Attendee Info
Event Overview
TechCrunch Disrupt is a 3-day conference focused on breaking technology news and developments with big-name thought leaders who are making waves in the industry. At the heart of Disrupt lies the Startup Battlefield 200 – two hundred hand-picked, early-stage startups exhibiting at this year’s event to showcase their latest developments and innovations, 20 of which will be selected as finalists to compete for a $100,000 grand prize on the Disrupt Stage. Throughout the event are activations, roundtables, and parties that drive networking and discovery within the tech ecosystem.
Badge Pick-Up & Registration Hours
Oct 17 – Moscone West Lobby | Early Badge Pickup | 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Oct 18 – Moscone West Lobby | 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Oct 19 – Moscone West Lobby | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Oct 20 – Moscone West Lobby | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Please bring your ticket and a government-issued photo ID to pick up your badge. Please also bring proof of COVID vaccination. Name on badge/ticket must match the name on ID. You cannot pick up a badge for another attendee.
Need to change info/name on a ticket before checking in? Scroll down for further directions.
Hotels
We have secured discounted rates at a wide selection of hotels just for you! These hotels have the guaranteed lowest rate plus you’ll get concessions such as complementary wi-fi, waived facility fee and much more!
And the best part is your card won’t be charged at the time of reservation so you can lock in these low rates right away!
When booking your hotel through the portal, in the dropdown menu labelled “please select your guest type”, please select ‘attendee” as your option.
BOOK MY HOTEL
TechCrunch Events Mobile & Web Networking Platform
TechCrunch Events mobile networking platform for Disrupt is now available. If you’ve previously downloaded the app version, please delete it and re-download to get the latest update.
App Store:
Search for “TechCrunch Events & Sessions” – download here
Google Play Store
Search for “TechCrunch Events” – download here
FOR INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES: The TechCrunch Events Mobile App is only available in the US Apple App store & Google Play store. If you are international, you will need to create a US-based Apple or Google account to be able to download and use the mobile app. Alternatively, you can use the in-browser version.
Web App:
The web version of the app is available here
How to Activate Your Profile:
Look for an email in your inbox “Time to log into TechCrunch Disrupt 2022” and follow the directions
How to Use The Networking Platform:
Request Meetings
COVID Vaccination & Mask Policy
You must be fully-vaccinated for entry. Boosters are strongly recommended as well as local regulations could change to require this in the future. Vaccination check will happen before you are allowed to enter the event. Masks are highly recommended while at the event and we recommend you take a self-test before attending. We will communicate any changes to this policy or specific local/venue specific requirements as we get closer to the event to ensure everyone understands the health requirements for attendance. If you do indeed contract COVID prior to the event and cannot attend, please email events@techcrunch.com with a copy of your proctored-PCR test to discuss your options.
Cancellations, Transfers and Registration Policies
I Want To Upgrade My Expo-Only or Online-Only Pass
Please email us at events@techcrunch.com and we will be more than happy upgrade your Pass at the current rate of whichever pass type you’re interested in. The Expo Pass is the most limited-access pass on site and does not get your entry into the Disrupt Stage, TC+ Stage, nor full Disrupt App features.
How to transfer a ticket
If you need to transfer a ticket follow the Manage Your Registration link from your Disrupt confirmation email. You have until October 17 to transfer a ticket.
You can transfer your pass to another person before the conference starts by following the Manage Your Registration link on your Disrupt confirmation email. Once the conference begins on October 18, this functionality will be disabled and you will need to visit the help desk at Moscone West. Once a badge is printed, we cannot transfer the badge/ticket to another person.
Update information on your ticket
To update the information on your ticket click the Manage Your Registration link on your confirmation email. The information provided on your ticket will need to match your government-issued photo Identification Card and the information provided will be used on your badge during the event.
Names on Tickets & Names on Badges
Please note that it is TechCrunch policy that the name on attendees’ printed badge should match the name on the person’s government photo issued ID. Nicknames or abbreviations are acceptable.
Once a badge is printed, we cannot change the name on the badge beyond fixing spelling errors or changing for a nickname.
Cancellations & Transfers
Select passes are eligible for a 50% refund if the cancellation request is made via email to events@techcrunch.com by no later than August 1, 2022 at 11:59pm PT.
Lost Badge Policy
Lost name badges at the conference are subject to a $150 replacement fee. Make sure you keep track of your badge at all times as this policy is non-negotiable.
Locating Your Ticket:
If you’re having trouble locating your ticket, search for “Disrupt 2022” in your inbox/spam/trash/promotions folder. If you’re still having trouble locating your ticket, please email events@techcrunch.com
Badge & Ticket FAQs
Is there early badge pickup?
Yes, on Oct 17 from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Moscone West.
Can I bring a printed ticket or mobile ticket to registration check in?
Yes, we accept tickets at registration in both printed versions on paper and digital versions on mobile phone.
I lost my badge, what do I do!?
Please head to the help desk at Disrupt. Please note there is a reprint fee is applied to all lost badges.
Can I share my badge with someone else?
No, all badges are to be used by one single person and cannot be shared among multiple people or teams. IDs will be checked at the door to match names to name badges each day.
There’s a mistake on my badge – can I fix it?
Yes, outside of name changes to another person, visit the help desk for misspelling and other errors.
I want to change the name on my badge to someone else – can I do that?
No, once a badge is printed and has been used you cannot change the name on the badge.
Do you offer single-day or partial-day badges?
No.
What is the refund policy for Disrupt passes?
All purchases are NON-REFUNDABLE as the deadline for refunds was August 1, 2022.
A sponsor/exhibitor wants to “scan my badge”. What does that mean?
By providing your badge to a sponsor/exhibitor at a TechCrunch event to be scanned, you are expressly consenting to providing your registration data to that sponsor. From that point on, the attendee’s personal data shared will use such data in accordance with each individual sponsor’s Privacy Policy.
Location & Getting Around
Located in the urban heart of San Francisco’s SoMa district, The Moscone West Center is easily accessible by transit for Disrupt attendees.
Moscone West
800 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
at the corner of Fourth & Howard streets
Rideshare
We highly recommend attendees to take a rideshare service to Moscone West. Here’s some helpful information about getting around San Francisco.
Public Transit
BART offers fast, convenient regional service and MUNI Metro provides light rail service throughout the City. To reach Moscone North & South, take BART or MUNI to Montgomery station. To reach Moscone West, take BART or MUNI to Powell station.
Caltrain offers a frequent schedule into the nearby station at 4th & Townsend Streets. All of these stations are within a few minutes’ walk of The Moscone Center.
Ferries offer transport between San Francisco and cities located across the San Francisco Bay’s waters. The San Francisco Bay Ferry provides weekday, weekend, holiday, and seasonal services to nine terminal locations around the Bay including Alameda, Oakland, and Vallejo. From San Francisco’s Ferry Terminal riders can connect to surface and subway options taking them to The Moscone Center.
Parking around The Moscone Center
The Moscone Center does not have on-site parking. For information about parking around The Moscone Center, please click here.
Food & Beverage
Food and beverage is available for purchase through Moscone’s on-site food kiosks. Additionally, Moscone West is surrounded by restaurants. You can see a list here of nearby restaurants to plan your meal schedule and enjoy the local cuisine of San Francisco.
Outside food and beverages are NOT allowed in the venue. This includes coffee/tea/water from outside vendors.
WHERE TO DINE
Agenda
Disrupt runs from October 18 – 20 at Moscone West.
- Disrupt Stage:
1:1 Interviews, high-profile demos, Startup Battlefield Competition - Expo Hall
Check out Battlefield 200 companies and awesome sponsor booths - TechCrunch Plus Stage:
In-depth panel discussions, Founder How-Tos, Partner Sessions, demos, and more - Showcase Stage (located in Expo Hall):
Startup demos and pitches - Breakout Sessions
Vertical-Focused talks, Q&A, and Partner Sessions - Discovery Stage
Hear the latest from innovative partners and speaker Q&As - Roundtables:
Deep-dive on topics that matter to you in a small-group setting - Networking:
Disrupt Event App matching and speed networking, receptions, partner parties, and Dinner for 6
October 17th
Early Badge Pickup
Women of Tech(Crunch)
Network and connect with female founders & investors attending Disrupt over cocktails and appetizers. BY INVITATION ONLY
October 18th
Registration Open Hours
Startup Battlefield 200 Sneak Peek
Get your exclusive opportunity to network with the Startup Battlefield 200 founders and get a head-start on identifying the next crop of unicorns.OPEN TO INVESTOR TICKET TYPES ONLY
How To Build Your Early VC Network: Turning Social Capital Into Financial Capital
If you haven’t heard of Nik, Josh or Gefen, where have you been? They are founders that are not only building very interesting companies but have taken a forward approach toward making noise on social media. We want to dive into how being a public person can help founders build a future public company. This should be a panel that will be not only informative but also lots of fun.
How to Supercharge Growth, Utilize Cloud, and Reduce Burn @ Breakout Session #2
Building and running a startup has become even more daunting and challenging. How can you build fast while also managing your burn in the current investment landscape? Come hear from successful startups as they discuss:– Personal stories and battle scars in the journey to accelerate scale– Managing volatility and the unknown in a changing investment landscape– The importance of metrics and being smart about how and where you build– Solutions for Bootstrap, Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A startups and how you can get support and scale up
The Great Expectations of Crypto and Blockchain @ Breakout Session #1
The “crypto winter” has sparked debate about the real-world use cases of crypto and blockchain. For the technology to reach its full potential and become truly transformational for consumers and businesses, we need to focus on building useful solutions with viable business models and prioritizing interoperability, transparency, accessibility, user experience and inclusion.Join the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) and MoneyGram in an important conversation around the current challenges and opportunities in the crypto and blockchain space, as well as a first-of-its-kind solution that creates a bridge between the cash and crypto economies through a global on/off-ramp service for digital wallets.
Live Pitch Session
HypeFeast: How Hype Fuels the Economy and the Unique Opportunity Startups Have to Take Advantage @ Roundtable #1
We can’t escape “hype.” When we look to the past 30+ years, to the likes of the Beanie Baby craze, the anticipation surrounding Y2K, and our obsession with crypto and NFTs, it’s clear that we’ve become obsessed. And startups especially are known for tapping into our penchant for hype, using techniques like manufactured scarcity to stimulate desire for products. But have companies inflated “hype” to be bigger than the products themselves? At what cost? Is there a better way to harness the power of hype? At this roundtable SYLVAIN Founder and CEO Alain Sylvain, will argue that consumers are the ones who create the hype — brands and their founders just plant the seeds. He’ll discuss a framework for cultivating consumer hype in effective and sustainable ways. And through open discussion, founders will be encouraged to share their experiences with the highs and lows of hype in order to learn from each other.
Marc’s Lore
Billionaire Marc Lore sold his startup to an everything store, twice. After inking deals with Amazon and Walmart, the Quidsi and Jet.com co-founder has launched Wonder, tackling a common problem, food delivery, in an unconventional way.
My Daughter the Cyborg @ Roundtable #3
In a world of self-driving cars and reusable rockets, we have the technological capability to step-change human health. Marrying human to machine is the next great technological frontier, and for CIONIC Founder Jeremiah Robison a mission that is driven by his daughter’s mobility disability. CIONIC is a bionic clothing company revolutionizing human augmentation, and has created a soft, wearable robot that looks and feels like an athletic legging. It uses AI and Functional Electrical Stimulation to literally move someone’s leg for them. Participants at this roundtable will learn where to begin when innovating at the frontier of human and machine, how to scale a product that’s never before existed, and peek into the future of augmented human mobility.
