Agenda
September 18th
The opening act with Brex and Deel
Join Brex and Deel for a happy hour before jumping into your TechCrunch Disrupt plans for the week.Must be 21+ to attend. Visit the After Hours Events page for more details.
September 19th
Help Desk Hours
Opening Remarks
The Most Exciting Time in Space: How We Got Here and What Comes Next @ Industry Stage 2
This unprecedented time in space offers untold possibilities to transform humankind’s relationship with the cosmos and benefit the prosperity and security of all those here on Earth. Join leading experts as they explore what’s new and what’s next in space, from the mega-trends and cutting-edge technologies that will define the next decade to the critical role commercial companies will play in making the most of this exciting time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Pitch-off and Winner Announcement @ Industry Stage 2
Five finalists will get the rare opportunity to pitch in front of our judges on the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and exhibit their AI/ML startup at Disrupt 2023 this September. One Winner will get the opportunity for a customer roadshow and expert-led concept feedback.(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Future of Sending Human Beings Into Space @ Industry Stage 2
With commercial organizations playing a more prominent role in sending humans into space, governments, regulators, and even companies themselves are not quite sure what this heralds for the new space age. This panel will help us understand the future of sending humans into space and the respective roles of governments and companies. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
The Path to Your Next Funding Round: Equity Crowdfunding @ Breakout Room 1
Crowdfunding, an incredibly powerful alternative to institutional lending, lets founders raise capital by leveraging Regulation Crowdfunding exemptions. In this presentation, we’ll explain the exemptions and discuss next steps to determine whether crowdfunding’s a viable option for your startup. You’ll walk away with a foundational understanding of timelines, parameters and minimum requirements for raising funds by offering equity to the general public. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Hardest Problems in Space @Breakout Room 2
Space is big, and working in space is difficult. From the daunting task of achieving interstellar travel, to the pressing concerns about space debris and its potential threat to spacecraft and satellites in orbit, we will delve into the complexities and uncertainties that define the vast expanse beyond our planet. Together let’s explore the immense challenges that await humanity as we venture into the cosmos, contemplate the critical issues that we face today, and discuss the cutting-edge research and visionary ideas that pave the way for solving the hardest problems in space. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Build a Capital-intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market
Every VC wants you to think that they’re bravely funding expensive hardware that will revolutionize the future. You know, space launches that use twigs, and satellites that can also zap aliens. That sort of thing. And then you read about new NFT fundraising. The good news is that even in a more conservative venture environment, it’s possible for founders to tackle big, hard and capital-intensive projects. Let’s talk about how it’s done. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Making Money Move with Embedded Finance @ Industry Stage 1
Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
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. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Commercial Spacepower and the Next Space Age @ Industry Stage 2
In the United States, private industry plays perhaps the most important role in keeping America’s space aspirations aloft. This has created both opportunities and challenges as the U.S. government and the private sector try to chart a path forward together into the heavens. This panel unpacks the technologies the American public and private sectors are sending into space and the incentives that bring them together and drive them apart. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rapidly Grow your AI Startup @ Roundtable 1
Join Llama Lounge for this must-attend roundtable designed for AI startups ready to accelerate their growth. With more than 6,000 AI projects in existence (and counting), startups must be prepared to stand out and expand. We’ll explore powerful scaling strategies, including leveraging network effects, creating viral impacts, optimizing data strategy and executing effective marketing. Learn how to navigate the rapid growth trajectory unique to AI startups. Get ready to scale and capture the lion’s share of your market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Raising Capital Even if You Aren't an AI Start-up (or even if you are!). Tips, Tricks and Creative Ideas to Raise Capital in a Challenging Venture Market @ Roundtable 3
Hear from a 23-year venture capital industry veteran who worked briefly in corporate VC, then as a partner at General Catalyst for 12 years and seven years ago founded defy.vc. Discuss creative and thoughtful ideas about how to raise capital when VC purse strings are tighter than ever. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Telling the TAM Story: How to Get VCs Excited About Your Market Opportunity, Especially in Less Sexy Spaces @ Roundtable 4
As the fundraising market has tightened, VCs have become increasingly disciplined on due diligence. Market sizing is a critical factor influencing investment decisions at the earliest stages, likely the second most important variable after founder. Join this session for a conversation on getting investors hooked on a large and attractive addressable market! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Future of Payments @ Industry Stage 1
Payments startup Checkout.com cashed in on the tech funding boom of 2021 and reached a valuation of $40 billion. Since then, both Stripe and Checkout.com had to lower their internal valuations. But Checkout.com president Céline Dufétel is here to prove that the payments company is still in growth mode and has big expectations for the U.S. in particular. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The HR Tech Hype: Disrupting the Disruption
Radical change to business as usual has spurred disruptive innovation in HR tech that has accelerated the future of work. In this session, G-P Founder and CEO Nicole Sahin, and Chief Product and Strategy Officer Nat Natarajan will discuss G-P’s journey from creating the employer of record (EOR) industry to quadricorn to now reinventing the industry with a new HR Tech sector: global growth technology. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Quantum and a New Age of Espionage @ Industry Stage 2
