Author: Neesha A. Tambe

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Take your shot: Apply to TC Top Picks at Disrupt SF 2020

TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco is known around the world as the place where the early-stage startup community gathers to learn and launch, connect and collaborate. We know COVID-19 has created challenges, but Disrupt SF is still on schedule (keep tabs on our updates here). Like startup founders everywhere, we quickly learn where, when and how to pivot. Case in point, check out our new Disrupt Digital Pass option.

In the current climate, it’s even more important to get the focus of investors and customers on your startup. And your chance to do just that goes down on September 14-16, 2020. But did you know there’s a way that founders can extract even more opportunity from their Disrupt experience — for free?

Apply to be a TC Top Pick. It doesn’t cost anything to apply or participate, and you’re welcome to apply if your early-stage startup falls into one of these categories:

Artificial Intelligence + Machine Learning, Biotech + Healthtech, Enterprise + SaaS, Fintech, Mobility, Retail + E-commerce, Robotics, Hardware + IOT, Security + Privacy, Social Impact + Education, and Space.

TechCrunch editors will review every application and select up to three startups they feel represent the very best in each category. Check out who we chose as TC Top Picks at Disrupt SF 2019.

Making the cut won’t be easy, but you have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain. For starters, every TC Top Pick startup receives a free Startup Alley Exhibitor Package and a VIP experience. You’ll exhibit for one full day in a prime, dedicated space in Startup Alley, our expo floor. Plus, you receive three complimentary Founder passes — you and your team can experience more of Disrupt’s extensive programming and networking opportunities.

Keep in mind that everyone at Disrupt wants to know who made the coveted Top Picks list. You’ll stand in a bright, metaphorical spotlight and draw attention from ardent investors, media looking for great stories, potential customers, could-be collaborators and, well, you just don’t know where a connection can lead you.

Don’t just take our word for it. Take it from one of your own.

“Earning a TC Top Pick is an awesome experience for an early-stage startup. As we grow bigger, we look forward to saying that our roots go back to TechCrunch Disrupt. Companies like Trello and Dropbox share the Disrupt pedigree. It’s a big deal, and I feel privileged to be part of that group.” — Joel Neidig, founder of SIMBA Chain.

We haven’t mentioned your live interview yet. Say what? Yup. A TechCrunch editor interviews every Top Pick — live on the Showcase Stage. We’ll record each interview, edit the video and promote it across our social media platforms. It’ll be yours to use as an impressive conversation starter with investors and customers. Again, take it from Joel Neidig.

“Our live interview with the TechCrunch editor was one of the best Top Pick perks. It’s an awesome long-term marketing tool.”

If you want to showcase your early-stage startup to the industry’s most influential movers, shakers, thinkers and makers, apply to be a TC Top Pick at TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2020. You have nothing to lose — take your shot and buckle up for the ride of your startup life.

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

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

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Compete in Startup Battlefield and Launch at Disrupt SF 2020

Early-stage founders: don’t miss your chance to follow in the footsteps of tech giants. We know COVID19 has created challenges for startup founders, but fear not. Disrupt SF is still proceeding as scheduled with a Disrupt Digital Pass Virtual option. Launch your startup in the world’s most famous pitch competition, Startup Battlefield. The smackdown goes down live on the Main Stage at Disrupt San Francisco 2020 on Sept. 14 – 16. Want a shot at $100,000 and the Disrupt Cup? Fill out your application to compete right here.

Companies such as FitBit, Cloudflare, Mint.com, Dropbox, Vurb, Yammer and Get Around — to name but a few — trace their origins to the Battlefield competition. This Startup Battlefield Alumni Community — 902 companies strong and counting — have collectively raised $9 billion and produced more than 115 successful exits (IPOs or acquisitions). That’s some impressive company to keep. Why not join their ranks?

Here’s how Startup Battlefield works. First, you apply. (Pro tip: applying and competing in the Battlefield is free and TechCrunch does not take any equity). Next, TechCrunch’s Battlefield-savvy editorial team pours over every application looking for approximately 20 startups to pitch on the Main Stage.

The TechCrunch team will put all participants through rigorous, weeks-long training to hone pitches, business models, presentation skills and any other startup issues that require tightening. You’ll be in fighting trim and ready to step out onto the Main Stage.

Teams have just six minutes to pitch and present a live demo to a panel expert judges. After each pitch, the judges (we’re talking folks like Cyan Banister, Kirsten Green, Aileen Lee, Alfred Lin and Roelof Botha) will put each team through a Q&A. No flop-sweat here, thanks to all those weeks of pitch coaching.