Three Ways to Leapfrog Your Competition Using Quantum Computing – Without a PhD
Quantum computing is everywhere you look – in mainstream press, tech news, investor newsletters. It’s described as transformational and disruptive; the quantum revolution is coming, and you’re told you will be left behind if you don’t get ahead. But how can someone without a PhD in quantum physics or an organization far from quantum computing research benefit? In this session we’ll give an accessible overview of quantum computing and outline three simple steps for anyone to take advantage of this transformational new technology – no PhD required!
Bankrolling the Blockchain with a16z Crypto
Venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is the largest and one of the best-known funding sources for web3 startups. Alongside a16z founder Marc Andreessen, general partner Chris Dixon has been integral to the firm’s rise as a giant in the crypto VC world — he was an early investor in startups including Coinbase, Uniswap and Oculus VR. Hear from Dixon about how a16z crypto is putting its massive $7.6 billion pool of capital to work by backing early-stage web3 companies.
From IPO Frenzies to Delays: What’s Changing with Equity @ Roundtable #6
The cooling IPO market and changing workforce have founders reshaping their views on how to structure equity compensation plans, provide liquidity to employees, and use equity to attract and retain talent. We’ll have an honest discussion about the shifting dynamics, today’s challenging environment, and ways to address it head-on.
Turning Start-Up Acquisitions into Success for Legacy Business
Hear from leaders at CDK Global — a standard-bearer of automotive retail software — on why the need to look outside a company for new ideas should be seen as a clear benefit and not a detractor to its core business…and employees. Legacy businesses have deep roots in their respective industries, but acquisitions allow new branches of service and product to sprout in new directions. How can you identify a partner that will allow your start-up to fuel similar growth?
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable #5
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to the biggest players in healthcare: payors and health systems? In this session we will discuss the pain points of getting into healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors to these organizations for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this round table discussion with a list of best practices from InterSystems’ 40+ years in the healthcare industry.
How Will I Know? How to Pick the Right Time (and Way) to Launch From Stealth Mode @ Roundtable #2
So, you have a product (or an idea), you’ve got Angels and some early customers, and now you’re thinking about launching. When? And, how? It’s tempting to want to launch ASAP, and lots of companies take that plunge. We took a different approach to launch. We went against the grain by challenging ourselves to be storytellers, building a culture we could be proud of, and selling while in stealth mode. The world shifted in 2020 and so did our strategy. Like lots of early-stage companies, we had to think fast and place some early bets on our go-to-market strategy. We’ll talk about the lessons we learned, how we set goals, built infrastructure, and thought about growing from a 4-person company to a 40-person company, and what we would do differently. Join us for a roundtable discussion with fellow Founders who went against the grain and took a different approach to launch their companies from stealth mode.
Starting Early: The How-tos of Investing in Student Founders @ Roundtable #4
Melissa will be speaking about the importance of investing in student founders to rescue the future of tech — namely: closing the persistent gender and diversity gap, geographic inequalities and network asymmetries facing founders. At this roundtable we’ll discuss: – Why universities are a crucial touchpoint for transforming representation and diversity & inclusion across VC and startups;– Ways to structure university-based or alumni-focused mentoring programs and accelerators/incubators, to uplift diverse founders and promote a range of business types;– Ways to structure campus-first initiatives like seed funds, alumni angel groups or crowdfunded small business loan programs, to place emerging tech hub cities and growing local ecosystems on the map.
Meet the Speaker: How to Build Your Early VC network
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
Building the Visual Economy Through Developer-Led Innovation
Over the last decade and accelerated by the pandemic, a huge part of the economy has shifted online driven mainly by technological advancements that offer comparable and even better online visual experiences than the physical ones. Unlike shifts that have been driven by executive leadership, this one has been driven by developers and entrepreneurs that have led the way in adopting cutting edge practices. Learn how developer driven innovation through approaches like API-first, headless, and composable architectures can help you engage better, faster and more effectively with your customers.
How To Secure Those Hard To Find Hires
Hiring is not easy even in the best of times. With a tight tech talent market and an increasingly remote-friendly — and therefore globally competitive — corporate landscape, founders have never had more places to hire from and more competitors to measure up against. So we’re going to have Chris Herd from Firstbase who is an advocate for remote work and Emil Yeargin, VP of Talent at Gusto, which is not only hiring itself but also helps other companies manage their staff. And Janine O’Neill from Sequoia who knows a thing or not about hiring for startups. We’ll go deep on hiring today with an especial focus on hard-to-fill roles.
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000.
The CPO-to-CEO Pipeline @ Roundtable #8
The product function has never been as important as it is today. As we see it continuously evolve and expand in importance, are product leaders poised to develop into the next generation of CEOs? Join a discussion with advisors who offer their expertise in evaluating future CEOs, hearing how other product leaders have made this transition. Additionally, compare notes with others on what this trend, along with the expanding mandate of the product role, could mean for the function.
What Happens When We Don’t Have Diverse Voices in the Room to Help Shape the Future? @ Breakout Session #1
Wemimo Abbey, the diverse co-founder behind Esusu, shares the Inspirational story behind his innovative startup and the challenges he and his co-founder faced along the way. As minorities, they encountered unique challenges, and with the help of J.P. Morgan, the founders overcame them to ultimately reach their goals. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion isn’t just a check in the box, why is it so important? In this session we will discuss the benefits of including minority voices in startups and how to ensure DEI.
Finding True Love in Tech Partnerships: The Dos and Don’ts @ Breakout Session #2
In a world with thousands of specialized start-ups and companies, how do you select the ones that will best complement your needs, and support your business as it scales? Join us as Stash, Mambu, Marqeta, Mastercard, Stride, and Alloy share tips for finding reliable partners, fostering strong collaboration, and creating dynamic environments for innovation.
Design and scale using behavioral science @ Roundtable #1
We are building technology for the future, but have forgotten that our users still rely on a brain that hasn’t changed in 40,000 years. To design and scale successful products, learn how to leverage the power of behavioral science, and cater to the ancient decision maker inside all of us.
Democratizing Retail with AI-powered Marketplaces @ Roundtable #3
On the heels of a global pandemic and economic downturn, the fashion and retail industry has demonstrated more than ever a need to be disrupted. Gone are the days of individual brick and mortar stores, with indie designers and small business owners are struggling to adapt to SEO and social media driven growth tactics as consumers live more and more of their shopping online. Queenly’s CTO and cofounder Kathy Zhou will walk the audience through how she’s built a centralized managed marketplace to solve these problems for the growing formal wear industry, including personalized recommendations, domain-specific search engines, as well as creating a tailoring CV and ML data pipeline for a formerly offline industry.
From Capital and Counsel, to Partnerships and Profits: How to Maximize Your Investor Relationships
In today’s market, capital is critical for startups to scale, but founders can also look to investors to open doors to the right partners, and help provide operational services to get you in the right place to build. Hear from Samsung Next alongside one of Entrepreneur’s 100 Powerful Women, a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer, and serial entrepreneur about how to turbo-charge post-investment support and services.
Winning The War On Ransomware
Ransomware attacks are escalating at an alarming rate. We’ll hear from experts about what winning the war on ransomware looks like and how startups can play their part.
How to Approach Personalization in a Post-cookie World @ Roundtable #4
The personalization industry is long overdue for an overhaul and a change of direction. Between lackluster “personalized” product recommendations and rising concerns about data privacy, customers are losing faith that online businesses have their best interests at heart. At the same time, businesses are trying to figure out the best way to meet these high customer expectations, while also selling their products. Join Alexandre Robicquet as he shares his fresh perspective on how to approach personalization in a way that helps customers find their next favorite products – allowing both consumers and businesses to walk away happy.
Startup Exits: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly @ Roundtable #2
Startup founders and investors work for years to reach a successful exit. After going through five exit opportunities culminating in four acquisitions, Sam has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. One exit died at the 11th hour. One deal closed but ended up being a bust financially. One deal resulted in five offers. Do you choose the buyer offering tons of stock, or the one offering all cash? Another deal resulted in a 9-figure acquisition, but probably left money on the table. Sam also just acquired a company, so he’s seen both buy-side and sell-side. We’ll discuss salability, due diligence, and the inside story of what worked and what didn’t in order to help entrepreneurs position themselves for the best possible exit.
Speaker Q&A: How to Secure Those Hard To Find Hires
Come with your questions for these expert speakers. With these two we’ll go deep on hiring, with a special focus on hard-to-fill roles.
Start Small, Dream Big Luncheon at Disrupt
Every dog has its day. Yours could be today. Join us for lunch, network and make new connections with other startup founders. Grab exclusive swag and snap a few pics in our photo booth. David Stafford, Sr. Director at Dropbox, will share how Dropbox started small, won Startup Battlefield and scaled up. Plus learn how the Dropbox for Startups Program can help take your business from idea to unicorn with the right tools to grow.BY INVITATION ONLY
Networking Break!
Where Matters: Building On The Location Layer Of The Internet
Years of pandemic living have made us appreciate ‘IRL’ experiences more than ever before. Recent advances in geospatial technology can meaningfully enhance those experiences – powering personalized push notifications, surfacing rich context about relevant points of interest, recommending top places nearby, and so much more. Join Foursquare’s CEO Gary Little in a sit down with Myriam Joire to discuss the future and best practices of geospatial technology to improve user experiences while preserving consumer privacy.
Meet the Speaker: How to Create Robust Security Programs for Your Startup
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
NFTs for Real World Problems @ Roundtable #1
NFTs are still associated to digital files, but in reality they can be used to solve problems around: authenticity, resale and community engagement across art, fashion and even real estate. In this roundtable, we’ll chat about real use cases being developed through alphaa.io for art and luxury goods certification. Including POS integrations for legacy brands shifting paper certificates of authenticity to NFTs, building utility and generating resale royalties. Also how exclusive digital environments and products can be offered through NFTs to loyal followers and fund the production of physical objects and experiences. Creating a tool to empower creators across the board to retain control of their work and fund any project.
The Secrets of Managing Data for 5,000 Companies @ Breakout Session #1
As a data movement company that powers analytics and operational systems for some of the world’s most innovative brands (like Square, Okta, JetBlue), Fivetran offers a bird’s-eye view into real-world data management challenges. In this session, Fivetran will be joined by a Fortune 500 customer to discuss simple, actionable insights on building a solid data foundation that enables teams and organizations to be more efficient and grow revenue.
Why nine out of ten startups fail @ Roundtable #7
Two-time entrepreneur Dheeraj Pandey (former co-founder and CEO of Nutanix and current CEO and co-founder of DevRev) will talk about what he learned from founding a company and taking it to a successful IPO, plus the top reasons why startups fail. He will also share his framework around strategy for founders to attain Product Market Fit (PMF).
How to Recession-proof Your SaaS Startup @ Roundtable #3
During economic downturns, resources are in short supply and companies must find ways to reduce costs while continuing to deliver on business goals. In such situations, B2B SaaS companies are in a prime position not to just stay afloat but to find avenues of growth. How? Consuming critical capabilities as SaaS allows for quick and easy scaling of services – net-net, organizations can better utilize their resources for innovation, reduce costs (time, money), and deliver on company goals in times of economic distress. In this roundtable, we’ll discuss why SaaS startups must rethink their strategy during times of economic downturn, and evolve their GTM strategies to focus on revenue growth while reducing their overall TCO.
