disrupt conference. More than 10,000 attendees — founders, investors, engineers, makers designers, students and 400 media outlets — will settle in for three jam-packed wild and woolly days of startup goodness.
The TechCrunch Hackathon is back in full force, with 800 participants raring to build something new out of nothing in 24 hours. They’ll compete to create working solutions to real-world challenges put forth by an array of sponsors. Each challenge offers its own cash and prizes, and TechCrunch will also award one team a $10,000 cash prize for the best overall hack.
Don’t miss the Startup Battlefield, with its hefty $100,000 cash prize. If you think your early-stage startup has what it takes to step onto the Main Stage and compete against some of the best, get moving now and apply. The deadline expires on June 25th at 11:59 p.m. (PT). Apply right now!
There’s more than one way to step into the Disrupt spotlight. Apply to be in our TC Top Picks program. Up to five early-stage startups will be selected to represent each of these categories: AI/Machine Learning, Biotech/Healthtech, Blockchain, Fintech, Mobility, Privacy/Security, Retail/E-commerce, Robotics/IoT/Hardware, SaaS and Social Impact & Education.
If selected, you’ll receive a free Startup Alley Exhibitor Package and an interview with a TechCrunch editor on the Showcase Stage.
There’s so much more to Disrupt — a heady lineup of speakers, Q&A Sessions, workshops, demos, world-class networking and CrunchMatch to help make connecting easier than ever. What are you waiting for?
The clock is ticking on super-early-bird savings to Disrupt San Francisco 2019 on October 2-4. The deadline expires tonight at precisely 11:59 p.m. (PT). Be kind to your bottom line and buy your pass to Disrupt right now.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt San Francisco 2019? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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