The judges will select anywhere from four to six teams to advance to the finals. And that means another pitch and Q&A in front of a fresh set of judges. The winning team takes home $100,000, the coveted Disrupt Cup, and they bask in a spotlight of media and investor attention. Startup Battlefield can be a life-changing experience for all competitors — not just the ultimate winner.

The action takes place in front of an enthusiastic audience of thousands. Plus, we live-stream the entire event on TechCrunch.com, once you sign up for the digital pass. If all that’s not enough, consider this. Startup Battlefield competitors receive a VIP Disrupt experience.

You’ll have access to private VIP events like the Startup Battlefield Reception, and each team receives four complimentary event tickets. You get to exhibit at the show for all three days, and you’ll have access to CrunchMatch, TC’s investor-founder networking platform. And you also get a complimentary ticket to all future TC events and free subscriptions to Extra Crunch.

Whew. That’s a whole lot of opportunity and exposure. So, what are you waiting for? Disrupt San Francisco 2020 takes place on Sept. 14 – 16. Apply to compete in Startup Battlefield for a shot at launching your dream to the world.

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

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

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Applications for TC Pitch Night: Mobility 2020 are now open

Founders: it’s time to get moving. On May 13, the night before TC Sessions: Mobility 2020, TechCrunch is hosting a private Pitch Night for mobility-focused startups. We’re looking to feature 10 early-stage mobility startups that are breaking barriers in the industry.

TechCrunch is always on the hunt for the most disruptive tech in the industry, and this time our spotlight is shining on mobility.

The line-up for TC Sessions: Mobility 2020 is lit. We’ve got the major players, from Boris Sofman of Waymo and Nancy Sun of Ike to Trucks VC’s Reilly Brennan, Shin-pei Tsay, director of policy for cities and Transportation at Uber and Jody Kelman, who heads the self-driving platform at Lyft’s Level 5 program.

Now we want to select the early-stage startups, the underdogs, to pitch with TechCrunch. We’re on the lookout for startups that have a relevant impact on mobility, including micromobility, large-scale fleet management software, flying cars, autonomous vehicle technology, sensors, mapping and battery tech.

How does it work?

Apply here with a demo video of your hardware or software working. TechCrunch editorial will read every application and select the top 10 companies to feature at Pitch Night on May 13, and provide complimentary tickets to the Mobility 2020 main event. Companies will be pitching in front of VCs, TC editors, industry leaders from across the states and a panel of expert judges.

The judges will then select the top five, yes FIVE companies, to pitch on the main stage at TC Sessions: Mobility 2020 in front of more than a thousand attendees and the industry’s top experts and innovators. The deadline to apply is April 8. Selections will occur on a rolling basis, so get your application in ASAP.

The top 10 selected companies will receive two complimentary main event tickets, an hour training with the Startup Battlefield Editor and a chance to participate in CrunchMatch: TC’s Meeting Matching Program. So, what are you waiting for? Get a move on and apply today. 

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Apply to be a TC Top Pick at Disrupt SF 2020

If you’re an early-stage startup founder with a big vision and even bigger dreams, join us and more than 10,000 other like-minded startuppers at TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2020 on September 14-16. Silicon Valley’s premiere early-stage startup extravaganza focuses on founders, investors and startup experts determined to disrupt and reshape technology.

Attending is awesome but attending and exhibiting at Disrupt — for free — is even better. What magic is this? No hocus-pocus required. Simply apply to our TC Top Picks program. Applying is also free, and it’s easy to do. However, earning that coveted Top Pick designation — not so easy.

TechCrunch editors have a keen eye for the qualities that translate into serious startup success. They’ll thoroughly review every application and then choose up to five stellar startups for each of the following categories.

AI, BioTech + HealthTech, Enterprise/SAAS, FinTech, Mobility, Retail + ecommerce, Robotics + Hardware IOT, Security/Privacy, Social Impact + Education, Space

Pro tip: Keep the phrase “up to five” in mind. If the editors feel only three startups fit the bill for any given category, they’ll stop at three.

Now that you know how to apply, let’s talk about why you should apply. Every Top Pick startup receives a free Startup Alley Exhibitor Package. As a Top Pick VIP, you’ll strut your impressive stuff for a full day in a prime location in Startup Alley, our exhibition floor. The package also includes three complimentary Founder passes to Disrupt SF 2020 — bring your crew and make the most of your time at the show.

Thousands of people, including investors and tech media, pour through Startup Alley, and everyone wants to know who made the Top Pick cut. You’ll reap invaluable exposure to potential customers, partners, mentors and again…investors. Who doesn’t love investors?

Here’s what Francisco Serra-Martins, founder of Australia-based Sonder Designs, says about his Top Pick experience.