How to Evolve Your Business Through Recurring Revenue @ Breakout Session #2
With subscription offerings coming to nearly every vertical from fast food to car manufacturing, it’s clear that subscriptions are more than fad; they’re an evolutionary step every business should consider. Employing an innovative recurring revenue model offers a differentiated customer experience and revenue predictability, thereby increasing business resiliency, which is especially important in uncertain times. Regardless of where you are on your company’s journey, from a startup seeking financing to a late-stage business seeking valuation, your revenue model should be an important part of any business strategy.
Can Game Streaming Go Mainstream?
As Netflix fights to maintain dominance in the increasingly competitive streaming market, they’re also looking to expand their media ambitions. The streaming giant has tapped former Facebook Gaming head Mike Verdu to charge ahead in the world of mobile game streaming. We look forward to discussing Verdu’s efforts inking publisher deals, testing ideas and looking to make a dent in an unproven market.
How To Raise Dollars When Investors Are More Cautious, The Founder Perspective
While it’s always good to hear from venture capitalists when it comes to dollars and cents, how founders are navigating the capital market is just as important. So we’re gathering Amanda DoAmaral of Fiveable, Sara Du of Alloy Automation and Arman Hezarkhani of Parthean to talk us through what worked for them and how their perspective has been updated in light of the changing economy.
Navigating Silicon Valley. – OG advice for African founders. @ Roundtable #6
Great product, great traction. New to the Bay Area and looking to raise? Let’s discuss how to navigate creating relationships and building your own network in Silicon Valley.A key part of unlocking funding for underrepresented founders is building relationships and networks. Many still have challenges doing this optimally. What should an ambitious founder from Africa do? Is the experience different from what other founders have been through? Let’s have a very open transparent discussion on how to show up, and build authentic and powerful approaches to Silicon Valley networking. This is a roundtable discussion – come share your thoughts and learn from other perspectives too!
Speaker Q&A: How to Recession Proof Your Company
Come with your questions for our expert speakers. Mayfield Fund Partner Ursheet Parikh talks about what he learned from multiple financial downturns as an investor and a founder.
Making Venture More Accessible @ Roundtable #2
Has the actual flow of capital and the make-up of teams at VC funds caught up to the press releases and sound bites? Despite increased awareness about the inequities in venture funding, many barriers remain for both women-and POC-led startups seeking financing— and for job seekers hoping to land a coveted opportunity at a VC firm. And while a record number of VCs have shared their intentions to better support underrepresented founders, VC remains an exclusive insider’s club. Meanwhile, as the trend of athlete VCs continues to rise, many of these often diverse investors are leading by example by backing diverse founders and teams. We’ll discuss: – Steps for change– The best ways to vet opportunities.– A playbook for investing in diversity
Changing Consumer Behavior & Turning Customers into Advocates @ Roundtable #4
We’re in the third wave of a pandemic and products that have gained product-market fit (or product-market love!) are aggressively looking to scale acquisitions profitably. The emotional connection the best brands out there have developed is through a distinct brand identity and a clear value, but what are some of the underrated growth opportunities? This roundtable discussion will talk about sectors that haven’t changed in almost seven decades and why loyalty programs can improve the status quo. You’ll learn about tried and tested growth strategies for exponential growth, how you can lean into first-party data and differentiated acquisition channels, and why products that fulfill a specific niche can help diversify versus dilute a brand. We’ll discuss when the timing is right to move into other product offerings that can also help scale customer acquisition and growth.
Making Care Actually Work
Cityblock Health has experienced considerable growth on the back of a care model designed to actually meet the recipients of care where they already are, while still satisfying the needs of payers. It seems to be true accessibility in a framework that works with the existing US healthcare infrastructure, but we’ll here from CEO Toyin Ajayi about the work that remains to be done.
Famously Overlooked: How Underestimated Founders Survive and Thrive in a Competitive Market @ Breakout Session #1
It has been proven time and again that it is harder for diverse founder and funders to ‘make-it’ in venture. Hear from those who have beaten the odds and succeeded–what it took, how they feel about their success today and what they are doing to lift up others.
From IPO frenzies to Delays: What’s Changing with Equity @ Roundtable #7
The cooling IPO market and changing workforce have founders reshaping their views on how to structure equity compensation plans, provide liquidity to employees, and use equity to attract and retain talent. We’ll have an honest discussion about the shifting dynamics, today’s challenging environment, and ways to address it head-on.
Gen-Z: Adapting to the Next Generation of Consumers @ Roundtable #1
This roundtable discussion will aim to provide useful insights on Gen-Z consumer trends to have a better understanding on how startups need to position themselves to prioritize the next generation’s needs. As a Gen-Z consumer tech investor, Emir Talu will go over how Gen-Z consumers are responding to emerging industries and how they challenge the established ones to reinvent themselves. Attendees will get to share their own experiences/perspectives on Gen-Z consumer trends and participate in the discussion on which companies they think are doing a good job adapting vs. failing to tailor to Gen-Z’s needs.
Getting to Yes and What Happens Next: An Unfiltered Chat with a Top VC @ Breakout Session #2
Over the last decade, Navin Chaddha, 14-time Midas lister & early-stage investor in Lyft, Poshmark & HashiCorp, has led Mayfield as it invested in over 100 inception stage companies in the consumer, enterprise, human/planetary health and web3 sectors. Attend a candid conversation with him to ask your questions and to hear what he looks for when he writes that first check, as well as the key company building steps that come next. He’ll share insights on managing the fundraising process during a downturn, inspiring and convincing VCs with your vision, assembling your board and more.
HypeFeast: How Hype Fuels the Economy and the Unique Opportunity Startups Have to Take Advantage @ Roundtable #3
We can’t escape “hype.” When we look to the past 30+ years, to the likes of the Beanie Baby craze, the anticipation surrounding Y2K, and our obsession with crypto and NFTs, it’s clear that we’ve become obsessed. And startups especially are known for tapping into our penchant for hype, using techniques like manufactured scarcity to stimulate desire for products. But have companies inflated “hype” to be bigger than the products themselves? At what cost? Is there a better way to harness the power of hype? At this roundtable SYLVAIN Founder and CEO Alain Sylvain, will argue that consumers are the ones who create the hype — brands and their founders just plant the seeds. He’ll discuss a framework for cultivating consumer hype in effective and sustainable ways. And through open discussion, founders will be encouraged to share their experiences with the highs and lows of hype in order to learn from each other.
Networking Break!
Framing Innovation Through Collaborations Big and Small
Connectivity isn’t a nice-to-have for innovation. It’s mandatory, and collaboration between AT&T and startups at all stages could push the world forward and provide the framework for innovation. Join this session with AT&T CTO Jeremy Legg and a special guest panelist as they discuss the key elements your startup needs to drive tomorrow’s next connectivity innovation breakthrough.
Extreme Tech Challenge 2022 Global Finals Highlight Video
Speaker Q&A: How to Raise Your First Dollars When Investors Are More Cautious: The Founder Perspective
Come with your questions for these expert speakers to chat about what worked for them, and how their perspective has been updated in light of the changing economy.
Networking Break!
What the heck is Interoperability Anyways? @ Roundtable #5
In a world where data is commonly available at a coder’s fingertips, why is it so hard to connect to some customers? Doesn’t everyone have APIs we can use to get to data? What is interoperability anyways? Can cloud technologies and data fabrics solve our problems? How can our startups be better prepared to enter the data ecosystems in industries like healthcare, financial services, or supply chain? This round table will give you an overview of what interoperability is, why these established industries interface the way they do, and strategies to make this process less painful as you develop your products.
Rewiring Founders to Hire for Tomorrow @ Roundtable #6
It’s not news that founders face a lot of pressure to surround themselves with the right talent from day one. But high-growth companies face rapidly evolving needs for talent, and founders may not have received the right kind of training on how to interview candidates or what to look for. How can you ensure that you are hiring not just for right now but also for the future? Two leadership advisors with expertise in executive search for tech start-ups will give insight into the framework they use to evaluate talent as a company scales. As they shed insight on the right strategies for evaluating for a candidate’s future potential, they are also eager to hear from founders: what are your biggest hiring concerns? What do founders feel search firms don’t really “get” about the hiring process?
Design and Scale Using Behavioral Science @ Roundtable #4
We are building technology for the future, but have forgotten that our users still rely on a brain that hasn’t changed in 40,000 years. To design and scale successful products, learn how to leverage the power of behavioral science, and cater to the ancient decision maker inside all of us.
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000.
How to Build a Tech Team to Hack Government Bureaucracy @ Roundtable #2
Open Government Products (OGP) is an experimental team within the Singapore Government that is built like a modern tech company but works on public sector problems. We’ve managed to eliminate paper forms in the Singapore Government, enabled a 96% vaccination rate for 5.8 million residents, and facilitated the distribution of over 240 million dollars worth of relief aid to citizens. We’ve achieved this impact through rapid prototyping and exploiting bureaucratic vulnerabilities. We’ll discuss the designs and tactics used to shepherd products through bureaucratic obstacles, and how to structure a team to maximize creativity and impact in a constrained environment. The most important problems in our society are often the most bureaucratically defended, but all systems have vulnerabilities. To solve the most important problems we need to learn how to hack this bureaucracy for the public good.
Founder Fireside: Curated and Forerunner Ventures
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a boom in e-commerce. That explosion in online commerce has since tempered, with more folks going to shops than they did during the 2020-2021 period. Does that mean that e-commerce startups are out of fashion? Perhaps not. Curated is taking on online shopping with a mix of curation and guidance that could help it dodge a slowing e-commerce market more generally. We’re sitting down with series founder Eddie Vivas to talk about not only how Curated came to be, but also how the company is adapting to a market that is no longer being shoved in its direction by external forces. Silicon Valley venture hotshot Kirsten Green is joining the fireside to bring the investor perspective into the mix. Don’t miss this conversation!
Art of Persuasion: How to Convince People to Work with You @ Roundtable #1
As a founder, the most important lesson that I’ve learned is to master the art of persuasion in order to convince just about anyone to work with you, as well as believe in your capability to execute a vision. In order to get an investor to see your big picture for your company, you have to confidently pitch and convince them that you are worth investing in. In order to get a cofounder to work with you for no pay and sacrifice their current stability, you have to prove to them that you’re a trustworthy partner and that you won’t quit on them when the going gets tough. In order to recruit top talent and build out a team, you have to sell the upside potential of joining early and to inspire them to follow you as their leader. These are all essential interpersonal skills that are often overlooked when the topic of “”what makes a great founder?”” comes up in tech articles, TED talks, podcasts, etc. You often hear about grit and technical skills, but those are ultimately useless if you can’t convince anyone to be on your team. Join this roundtable to discuss tools to gain the unique ability to convince others to be your advocate, and to stick with you til the very end, success or failure, to better equip yourself if you plan on starting a company.
How Banks and Fintech Startups Can Effectively Co-Thrive @ Breakout Session #2
More than ever before, the future of banking will rely on strategic relationships to create value for customers across a variety of ecosystems. In this session, you’ll hear about a model for engagement that propels speed-to-market and regulatory compliance, ultimately saving fintech startups time and money.
Traction vs. Funding: The Chicken-or-egg problem for Deep Tech Startups @ Roundtable #3
Amid the funding slowdown, EV battery component maker Natrion raised a $2m oversubscribed seed round in a high-risk, high-competition industry. But it was their third attempt at fundraising: they initially struggled to prove to investors that their technology worked when they needed the capital upfront to actually build it first. Ultimately, they succeeded in not only gaining the backing of industry investors, but high profile investors like Mark Cuban, and they learned some critical lessons about how (and how not to) walk this tightrope. How can deep tech startups differentiate themselves, prove their tech with limited resources, and ultimately still secure strategic investors and partners? Natrion COO Thomas Rouffiac will share the hacks they learned to get their eventual funding, and lead discussions about how other R&D-dependent startups can do the same.
Saving the World: The Playbook for Building Planetary Health Unicorns @ Roundtable #7
Arvind Gupta is the most successful seed stage planetary health investor with unicorns such as NotCo, Upside Foods, Geltor, and rising stars like MycoWorks and New Culture. When he partnered with the founders of those companies, they were at the stage of being powered by their dreams to save the planet. After investing in 150+ companies with over $6 billion in enterprise value, he has developed a playbook of key steps from inception to a breakout planetary health company. Attend a candid conversation with him to ask your questions and to hear what he looks for when he writes that first check. – How do you build an efficient business that has to move atoms;– How do you grow from scientist to company builder;– How do you turn science into products people love;– How do you evaluate and pick the right business model;– How do you inspire investors to support your idea.
Using AI to Cut Meeting Costs and Time @ Roundtable #8
Research shows that the immense time we spend in meetings and the lack of tools we have to make them productive is making almost a third of all meetings employees attend “unnecessary”. In the current economic environment wasted meeting time places unnecessary strain on companies’ financials and their employees. This interactive session will highlight strategies organizations can use to save money and time spent on meetings by using AI powered tools.
How to Disrupt Any Industry with Longevity Science: No PhD Required
What is the key to changing the world and invigorating a lagging business? Longevity science. Enhancing human flourishing and the technology that enables it should be a key consideration of any company. The industries that don’t take this to heart are ripe for disruption.Erin Sharoni, Chief Product Officer of FOXO Technologies, will outline why it’s critical for every industry to look at their business through a longevity lens, share the economic and ethical impacts of longevity on all life on the planet, and provide insights for founders, startups and entrepreneurs—regardless of industry—on how businesses can incorporate longevity science into their technology and products. She will be poised to answer questions regarding how longevity science can be used in many industries to enhance the human experience, as well as how FOXO is using it to disrupt the life insurance industry (and who is taking note of their efforts).
How Product Success & Capital Efficiency Go Hand in Hand @ Roundtable #2
As VCs tighten their tickets are start-ups prepared for measures that extend their runway while building a product success model? Learn why European start-ups are better prepared and how you can do more with less.
Live Pitch Session
The Fintech Scaling Dilemma: When to Expand Across Continents @ Roundtable #4
A growing number of US tech investors are moving into Europe to capitalise on the continent’s startups. While European startups are catching up fast and are starting to close the gap with Silicon Valley, both sides still are looking to crack the code of effective scaling. What can we learn from both perspectives, Silicon Valley and Europe alike? How can you effectively scale your company across countries or even continents? In this session we’ll discuss the scaling dilemma that many fintechs are facing.
Networking Break!
What Does Product-Market Fit Mean When Hype Tanks?
Reddit Chief Product Officer Pali Bhat, AngelList CEO Avlok Kohli and Calendly Chief Product Officer Annie Pearl are coming to Disrupt to help founders hone their definitions of product-market fit. The concept, often shortened to PMF, is tricky as it’s not easily defined for all startups at once. But one thing that happens when market sentiment takes a dive is that definitions tighten. So how should founders measure PMF in a more difficult market, from both a fundraising and customer perspective? We’ll find out.
How to Recession-proof Your SaaS Startup @ Roundtable #3
During economic downturns, resources are in short supply and companies must find ways to reduce costs while continuing to deliver on business goals. In such situations, B2B SaaS companies are in a prime position not to just stay afloat but to find avenues of growth. How? Consuming critical capabilities as SaaS allows for quick and easy scaling of services – net-net, organizations can better utilize their resources for innovation, reduce costs (time, money), and deliver on company goals in times of economic distress. In this roundtable, we’ll discuss why SaaS startups must rethink their strategy during times of economic downturn, and evolve their GTM strategies to focus on revenue growth while reducing their overall TCO.
Harnessing Data and Culture at Scale @ Roundtable #1
At the end of the day, great businesses serve two groups. Their customers, and their people. For companies pursuing growth, operational scale, and transformational product innovation, these two groups must be in sync and woven into the fabric of the company and how it makes strategic decisions. At this roundtable, Nylas Co-Founder & CTO Christine Spang will discuss with participants how founders and business leaders can harness the power of their data and their culture in order to make the best decisions possible for their customers and their people.
Yes, Chief
Chief’s stamp of approval has an obvious allure. The professional network is dedicated exclusively to driving more women into positions of power and keeping them there, charging thousands for a private membership (if you’re lucky enough to get accepted). It’s a pitch that has landed over 15,000 members and, most recently, a billion dollar valuation as of March 2022. At Disrupt, co-founders Carolyn Childers and Lindsay Kaplan will speak to what’s propelled Chief’s growth in just three years, the challenges along the way, and how to strategize something as subjective and elusive as community.
Answering the Call of Duty
Johanna Faries is no stranger to the world of games. After a stint at the NFL, she led Activision’s esports leagues (the CDL and the OWL) before taking over as General Manager of Call of Duty. It’s one of the biggest video game franchises to ever exist, and she’ll sit down with us at Disrupt just ahead of this year’s launch: Modern Warfare II. We’ll discuss her strategic vision for Call of Duty as a game and as a community, as well as her thoughts on the shifting landscape of gaming and esports.
Meet the Speaker: What Does Product-Market Fit Mean When Hype Tanks?
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
October 19th
Registration Open Hours
Women of Disrupt Breakfast powered by Elpha Bay Area Meetup
Join the women attending Disrupt for networking and a panel discussion on Advocating for yourself and uplifting othersFIRST COME, FIRST SERVED – OPEN TO ALL WOMEN & THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN
The Art of Inclusivity with Kevin Hart
Financial inclusion is multifaceted: you’re fighting up against homogenous networks, deceptive warm intros and the basic need for more fluency across different demographics. There’s an art to it. Comedian and actor Kevin Hart, alongside Mike Elanjian of Capital Connect by JP Morgan and Robert Roman of Hartbeat Ventures, are joining us to talk about these very complexities. Hartbeat Ventures will also chat about their work investing in the likes of Fabletics, C4, Hydrow and Therabody, while JP Morgan will give us a look at how institutions are breaking down barriers.
Building Companies with Longer Time Horizons
Not every startup can generate revenue from day one. From hardware to hard science, some startups take more time to build income streams. How can founders get around revenue concerns in a more conservative funding market? And how do investors weigh risk when it comes to bets that may take longer to pull off? For growing startup categories like robotics and climate, these are not idle questions. We’re bringing Sila’s Gene Berdichevsky, Index Ventures’ Erin Price-Wright and The Engine’s Milo Werner together to share the real nuts and bolts of early fundraising in 2022.
Acing Venture
Serena Williams is the greatest to ever play the game of tennis, and she’s already made a name for herself as a VC in the tech world. At Disrupt, Williams and her Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport will join us to discuss the next chapter of Serena’s career, swapping out the racket for several (hundred) inbound pitch-decks. We’ll talk about their investment thesis, her plans to bring more diversity into tech, and what she brings to the table as a VC.
Making Venture More Accessible @ Roundtable #3
Has the actual flow of capital and the make-up of teams at VC funds caught up to the press releases and sound bites? Despite increased awareness about the inequities in venture funding, many barriers remain for both women-and POC-led startups seeking financing— and for job seekers hoping to land a coveted opportunity at a VC firm. And while a record number of VCs have shared their intentions to better support underrepresented founders, VC remains an exclusive insider’s club. Meanwhile, as the trend of athlete VCs continues to rise, many of these often diverse investors are leading by example by backing diverse founders and teams. We’ll discuss: – Steps for change– The best ways to vet opportunities.– A playbook for investing in diversity
NFTs for Real World Problems @ Roundtable #1
NFTs are still associated to digital files, but in reality they can be used to solve problems around: authenticity, resale and community engagement across art, fashion and even real estate. In this roundtable, we’ll chat about real use cases being developed through alphaa.io for art and luxury goods certification. Including POS integrations for legacy brands shifting paper certificates of authenticity to NFTs, building utility and generating resale royalties. Also how exclusive digital environments and products can be offered through NFTs to loyal followers and fund the production of physical objects and experiences. Creating a tool to empower creators across the board to retain control of their work and fund any project.
Tech Driven Biology and Chemistry: Solving Science’s Hardest Problems at Scale @ Breakout Session #2
Join leaders in the AI-Driven Drug Discovery market for a fireside chat exploring how to build the next-generation of digital biotech. BigHat Biosciences, Terray Therapeutics and AWS will discuss topics including company building, science fact vs. fiction and the future of medicine. Understand how the intersection of biology and chemistry is enabling new techniques to develop novel therapeutics through the lens of technology. Walk away with insights from startup founders about building and running a startup that are applicable across all industries.
How to Approach Personalization in a Post-cookie World @ Roundtable #2
The personalization industry is long overdue for an overhaul and a change of direction. Between lackluster “personalized” product recommendations and rising concerns about data privacy, customers are losing faith that online businesses have their best interests at heart. At the same time, businesses are trying to figure out the best way to meet these high customer expectations, while also selling their products. Join Alexandre Robicquet as he shares his fresh perspective on how to approach personalization in a way that helps customers find their next favorite products – allowing both consumers and businesses to walk away happy.
Networking Break!
Rivian Grows Up
Rivian emerged from stealth in 2018 with a pair of vehicles that helped it become the buzziest EV automaker since Tesla. The company landed high-profile investors and partners, including Amazon and Ford, and is now publicly traded. Hear from founder and CEO RJ Scaringe about the company’s challenges with production bottlenecks, supply chain constraints, and layoffs as he leads the company into the electric future.
Speaker Q&A: Building Companies with Longer Time Horizons
Come with your questions for these experts speakers to chat about the real nuts and bolts of early stage fundraising in 2022.
Love What You Do: Lessons from the Passion Economy @ Roundtable #4
In this roundtable session, Robin Åström, Co-founder and CEO of influencer marketing platform and agency Wehype, will lead a discussion on how the passion economy has democratized the ability to make money from creativity (and at scale), and the importance of startup founders operating within industries that they are genuinely, deeply passionate about. Robin will draw on his experience of turning his gaming obsession into a competitive edge, after identifying and filling a gap in the gaming influencer market with co-founders he met playing Counter-Strike as a teenager. Their love of gaming has provided them with the extra motivation to overcome challenges, enabling them to build Wehype into a rapidly growing and profitable business, working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including EA, Microsoft and Ubisoft.
Why African Tech Needs Venture Studios @ Roundtable #9
Could venture studios deliver superior results when it comes to providing entrepreneurial solutions to hard problems in Africa?Entrepreneurship is about risk. The Venture Studio model claims to reduce that risk and maximize the learnings and may be even important in emerging markets where uncertainty is higher and a deep understanding of context and people is necessary. Studios around the world are getting a 34% exit rate VS 21% for Accelerators and 19% for the average venture industry. Is Africa ripe for venture studios, given the increase in back-able and experienced operators who are looking to launch companies. Let’s discuss how this model can be utilized for rapid introduction of new market models and opportunities. This is a roundtable discussion – come share your thoughts and learn from others.