“Being a TC Top Pick at Disrupt San Francisco not only helped us close out an additional $1 million investment for our seed round, it was an incredible opportunity to introduce our technology to an international community and to engage with the San Francisco startup ecosystem.”

One of the most exciting parts of earning a Top Pick designation is the media exposure. Hundreds of top media outlets attend Disrupt, and they’re all looking for great stories. And, drum roll please, your media experience also includes being interviewed by a TechCrunch editor live on the Showcase Stage.

We record the interview, edit the video and blast it across our social media networks. It’s a valuable marketing tool that you can use long after Disrupt ends.

Intrigued? Want to know more? Check out who we chose as TC Top Picks at Disrupt SF 2019.

TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2020 takes place on September 14-16 at Moscone West. Take a chance and apply to be a TC Top Pick. If you’re not quite there yet, that’s OK. Come to Disrupt and learn from the best minds in the startup ecosystem. Buy an early-bird ticket here and save up to $1,800.

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

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Startup Battlefield applications for TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2020 are now open

Founders – it’s time to launch your company on the most famous stage in tech media. Startup Battlefield applications are now open. TechCrunch is scouring the globe to find the most innovative and game-changing startups to compete for the famous Disrupt Cup and a $100,000 equity-free prize at Disrupt San Francisco 2020. Startups will gain the attention of over 10,000 conference attendees, investors from around the world, global media coverage – all live streamed to the entire world.

How does it work? Startups must be early stage, with an MVP, and little to no major press. Companies can represent any geography and any industry provided that there is a tech component either via software, hardware or platform. From construction tech to biotech, consumer product goods to enterprise SaaS solution, Startup Battlefield has featured the full spectrum of early stage tech startups.

Apply. Fill out this application, with a demo of your product. The application, training and competition are all free. TC takes zero fees or equity in the companies that we launch. Every application is reviewed by the TechCrunch editorial team and the top startups are selected to pitch at the main stage at Disrupt SF 2020 in front of the industry’s most influential people.

Train. Companies selected to pitch at Startup Battlefield receive intensive training over several weeks with the Startup Battlefield team. Contestants will sharpen their pitches, hone their business models, expand their presentation skill set and finesse their live demos.

Attend. Startup Battlefield founders will get VIP treatment at TechCrunch Disrupt SF with access to private VIP events, backstage and more. Each team will receive four complimentary event tickets, exhibition space on the main show floor for all three days, inclusion in CrunchMatch, TC’s investor-founder matching system and a private Startup Battlefield Reception. Battlefield founders will also receive a complimentary ticket to all future TC events, access to the alumni network and free subscriptions to Extra Crunch.

Pitch. Approximately 20 startups will be selected for the main stage pitch. Each company will present on stage for six minutes, with a live demo, followed by a Q&A with our elite panel of judges. Past judges include Cyan Banister, Kirsten Green, Aileen Lee, Alfred Lin, Roelof Botha and more. The pitch is live-streamed on TechCrunch.com for the world to see. After the first round, 4-6 companies will be selected to pitch in the final round in front of a new panel of judges. The judges will select the winner, who will receive a big check for $100,000, the Disrupt cup and the attention of investors and press from around the world.

The Startup Battlefield Alumni Community. Become a part of an elite community of founders from companies like Cloudflare, Mint.com, Dropbox, Vurb, Get Around and more. Don’t just take our work for it! The numbers speak for themselves. Startup Battlefield Alumni have raised $9 billion and produced over 115 successful exits (IPOs or acquisitions).

So don’t wait. Step into the spotlight. Apply now.

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Announcing the TC Pitch Night: Robotics + AI startups

The night before the Robotics + AI event at UC Berkeley, TechCrunch is hosting a private Pitch Night, featuring innovative startups in robotics and artificial intelligence. After reviewing hundreds of applications, TechCrunch selected the early stage startups below to pitch in front of industry executives, TC writers and our expert panel of judges – Brian Heater (TC’s own Hardware Editor), Aaron Jacobson (NEA), Jennifer Roberts (Grit Ventures) and Rob Coneybeer (Shasta Ventures).

Founders will pitch in front of the crowd followed by a tough Q&A from the judges. After all companies have pitched, the judges will select the top 5 teams to demo on stage at the main event on March 3rd – TC Sessions: Robotics + AI.

Check out the featured companies here:

AirWorks
Augean Robotics
BlinkAI Technologies
KEWAZO GmbH
Olis Robotics
RoboTire
SLAMcore
Tombot
Valyant AI

To see the startups pitching at the main event, book your $345 General Admission ticket today and save $50 before prices go up at the door. But no one likes going to events alone. Why not bring the whole team? Groups of four or more save 15% on tickets when you book here.