What The Heck Is Interoperability Anyways? @ Roundtable #5
In a world where data is commonly available at a coder’s fingertips, why is it so hard to connect to some customers? Doesn’t everyone have APIs we can use to get to data? What is interoperability anyways? Can cloud technologies and data fabrics solve our problems? How can our startups be better prepared to enter the data ecosystems in industries like healthcare, financial services, or supply chain? This round table will give you an overview of what interoperability is, why these established industries interface the way they do, and strategies to make this process less painful as you develop your products.
From IPO Frenzies to Delays: What’s Changing with Equity @ Roundtable #6
The cooling IPO market and changing workforce have founders reshaping their views on how to structure equity compensation plans, provide liquidity to employees, and use equity to attract and retain talent. We’ll have an honest discussion about the shifting dynamics, today’s challenging environment, and ways to address it head-on.
All Weather Marketing: How to Weather the Storm and Win Market Share
Marketers have always needed to make good decisions, but marketers especially in today’s environment. They are being told to cut, pause, or change advertising campaigns…but is there any data to support those recommendations? We believe the short answer is “no” and there is strong evidence to the contrary. In this session, we will arm you with research and approaches to make the case for driving growth in any economic situation. Plus, we’ll have a fireside chat on how startups and founders are capitalizing on the growth opportunity.
Taking the BS Out of Your TAM
A common refrain from venture capitalists last year was that software valuations weren’t too high, as the TAM, or total addressable market for tech companies, was simply larger than folks had originally thought. Sure, but some of those startups are now stuck comparing high burn rates with future TAM. So how should founders and their backers really think about TAM to avoid fooling themselves or their colleagues? Upfront Ventures’ Kara Norton, Felicis’ Aydin Senkut and Lux Captial’s Deena Shakir will tell us.
Expand To New Platforms and Take your Games Direct-to-Consumer
Many of the industry’s top video game companies are putting more resources into going direct-to-consumers. The benefits are great, but so are the obstacles. Walled gardens are evolving, user acquisition costs are rising, and the value proposition of platforms is changing against this challenging backdrop. Whether you’re looking to expand your own video game business or simply curious about what lies ahead for the business of games, then this session will provide some valuable bits of information supported by real-world data and examples.
Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000.
Accessibility in Startups – What does being inclusive really mean? @ Breakout Session #1
People with disabilities face unique barriers and deal with systemic discrimination akin to other underrepresented groups, creating the greatest untapped resource globally. Yet the lived experiences of people with disabilities make them innately adept entrepreneurs and team members, with diverse perspectives that foster innovation and inclusion at startups. In this session, we will address the following questions and more: How can we create opportunities to harness the innate entrepreneurial skills of disabled people? Why is it important to include board/team members with disabilities? Why is it critical for startups to consider accessibility and inclusion when developing their products and services?
How to Achieve Product Market Fit (PMF)? @ Breakout Session #2
Nine out of ten startups fail, a significant amount due to a lack of Product Market Fit (PMF). In this session, serial entrepreneur Dheeraj Pandey (former Nutanix CEO and Adobe Board member) and the founding members of the DevRev team will discuss achieving PMF with today’s tools and technology. Every attendee will also get free access to DevRev and resources for attaining PMF with examples and live walkthroughs. Reserve your seat early before space runs out.
Rewiring Founders to Hire for Tomorrow @ Roundtable #8
It’s not news that founders face a lot of pressure to surround themselves with the right talent from day one. But high-growth companies face rapidly evolving needs for talent, and founders may not have received the right kind of training on how to interview candidates or what to look for. How can you ensure that you are hiring not just for right now but also for the future? Two leadership advisors with expertise in executive search for tech start-ups will give insight into the framework they use to evaluate talent as a company scales. As they shed insight on the right strategies for evaluating for a candidate’s future potential, they are also eager to hear from founders: what are your biggest hiring concerns? What do founders feel search firms don’t really “get” about the hiring process?
How Will I Know? How to Pick the Right Time (and Way) to Launch from Stealth Mode @ Roundtable #1
So, you have a product (or an idea), you’ve got Angels and some early customers, and now you’re thinking about launching. When? And, how? It’s tempting to want to launch ASAP, and lots of companies take that plunge. We took a different approach to launch. We went against the grain by challenging ourselves to be storytellers, building a culture we could be proud of, and selling while in stealth mode. The world shifted in 2020 and so did our strategy. Like lots of early-stage companies, we had to think fast and place some early bets on our go-to-market strategy. We’ll talk about the lessons we learned, how we set goals, built infrastructure, and thought about growing from a 4-person company to a 40-person company, and what we would do differently. Join us for a roundtable discussion with fellow Founders who went against the grain and took a different approach to launch their companies from stealth mode.
Scaling Responsibly: Walking the Talk on ESG and DEI @ Roundtable #5
Organizations with a real and transparent commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become increasingly attractive to both investors and customers. But with such a wide range of possible approaches and solutions, it can be daunting for organizations to decide where to focus first. We’ll share insights and examples from a few companies who are blazing bold trails in ESG and diversity, and we’re equally keen to hear what you’re implementing, or thinking about trying. Let’s riff off of each other’s experiences and brainstorm ways to better support both people and the planet as we scale.
Web3, Crypto, Blockchain – Unlocking Prosperity for Tech and Creative Industries in Africa @ Roundtable #7
Crypto adoption is highest in Africa than any other continent. What are the drivers, insights and opportunities for crypto in the region?Kenya, Nigeria, SouthAfrica, Togo are among top 10 economies using crypto according to Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index. What does this mean for growth on the continent? How can the core value proposition of cryptocurrency and blockchain – decentralization, trust systems, immutability and programmatic nature be used to create and unlock value in Africa and for Africa? How does it increase cross-border trade, help creatives monetize more, and allow self-governing systems to remove current inefficiencies in African markets?In the same vein, how can we preserve value for crypto adopters in Africa – especially for the poorest people on the continent. What safeguards need to be put in place? This is a roundtable discussion – come share your thoughts and learn from others.
What The Startup World is Really Like For Underrepresented People
EBIT margins for companies with diverse management teams were nearly 10% higher than for companies with below-average management diversity. So how can we support diverse founders? From VC investments to building management teams, what should your approach to diversity and inclusion be? This panel will offer insights based on real experiences as under-represented founders and investors.
How To Raise In 2022 If You Are Not Located In A Major Hub
Sure, you no longer have to be located in Silicon Valley — let alone California — to build a startup or raise money. But there are still areas where there are more venture capitalists per square mile and areas where there are fewer. To get to grips on raising outside of traditional startup hubs, we’re bringing together VCs who either live and invest, or simply invest in more up-and-coming geographies. Mike Asem of M25, Rich Wong of Accel, and Hustle Fund’s Elizabeth Yin are joining us for this particular chat. It’s going to rock.
Changing Consumer Behavior & Turning Customers into Advocates @ Roundtable #4
We’re in the third wave of a pandemic and products that have gained product-market fit (or product-market love!) are aggressively looking to scale acquisitions profitably. The emotional connection the best brands out there have developed is through a distinct brand identity and a clear value, but what are some of the underrated growth opportunities? This roundtable discussion will talk about sectors that haven’t changed in almost seven decades and why loyalty programs can improve the status quo. You’ll learn about tried and tested growth strategies for exponential growth, how you can lean into first-party data and differentiated acquisition channels, and why products that fulfill a specific niche can help diversify versus dilute a brand. We’ll discuss when the timing is right to move into other product offerings that can also help scale customer acquisition and growth.
From IPO Frenzies to Delays: What’s Changing with Equity @ Roundtable #6
The cooling IPO market and changing workforce have founders reshaping their views on how to structure equity compensation plans, provide liquidity to employees, and use equity to attract and retain talent. We’ll have an honest discussion about the shifting dynamics, today’s challenging environment, and ways to address it head-on.
Scaling Responsibly: Walking the Talk on ESG and DEI @ Roundtable #5
Organizations with a real and transparent commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become increasingly attractive to both investors and customers. But with such a wide range of possible approaches and solutions, it can be daunting for organizations to decide where to focus first. We’ll share insights and examples from a few companies who are blazing bold trails in ESG and diversity, and we’re equally keen to hear what you’re implementing, or thinking about trying. Let’s riff off of each other’s experiences and brainstorm ways to better support both people and the planet as we scale.
Live Pitch Session
Speaker Q&A: How to Build Customer-centric Products
Come with your questions for our expert speakers. Khosla Ventures’ Sandhya Venkatachalam is chatting about how startups can keep their focus on the product.
Pricing for Competitive Advantage @ Roundtable #3
Price is a startup’s most important tool for positioning and growth, yet 85% of companies (even the big ones) have sub-optimal pricing strategies. In this session we’ll discuss how to approach value-based pricing and answer your questions about how to price a startup for competitive advantage and growth.
Meet the Speaker: Taking the BS out of your TAM
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
After the Boom: What’s Next for the Space Economy
An unprecedented decade of growth and investment has carried the space industry to ever greater heights. Today, the changed funding landscape and uncertain global economic outlook pose new challenges for space operators looking to turn their innovative technologies and concepts into sustainable businesses.Join space leaders from the across the industry as they discuss what lies on the other side of this economic turbulence and the role government can play as a non-equity investor supporting development of critical technologies in the national interest.
Meet the Speaker: How to Raise in 2022 If You're Not Located in a Major Hub
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
Hacking Hiring: How to Build an A-team without a Budget of a Large Corporation @ Roundtable #1
Success of your company depends on your ability to hire and retain talent, however, hiring has become an immensely complex and expensive process. How can you as a startup founder build an A-team without a budget of a large corporation? We’ll discuss some of the recent trends, research findings and founder lessons to help you answer that question. – How to create a job description that would stand out amongst thousands of others – How to hire people from top companies – How to balance different seniority levels – What startup founders need to know about hiring Gen Z – What psychological principles to keep in mind to build an A-team
The Value of Flat Wins @ Roundtable #3
Founding a business can be one of the most rewarding and gratifying things a person does, but there will always be difficult challenges that need overcoming. By adopting the concept of flat wins – celebrating when you find a solution and returning to where you started after a period of difficulty – within your operations, you can stay on track and push through the obstacles you’re facing. In this roundtable session, Alex Hersham, CEO and Co-Founder of Zencargo, will lead a discussion about how flat wins have shaped his mentality and created resilience in his mindset as a founder. – What a flat win is, and the psychology behind them – Examples of how flat wins have shaped his career and the success of his company – How flat wins can create resilience not just in founders, but across entire companies – How flat wins can drive value for your business
Live Pitch Session
Harnessing Data and Culture at Scale @ Roundtable #2
At the end of the day, great businesses serve two groups. Their customers, and their people. For companies pursuing growth, operational scale, and transformational product innovation, these two groups must be in sync and woven into the fabric of the company and how it makes strategic decisions. At this roundtable, Nylas Co-Founder & CTO Christine Spang will discuss with participants how founders and business leaders can harness the power of their data and their culture in order to make the best decisions possible for their customers and their people.
Fintechs Walking the Line: Ecosystems, Symbiotic Relationships With Banks, and What’s Next @ Breakout Session #1
We’ve reached the third wave of Fintech. First came competing with the banks to disrupt the market and deliver better financial services. Then with fintech 2.0 banks wanted to utilize, invest and even purchase innovators who could add value to their customer experience. Now we’re walking into the world of ecosystems, symbiotic relationships between banks, fintechs and the fintech giants. As a startup or growing fintech company, join us at this discussion to find out which relationships really matter and what support you should be expecting from the ecosystem – which arguably is built around you.
Look Beyond the Survey to Capture the True Voice of the Customer @ Breakout Session #2
Global companies spend $90B a year on analytics and surveys trying to understand customers’ expectations and decisions. How can companies shift their perspective away from cold, transactional data to the truth behind what’s on customers’ minds now to better understand their purchase decisions? Join the CEO of Worthix who will detail case studies and give you tips on how you can use AI-powered, Voice of the Customer technology to help streamline your interation process to better follow what your customers want from your business.
How OnlyFans Changed the Internet’s Oldest Industry
Nothing drives tech innovation like sex. But after earning billions in revenue and providing stable income to thousands of adult creators, OnlyFans dropped a bombshell: it would ban porn. After creator backlash, those plans didn’t last long — the founding CEO stepped down, and now, Amrapali Gan and Keily Blair are in charge. Hear from these newly installed execs about what their leadership means for OnlyFans.
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable #9
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to the biggest players in healthcare: payors and health systems? In this session we will discuss the pain points of getting into healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors to these organizations for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this round table discussion with a list of best practices from InterSystems’ 40+ years in the healthcare industry.
How to Build a Tech Team to Hack Government Bureaucracy @ Roundtable #4
Open Government Products (OGP) is an experimental team within the Singapore Government that is built like a modern tech company but works on public sector problems. We’ve managed to eliminate paper forms in the Singapore Government, enabled a 96% vaccination rate for 5.8 million residents, and facilitated the distribution of over 240 million dollars worth of relief aid to citizens. We’ve achieved this impact through rapid prototyping and exploiting bureaucratic vulnerabilities. We’ll discuss the designs and tactics used to shepherd products through bureaucratic obstacles, and how to structure a team to maximize creativity and impact in a constrained environment. The most important problems in our society are often the most bureaucratically defended, but all systems have vulnerabilities. To solve the most important problems we need to learn how to hack this bureaucracy for the public good.
How To Compete Without Losing Your Mind Or Runway When Cash Is Expensive
We love a competitive startup category here at TechCrunch. Watching startups go head to head is fascinating and illuminating. But for startups in hot sectors with big markets, competing can be very expensive. So how should startups that have incumbents to take on, other startups to best, or both, approach the balance between growth and spend this year? We’re gathering Anthemis Partner Ruth Foxe Blader, Ramp Co-founder & CEO Eric Glyman and Airbase Founder & CEO Thejo Kote to help guide more early-stage founders.
Speeding Up Crypto
Launched in 2020, Solana gained worldwide renown for being one of the fastest blockchains with a rapidly growing developer ecosystem. It’s arguably the best-known of the “Ethereum Killers” because of its speed and low transaction cost, but its rise has not been without hurdles. Hear from its creator Anatoly Yakovenko about the opportunities and challenges ahead as Solana seeks to take web3 to mobile devices in a push for mass adoption.
Delivering Value & Driving Pipeline: How B2B Marketers Can Tackle Both @ Roundtables #5, 6, 7, and 8
Continuing the conversation from the main stage, join us for an open discussion about the challenges startup marketers face while accelerating growth for their business. The forum will dive deep into topics like how marketers can deliver value to stakeholders, why sales and marketing alignment is critical for scaling, and why audience analysis is now a key competency for marketers. We’ll talk about finding your customers, establishing credibility, differentiating your company, and most importantly, driving pipeline growth.
The Value of Flat Wins @ Roundtable #3
Founding a business can be one of the most rewarding and gratifying things a person does, but there will always be difficult challenges that need overcoming. By adopting the concept of flat wins – celebrating when you find a solution and returning to where you started after a period of difficulty – within your operations, you can stay on track and push through the obstacles you’re facing. In this roundtable session, Alex Hersham, CEO and Co-Founder of Zencargo, will lead a discussion about how flat wins have shaped his mentality and created resilience in his mindset as a founder. – What a flat win is, and the psychology behind them – Examples of how flat wins have shaped his career and the success of his company – How flat wins can create resilience not just in founders, but across entire companies – How flat wins can drive value for your business
My daughter the Cyborg @ Roundtable #1
In a world of self-driving cars and reusable rockets, we have the technological capability to step-change human health. Marrying human to machine is the next great technological frontier, and for CIONIC Founder Jeremiah Robison a mission that is driven by his daughter’s mobility disability. CIONIC is a bionic clothing company revolutionizing human augmentation, and has created a soft, wearable robot that looks and feels like an athletic legging. It uses AI and Functional Electrical Stimulation to literally move someone’s leg for them. Participants at this roundtable will learn where to begin when innovating at the frontier of human and machine, how to scale a product that’s never before existed, and peek into the future of augmented human mobility.
Networking Break!
Solving the Supply Chain Crisis with Autonomous Trucks
From pandemics to worker shortages to seized-up ports, global disruptions have exposed the fragility of the supply chain. Transforming a centuries-old industry isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight but TuSimple is building a new kind of supply chain, called the Autonomous Freight Network (AFN) to help us get the food, medicine, and gadgets we need safely, with a lower carbon footprint, and at a lower cost. Learn how your startup can benefit from integrating your technology into the AFN or by using autonomous freight capacity to help mitigate impact to your business against outside forces.
Speaker Q&A: How to Compete without Losing Your Mind and Runway When Cash is Expensive
Come with your questions for these experts speakers to chat about how should startups that have incumbents to take on, other startups to best, or both, approach the balance between growth and spend this year?
Meet the Speaker: How to Operate at Scale
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Pricing for Competitive Advantage @ Roundtable #4
In this session we’ll discuss how to approach value-based pricing and answer your questions about how to price a startup for competitive advantage and growth.
Trust as the New Currency in Tech @ Roundtable #9
“Trust dies, but mistrust blossoms.” -SophoclesThe conversation around data privacy has evolved to one that includes the concept of trust, and today’s start-ups have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to avoiding the mistakes that big tech made in years past when prioritizing growth over customer privacy. How do you learn from the mistakes and missteps of tech pioneers who have not kept trust at the forefront of their mission? How do you build trust into your processes from the beginning and then maintain it as an important pillar of your mission as you scale and grow?Our leadership advisory team wants to hear from attendees passionate about data security about how the conversation needs to change. What future challenges could there be to data privacy in your industry that you should be planning for today? And how you engage with your customers. How do you make things right with customers when things go wrong?
Networking Break!
Art of Persuasion: How to Convince People to Work with You @ Roundtable #2
As a founder, the most important lesson that I’ve learned is to master the art of persuasion in order to convince just about anyone to work with you, as well as believe in your capability to execute a vision. In order to get an investor to see your big picture for your company, you have to confidently pitch and convince them that you are worth investing in. In order to get a cofounder to work with you for no pay and sacrifice their current stability, you have to prove to them that you’re a trustworthy partner and that you won’t quit on them when the going gets tough. In order to recruit top talent and build out a team, you have to sell the upside potential of joining early and to inspire them to follow you as their leader. These are all essential interpersonal skills that are often overlooked when the topic of “”what makes a great founder?”” comes up in tech articles, TED talks, podcasts, etc. You often hear about grit and technical skills, but those are ultimately useless if you can’t convince anyone to be on your team. Join this roundtable to discuss tools to gain the unique ability to convince others to be your advocate, and to stick with you til the very end, success or failure, to better equip yourself if you plan on starting a company.
Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000.
Speaker Q&A: How to Get into Y Combinator
Come with your questions for Anu Hariharan of YC to talk about the giant accelerator.
How To Raise First Dollars In A More Difficult Market, The Venture Perspective
It is clear by now that the venture market has changed this year. That means that founders looking to raise first capital for their startup can’t follow last year’s playbook and expect results. So what do founders need to know, and how can they best snag investor attention in a market where the rules are changing? We’re bringing together Annie Case of Kleiner Perkins, Reach Captial’s Jomayra Herrera and Sheel Mohnot of Better Tomorrow Ventures to share the real nuts and bolts of early fundraising in 2022.
How Startups Can Survive The Downturn With Financial Planning @ Roundtable #7
Whether you’re out looking for your first check or figuring out how to extend your latest funding round, the fundraising landscape has changed dramatically and holistic financial planning is more important than ever. Join Christina Ross, 3x CFO turned Co-founder & CEO of FP&A platform Cube, and Mayfield partner Rajeev Batra for a candid conversation on what startups need to survive today, including the key metrics investors are looking at, finding the balance between growth and operational efficiency, and more.
Democratizing retail with AI-powered marketplaces at Roundtable #1
On the heels of a global pandemic and economic downturn, the fashion and retail industry has demonstrated more than ever a need to be disrupted. Gone are the days of individual brick and mortar stores, with indie designers and small business owners are struggling to adapt to SEO and social media driven growth tactics as consumers live more and more of their shopping online. Queenly’s CTO and cofounder Kathy Zhou will walk the audience through how she’s built a centralized managed marketplace to solve these problems for the growing formal wear industry, including personalized recommendations, domain-specific search engines, as well as creating a tailoring CV and ML data pipeline for a formerly offline industry.
Expanding the Ecosystem: How to Get Institutional Investors Invested in You @ Breakout Session #1
Hear from institutional investors about their growing interest in private markets. They’ll share their thoughts on what makes a good investment and how to get their attention.
Starting Early: The How-tos of Investing in Student Founders @ Roundtable #3
Melissa will be speaking about the importance of investing in student founders to rescue the future of tech — namely: closing the persistent gender and diversity gap, geographic inequalities and network asymmetries facing founders. At this roundtable we’ll discuss: – Why universities are a crucial touchpoint for transforming representation and diversity & inclusion across VC and startups;– Ways to structure university-based or alumni-focused mentoring programs and accelerators/incubators, to uplift diverse founders and promote a range of business types;– Ways to structure campus-first initiatives like seed funds, alumni angel groups or crowdfunded small business loan programs, to place emerging tech hub cities and growing local ecosystems on the map.
The End of Apps
The incentive structures that determine how companies design apps are broken. Instead of putting user experience and innovative use cases first, they’re often driven by company goals, growth metrics and revenue streams. But, that’s about to change. We’re moving into a new era, beyond apps, where people can connect directly with the services they need in the cloud, without an app acting as a middleman. In this session, we’ll hear how flexible app development architectures and user-driven design tools like low-code / no-code will trigger a paradigm shift where utility and user demand will guide experiences instead of the business needs of centralized platforms, as well as the massive opportunities this will create for users and markets alike.
Startup Exits: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly @ Roundtable #2
Startup founders and investors work for years to reach a successful exit. After going through five exit opportunities culminating in four acquisitions, Sam has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. One exit died at the 11th hour. One deal closed but ended up being a bust financially. One deal resulted in five offers. Do you choose the buyer offering tons of stock, or the one offering all cash? Another deal resulted in a 9-figure acquisition, but probably left money on the table. Sam also just acquired a company, so he’s seen both buy-side and sell-side. We’ll discuss salability, due diligence, and the inside story of what worked and what didn’t in order to help entrepreneurs position themselves for the best possible exit.
How Product Success & Capital Efficiency go hand in hand @ Roundtable #4
As VCs tighten their tickets are start-ups prepared for measures that extend their runway while building a product success model? Learn why European start-ups are better prepared and how you can do more with less.
Meet the Speaker: How to Raise First Dollars in a More Difficult Market
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
Founder Fireside with Brex and Y Combinator
Brex rolled into the corporate card market with a bang, blanketing San Francisco in advertising and leveraging small-city network effects to get founders to sign up other founders. But since its launch, the corporate card space has evolved into the incredibly competitive corporate spend market. How is Brex working to stay ahead of its rivals? We’ll chat with co-founder and CEO Henrique Dubugras and one of his backers, Y Combinator’s Anu Hariharan, to learn more.
The Fintech Scaling Dilemma: When to Expand Across Continents @ Roundtable #3
A growing number of US tech investors are moving into Europe to capitalise on the continent’s startups. While European startups are catching up fast and are starting to close the gap with Silicon Valley, both sides still are looking to crack the code of effective scaling. What can we learn from both perspectives, Silicon Valley and Europe alike? How can you effectively scale your company across countries or even continents? In this session we’ll discuss the scaling dilemma that many fintechs are facing.
Hacking Hiring: How to Build an A-team Without a Budget of a Large Corporation @ Roundtable #1
Success of your company depends on your ability to hire and retain talent, however, hiring has become an immensely complex and expensive process. How can you as a startup founder build an A-team without a budget of a large corporation? We’ll discuss some of the recent trends, research findings and founder lessons to help you answer that question.
October 20th
Registration Open Hours
From Court to Cast
Basketball stars are no strangers to diversifying their portfolios. For four-time NBA champion and Golden State Warriors power forward, Draymond Green, that’s meant going front court to behind the mic. He joins us to discuss his successes on and off the court, including The Draymond Green Show podcast and the Prime Video special, The Sessions: Draymond Green.
Founder Fireside: Clubhouse
Few startups had as much hype – and early consumer buy-in – as Clubhouse. Since its mega-hit introduction, however, it has seen its service copied by a host of competitors while working to expand and fine-tune its model. TechCrunch will sit down with Clubhouse co-founder and CEO Paul Davison to talk about the company’s past, present, and future.
Gen-Z: Adapting to the Next Generation of Consumers @ Roundtable #4
This roundtable discussion will aim to provide useful insights on Gen-Z consumer trends to have a better understanding on how startups need to position themselves to prioritize the next generation’s needs. As a Gen-Z consumer tech investor, Emir Talu will go over how Gen-Z consumers are responding to emerging industries and how they challenge the established ones to reinvent themselves. Attendees will get to share their own experiences/perspectives on Gen-Z consumer trends and participate in the discussion on which companies they think are doing a good job adapting vs. failing to tailor to Gen-Z’s needs.
State of VC in 2022
VCs have never had so much capital socked away — with $100 billion more in so-called dry powder than the end of last year, according to Preqin — but with a tightening exit market, many are ‘slowing their roll’ and asserting more control over deals after years of feverish dealmaking. What new terms are they introducing into deals? Where are they forging ahead — and pulling back — and why? What do founders need to know for their startups to survive and thrive in 2023 and beyond? For a clearer understanding of what’s happening on the ground right now, this will be a must-see conversation.
Expanding applications of AI Across Real Estate and Beyond @ Roundtable #1
While buying a home is often one of the largest financial decisions one can make, the process went unchanged for decades until Opendoor rebuilt every part of the transactional experience to be digital, on-demand, and more accessible. Pricing systems are core to Opendoor’s DNA and by developing different machine learning model types and leveraging data science, they’ve been able to ensure a high level of accuracy, coverage and functionality of Opendoor’s in-house suite of pricing systems. Drawing from Sam’s expertise in AI, machine learning and data science, this roundtable will focus on finding ways to develop a data-first approach to finance, the integration of algorithms and humans, and how to improve AI from better data.
From Point A to Point Unbelievable: How Buoy Health Scaled From Idea to Unbelievable A.I. Success Story.
Scaling a startup is undoubtedly the most amazing ride any entrepreneur can take—a journey filled with humor, challenges, and hard-fought wins. Join this session for an interactive conversation on what it takes to scale a startup. Andrew Le, CEO, Buoy Health will reflect on how he took his company from an inspiring idea (aka Point A) to a massive AI success with more than 30 million users seeking healthcare advice through the Buoy platform (aka Point Unbelievable). This promises to be a fun, lively discussion you won’t want to miss!
Networking Break!
Exit Pathways for Africa Startups @ Roundtable #7
As funding continues to grow on the African continent, we need to start understanding the paths to exit.We have seen a string of $50m+ African exits in the last 2 years; DPO to Network International, Paystack to Stripe, Sendwave to World Remit, Capricorn Digital to MFS Africa. We have also seen an IPO – Jumia. What should investors expect going forward? Sub $500m exits or IPOs? Who are these acquirers – global firms or African giants? Should founders be mindful of these trends and what should they do about it? This is a roundtable discussion – come share your thoughts and learn from others.
Love What You Do: Lessons from the Passion Economy @ Roundtable #3
In this roundtable session, Robin Åström, Co-founder and CEO of influencer marketing platform and agency Wehype, will lead a discussion on how the passion economy has democratized the ability to make money from creativity (and at scale), and the importance of startup founders operating within industries that they are genuinely, deeply passionate about. Robin will draw on his experience of turning his gaming obsession into a competitive edge, after identifying and filling a gap in the gaming influencer market with co-founders he met playing Counter-Strike as a teenager. Their love of gaming has provided them with the extra motivation to overcome challenges, enabling them to build Wehype into a rapidly growing and profitable business, working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including EA, Microsoft and Ubisoft.
Lessons from the Product Building Trenches
Figma lived the startup dream. Launched in a dorm room and sold for $20 billion to Adobe, but before he achieved those lofty heights, CEO and co-founder Dylan Field was a young guy with an idea and no business experience. Hear the lessons he learned along the way and what he would do differently if he could start over today.
Negotiating Your First Term Sheet
It’s always a good time to sit down and chat about the mechanics of term sheets and the give and take between investors and founders. It’s an especially good time now as the balance of power between founders and investors has shifted from a period in which founders never had great ability to demand friendly terms to an era in which it feels like investors have more power than in recent history. So we’ll get the latest from All Raise CEO Mandela SH Dixon, Techstars Head of Portfolio Capital & Investments Kevin Liu and Black Operator Ventures General Partner James Norman on term sheets, negotiations and terms to help founders navigate the current climate.
Scaling Your Business During a Recession
In the past few years, we have faced the sudden consequences of a pandemic and now have the threat of recession looming overhead. With this background, the speakers will be explaining how they could achieve 582% growth for VOSKER in just 2 years between 2019 and 2021- especially considering the pandemic and global-chip shortage. VOSKER was established in 2018 and is a fast-growing company looking to be the next global technology leader. In this session, the main takeaways would be how to successfully pivot and adapt during unexpected challenges and use uncertain times as an opportunity to innovate. This will give participants key insights into how they can scale their business even during a recession.
Steering Towards an Autonomous Future?
A decade ago, Lyft launched in San Francisco as the friendly pink mustache-wearing ride-hailing service. Today, the company is the second-largest ride-hailing service in the U.S., runs a bike share business, acquired and created and then sold a self-driving car unit — all while facing rival Uber, regulatory headwinds, lawsuits and the public market. Co-founder John Zimmer will talk about how it aims to remain competitive, what inflation and regulatory pressures may bring and where the next wave of growth will come from.
Scaling Responsibly: Walking the Talk on ESG and DEI @ Roundtable #5
Organizations with a real and transparent commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become increasingly attractive to both investors and customers. But with such a wide range of possible approaches and solutions, it can be daunting for organizations to decide where to focus first. We’ll share insights and examples from a few companies who are blazing bold trails in ESG and diversity, and we’re equally keen to hear what you’re implementing, or thinking about trying. Let’s riff off of each other’s experiences and brainstorm ways to better support both people and the planet as we scale.
Expanding Applications of AI Across Real Estate and Beyond @ Roundtable #1
While buying a home is often one of the largest financial decisions one can make, the process went unchanged for decades until Opendoor rebuilt every part of the transactional experience to be digital, on-demand, and more accessible. Pricing systems are core to Opendoor’s DNA and by developing different machine learning model types and leveraging data science, they’ve been able to ensure a high level of accuracy, coverage and functionality of Opendoor’s in-house suite of pricing systems. Drawing from Sam’s expertise in AI, machine learning and data science, this roundtable will focus on finding ways to develop a data-first approach to finance, the integration of algorithms and humans, and how to improve AI from better data.
Speaker Q&A: Raising a Series A vs. Early Stage Rounds – How to Build Your Later Stage Investor Network
Come with your questions for our expert speakers. Forgepoint Capital Partner Connie Qian hosts a Q&A session about that all important VC network and how to build one.
Going Global
Rippling co-founder Parker Conrad will reveal the workforce platform’s plans to expand internationally. He will also give founders an inside look into how Rippling’s “compound startup” model allowed it to build an entire infrastructure-as-a-service solution with a swat team of engineers.
A Serial Software Entrepreneur Shares the Playbook for Building Breakout Companies @ Roundtable #7
Rehan Jalil has built an enviable 20 year career in tech, as founder of three breakout enterprise companies in cybersecurity, 4G and a unified data controls platform. Along the way, he has raised capital from top tier investors including Mayfield, Accel, Redpoint and General Catalyst; built a capital efficient business model; and served customers from the world’s largest enterprises. In this session, he will share lessons learned including:How to raise capital in a downturn;How to sell to large enterprises as a small startup;How bold marketing can make your dollars go far;How to institutionalize a winning culture;How to make new mistakes and avoid old patterns.
Scaling Responsibly: Walking the Talk on ESG and DEI @ Roundtable #5
Organizations with a real and transparent commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become increasingly attractive to both investors and customers. But with such a wide range of possible approaches and solutions, it can be daunting for organizations to decide where to focus first. We’ll share insights and examples from a few companies who are blazing bold trails in ESG and diversity, and we’re equally keen to hear what you’re implementing, or thinking about trying. Let’s riff off of each other’s experiences and brainstorm ways to better support both people and the planet as we scale.
How To Manage Staff In A Remote, Asynchronous Reality
Companies big and small are figuring out how they are going to distribute and manage their workforces in 2022. After a few years when even the most traditional company was forced to go remote, startups are now having to choose between remote setups, hybrid teams or a return to the office. But no matter what they choose, all companies are going to have more remote staff than ever before. To help founders understand how to manage those staffers, Trail Run Capital’s Allison Barr Allen, Mural’s Adriana Roche and WorkBoard’s Deidre Paknad are joining us to talk about what works.
Traction vs. Funding: The Chicken-or-egg Problem for Deep Tech Startups @ Roundtable #3
Amid the funding slowdown, EV battery component maker Natrion raised a $2m oversubscribed seed round in a high-risk, high-competition industry. But it was their third attempt at fundraising: they initially struggled to prove to investors that their technology worked when they needed the capital upfront to actually build it first. Ultimately, they succeeded in not only gaining the backing of industry investors, but high profile investors like Mark Cuban, and they learned some critical lessons about how (and how not to) walk this tightrope. How can deep tech startups differentiate themselves, prove their tech with limited resources, and ultimately still secure strategic investors and partners? Natrion COO Thomas Rouffiac will share the hacks they learned to get their eventual funding, and lead discussions about how other R&D-dependent startups can do the same.
Live Pitch Session
Networking Break!
Speaker Q&A: Negotiating Your First Term Sheet
Come with your questions for these expert speakers to chat about and the give and take between investors and founders.
Live Career Fair: Climate Tech
Climate tech accounted for 14% of VC investments in 2021. Explore a career in climate with Terra.do and founders from 10 stellar climate tech startups that need rockstar talent in technology, business and more.BY INVITATION ONLY
Demystifying Web3
Digital ownership is important, especially to the generation of users who are digital natives; however we are still on a journey to create the right set of structures for digital ownership on the internet. At Polygon, we’re building the infrastructure for the next wave of dapps to experiment and unlock digital ownership to users and creators. In this keynote, Ryan Wyatt – CEO, Polygon Studios presents a pragmatic view of web3 and real-world blockchain use cases while debunking some common misconceptions about the space.
Meet the Speaker: How to Manage Staff in a Hybrid & Remote Asynchronous Reality
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
Networking Break!
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield FINAL
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000.
Live Pitch Session
Founder Fireside: Metafy and Seven Seven Six
Metafy is bringing video game coaching to the masses, and it’s not only for gamers who may want to go pro. As digital gaming has become one of the most important international pastimes, consumers are more willing than perhaps ever to spend on their hobby. TechCrunch will sit down with Metafy founder and CEO Josh Fabian and his venture capital backer, Katelin Holloway of Seven Seven Six, to dig more deeply into the company, its market, and how it is working to grow even faster.
Speaker Q&A: The Bear Market Playbook
Come with your questions for 500 Global’s Christine Tsai, to chat through what should founders be thinking about when fundraising or considering an accelerator program in today’s economic climate
How to Use Your “Perfect Pitch” to Gain Partnerships and Grow Your Startup.
What are your priorities as a startup founder? You’re probably thinking- “find money & grow!”. You’re not wrong but how do you make that happen? Come listen as two successful founders discuss How to Use Your “Perfect Pitch” to Gain Partnerships and Grow Your Startup.
Networking Break!
Structure, Regulation, and Markets: The Road Ahead for Crypto Startups
From DAOs and altcoins to L2-chains, NFTs, tokens, and figuring out just what the heck a security is, the crypto market is under the spotlight — and under scrutiny. TechCrunch will sit down with FTX’s Brett Harrison, Uniswap Labs’ Mary-Catherine Lader and Visa’s Cuy Sheffield to get a better handle on how they are navigating constant evolution, the new opportunities that the blockchain economy has on offer, and where they see the future taking their market.
Speaker Q&A: How to Build the Best Founder-VC Partnership
Come with your questions for these expert speakers to chat about how to find the right investor for your startup.
Surveillance in Startup Land
Google’s Maddie Stone and ACLU’s Jennifer Granick join us for a crash course in the surveillance state — from spyware makers to location data brokers. Find out what the changing cybersecurity threat and legal landscape means for today’s data-hungry startups.
Talent Has Changed Forever: A CEOs Playbook to Building and Retaining Tomorrow's Distributed Workforce
The modern workforce is in the middle of one of its biggest shifts since the industrial revolution. Businesses have encountered the rise of global talent pools and entirely new sets of jobs and skills needed to grow. Now, they need to completely rethink how they source, train, equip, motivate, and reward workers.In this session, we will explore strategies, systems and tools around building the ‘human enterprise” in this decade. Global VC firm General Catalyst will reveal the technology innovation needed to create successful and enduring businesses that promote thriving cultures in the new global, remote working world.Quentin Clark, General Catalyst Managing Director and former Dropbox CTO will discuss the needs of the modern hybrid workforce with Sophie Ruddock, VP and GM North America at Multiverse. They will explore a world in which the Chief Human Resource Officer is becoming the new Chief Growth Officer and talent retention is as critical as customer retention. A whole new era of innovation around workforce transformation is just beginning. We’ll explore what work in the human enterprise looks like in 2030.Talent Has Changed Forever. Attendees will take away a playbook to build and retain tomorrow’s distributed workforce.
Meet the Speaker: Structure, regulation and markets: the road ahead for crypto startups
Join this small group discussion with select speakers in the TechCrunch+ Lounge. *You must have a current TC+ annual or 2-year subscription to access the TechCrunch+ Lounge*
How to Thrive During a Crypto Winter
Animoca Brands is defying all odds. This summer, the Hong Kong-based web3 conglomerate and investment powerhouse raised hundreds of millions of dollars even though crypto prices and NFT transactions are dropping. With hundreds of active investments in popular web3 companies like OpenSea, Dapper Labs and Axie Infinity, as well as its own gaming hits like The Sandbox and Revv Racing, Animoca Brands seems ready to double down and raise the stakes.
Startup Battlefield Alumni Update
Battlefield startups from the past return to the stage to tell us what they’ve been up to since they competed for the Disrupt Cup.
The Connection IT Superhero Ultimate Winner Award Announcement
IT professionals keep the lights on—and all their hard work deserves more than just a pat on the back. It deserves an award. Now, beyond serving as your IT department’s IT department, Connection celebrate all the IT Superheroes with the 2022 Ultimate IT Superhero Award, presented live on the Main Stage. Who of the 5 category winners announced this morning will win? Join Jamal Khan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer for Connection immediately before the Startup Battlefield winners are announced. Everyone in IT deserves recognition for their efforts. Our teams see IT professionals stepping up and going the extra mile every day—that’s why we’re proud to be giving these superheroes the awards they so richly deserve.
Announcing the Winner of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2022
Startup Battlefield 200 Closing Reception
Celebrate TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 and the Startup Battlefield 200 with drinks and appetizersBY INVITATION ONLY
October 21st
Online Passes Access Networking Platform
Coat Check
Located in the first-floor lobby, coat check is available for all 3 days of the conference.
Disrupt Online
On October 21, you may access features such as on-demand-videos from the previous 3 days and virtual, speed networking via the Disrupt event app. While all passes get access, Expo-Only passes will only be able to access limited features and content.
Mothers' Room
Located on the third floor of the venue, a dedicated mother’s room suite can be accessed by heading towards the restrooms, near Room 2024.
Multi-Faith Room
If you need the services of the mutli-faith room, please ask at the help desk and someone will escort you.
Code of Conduct & T&Cs
TechCrunch’s full code of conduct can be found here. Violating the code of conduct with result in immediate expulsion from the event without refund.
Report incidents to TechCrunch staff texting TCSF to 69050, by flagging down a volunteer at the event (green shirt) or emailing codeofconduct@techcrunch.com.
If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 911.
For TechCrunch’s full event terms and conditions, please click here.
FAQs
What Language is Disrupt In?
Disrupt is conducted in American English.
Do you provide language translation services?
No, Disrupt doesn’t provide language translation services.
Who attends Disrupt?
Attendance is expected to top 10,000 people. Disrupt brings together thousands of founders, investors, developers, technologists, and business people who are interested in the startup and technology world.
Where can I find photos from the event?
Visit TechCrunch’s Flickr page for photos of the conference. Photos are uploaded 3-5 business days after the conference.
Will transcripts of content be made available?
Yes, Stage content will have transcripts made available from Otter.AI. Check your email at the end of each day for a link to the Otter.AI transcripts.
Missed a talk or want to remember a key takeaway at TechCrunch Disrupt? Otter has you covered!
Sign up for a free 10-day trial of Otter Business (https://otter.ai/business) to highlight key takeaways, ask speakers questions, access Automated Outline summaries, and share your notes with colleagues.
Will videos of the content be made available?
Select video content will be made available on techcrunch.com and the mobile app for a limited time.
Is Disrupt ADA accessible?
Yes, Disrupt is fully ADA accessible.
What are the TechCrunch Disrupt Social Tags?
#Disrupt2022 @techcrunch
Is there wifi at the conference?
Yes, there is wifi at the conference, free of charge. Wifi information will be located on the back of your badge.
Is the conference being live-streamed?
Only content on the Disrupt Stage will be live-streamed. No other content will be live-streamed.
Is there a bag/cloakroom?
Yes, a free bag/cloakroom.
Will you be serving food/beverages at Disrupt?
There are several commissaries located in the Moscone Center with food and drinks for purchase. There are also many restaurants within 2 blocks of Moscone.
Can I bring my own food/beverage into Moscone West?
No, outside food/beverages are NOT allowed in Moscone West.
Can minors attend the conference?
Attendees who are minors (persons younger than 18 years old at the time of the event) must be accompanied at all times by an adult who is 18 years or older and who can take legal responsibility for the minor. The TechCrunch ticket and badge policy applies to minors. Please note that some events/parties are only accessible to attendees who are 21 and over.
Some event content may contain mature themes (such as sex, violence, and drug use) that may not be suitable for minors. Adult chaperones are responsible for managing and reviewing content/themes to see if it is suitable for their accompanied minors before, during, or after the event.
A sponsor/exhibitor wants to “scan my badge”. What does that mean?
By providing your badge to a sponsor/exhibitor at a TechCrunch event to be scanned, you are expressly consenting to providing your registration data to that sponsor. From that point on, the attendee’s personal data shared will use such data in accordance with each individual sponsor’s Privacy Policy.
I need to report a code of conduct violation at Disrupt. Who do I contact?
TechCrunch’s full code of conduct can be found here.
Report incidents to TechCrunch staff by texting TCSF to 69050, flagging down a volunteer at the show (green shirts) or email codeofconduct@techcrunch.com. If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 911.
Do you have any meeting rooms I can book?
No, we do not offer private or semi-private meetings rooms to attendees.
Where can I find the attendee list?
Check the list of attendees in the TechCrunch Events App.
Will there be press at Disrupt?
Bloomberg. CNBC. Financial Times. Mashable. Disrupt hosts hundreds of accredited reporters, bloggers and correspondents from around the world. TechCrunch extends press credentials to qualified media outlets and industry journalists. This list will be provided to our sponsors and Startup exhibitors attending the event.
What are Startup Pavillions?
Pavilions in the Expo Hall are groups of early stage startups clustered together either based on vertical, sponsor company, or region.
What is Startup Battlefield 200?
Startup Battlefield brings the world’s top early-stage startups together at Disrupt. A small handful of the 200 startups are selected to compete for the coveted Disrupt Cup, a $100,000 prize, and the attention of media and investors. Since appearing on the TechCrunch Disrupt stage, Startup Battlefield alumni have collectively raised over $9 billion and seen over 100 exits.
Is there early badge pickup?
Yes, on Oct 17 from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Moscone West.
Can I bring a printed ticket or mobile ticket to registration check in?
Yes, we accept tickets at registration in both printed versions on paper and digital versions on mobile phone.
I lost my badge, what do I do!?
Please head to the help desk at Disrupt. Please note there is a reprint fee is applied to all lost badges.
Can I share my badge with someone else?
No, all badges are to be used by one single person and cannot be shared among multiple people or teams. IDs will be checked at the door to match names to name badges each day.
There’s a mistake on my badge – can I fix it?
Yes, outside of name changes to another person, visit the help desk for misspelling and other errors.
I want to change the name on my badge to someone else – can I do that?
No, once a badge is printed and has been used you cannot change the name on the badge.
Do you offer single-day or partial-day badges?
No.
What is the refund policy for Disrupt passes?
All purchases are NON-REFUNDABLE as the deadline for refunds was August 1, 2022.
How can I get in touch with TechCrunch writers?
The best way to reach us is to email tips@techcrunch.com.
How can I get in touch with a speaker at Disrupt?
We do not share speakers’ contact information.
How do I get in touch with press at Disrupt?
Sponsors and exhibitors are sent a press list. We do not share press contact information with the general public.
I want to be in Startup Battlefield – how do I do that?
Applications for Startup Battlefield open up 6-8 months before the conference. Please check the Startup Battlefield website for deadlines and more info.
I want to be a speaker at Disrupt – how do I do that?
Applications for speakers open up 6-8 months before the conference. Please check techcrunch.com for announcements on our Disrupt 2023 speaker application.
I have further questions/complaints/suggestions – who do I contact?
Please email events@techcrunch.com