From busting open sensitive encryption to creating new unbreakable codes, quantum technologies have the potential to transform the world of espionage and cryptography. A government official and physicist, former CIA officer now in industry, Stanford professor and CTO of the only space FFRDC join forces to explain why, and how some of these technologies are related to things in orbit. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Discussion: How to Build a Capital-Intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Venture investors are no longer all located on the same road at the same time in the same city in the same state of the same country. They are all over the world, and are increasingly — if slowly — diverse across a host of metrics. How can founders construct an investor pool that reflects their values? In this discussion we’ll dig into the brass tacks of building a truly equitable cap table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Plaid’s Zach Perret Opens up on Open Banking @ Industry Stage 1
Plaid has had a thousand lives. After a $5 billion acquisition deal with Visa that fell through due to regulatory concerns, the company didn’t hit the pause button. Instead, it has been relentlessly rolling out features and raising money to make the dream of open banking a reality. What if you could connect to your bank account from anywhere? What if sending money was as easy as sending a text message? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Secure-by-Design: Don’t leave product security as an afterthought @ Breakout Room 2
Startup founders often aren’t thinking about security when they design products – instead, they are laser focused on getting their products to market as fast as possible. But, security is important not only to protect your intellectual property, customer data, and operations, but it can also be required to sell to large companies and government. The National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March 2023, calls for the commercial sector to think about security during the design phase, not as an afterthought. What does this mean in practice, and how can founders develop products that are Secure by Design? In this session, you will learn why Secure by Design is important and take away strategies to bake in security from your first lines of code and quickly achieve widely-recognized security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO 27001. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
What Will it Take to Fuel the Next Economy? @Breakout Room 1
Sustained innovation requires more than having the right technology. It’s about being part of an ecosystem that provides access to a diverse suite of APIs, products, programs, services and partners – an environment that helps you build, grow and thrive. Mastercard has a long history of supporting fintech partners of any size to co-innovate and scale solutions. In this session, you’ll learn how to make 1+1=3 through strong partnerships, access to low-code solutions and frictionless API integration that will make it easier to deliver greater impact for your customers. You’ll come away knowing how you can get to market faster and take your business to the next level. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
AI and Warfare @ Industry Stage 2
The lightning fast adoption of ChatGPT supercharged conversations about how AI promises to transform warfare. But will it? Is the technology ready or overhyped? Are military institutions ready? Are the right companies ready to work with the military? This panel – representing industry, the academy, and the Defense Department – will unpack these questions and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Making Sustainability a Core Value at Apple
How do you make a nearly $3 trillion company green? Lisa Jackson Apple’s vice president of environmental, policy and social initiatives, has spent the last decade making sustainability a core focus for the world’s most valuable company. We’ll hear from the former EPA administrator about Apple’s efforts in recycling and energy efficiency and about how the company plans to make its products carbon neutral by the end of the decade.
Raising Capital Even if You Aren't an AI start-up (or even if you are!). Tips, Tricks and Creative Ideas to Raise Capital in a Challenging Venture Market. @ Roundtable 4
Hear from a 23-year venture capital industry veteran who worked briefly in corporate VC, then as a partner at General Catalyst for 12 years and seven years ago founded defy.vc. Discuss creative and thoughtful ideas about how to raise capital when VC purse strings are tighter than ever. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Setting the Stage for Women of Color Founders to Equitably Share the VC Spotlight @ Roundtable 2
Only 2% of Latina and Black women founders receive VC funding. The lack of equitable access may suggest women of color founders are inherently unsuccessful in business. However, Black women are among the fastest-growing entrepreneurial demographic. It’s crucial to acknowledge implicit bias as an underlying factor that delays financial opportunities for WOC founders. Drawing from digitalundivided’s Project Diane data, and founders’ experiences, this session will explore how bias limits access to VC funding and how to create a future where WOC have equitable access to funding and resources. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World @ Industry Stage 1
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Establish Series A Milestones @ Roundtable 3
Early-stage founders and VCs are operating in a new long-term adjusted market and the best companies will need to tweak performance expectations to successfully navigate upcoming headwinds to reach competitive Series A and growth rounds. During this session, we will walk through how the market will impact early-stage fundraising, share what growth-stage investors are looking for to lead your next round, and review valuation expectations in this new market reality. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Art of Choosing the Right Investor: A Guide for Startup Founders @ Roundtable 1
Startup founders need more than just funding to succeed. They need an investor who can provide mentorship, guidance, and access to specific resources to help them grow for years to come. Sergey Gribov will share his insights on where and how to find the right investor for your company, what qualities and characteristics to look for, including their track record of working with startups and their willingness to provide added value. He will discuss the concept of a founder-friendly investor and how to identify them, as well as the crucial questions to ask before partnering with a VC. Sergey will also share the tips on how to do proper due diligence and discuss the importance of psychological support during difficult times and how a good investor can provide it. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Built World: How to Navigate the Sector with the Biggest Potential Impact on Sustainability @ Roundtable 4
The built environment generates about 40% of annual global CO2 emissions (link: https://architecture2030.org/why-the-built-environment/). This has led to many sustainability focused founders and investors flocking to the built world – which we are thrilled to see! Unfortunately, the sector is nuanced with many stakeholders with competing interests, intricate regulations, and high fragmentation. This roundtable will discuss insights and lessons learned from investing in the sector over the past decade at Brick & Mortar Ventures. Topics will range from iterating on product-market fit in a project-based industry, GTM (we internally joke there is B2B, B2C, and B2Construction), unique business models, etc. to help accelerate our journey to impact.
Why Brand is Your Most Valuable Asset Class @Breakout Room 1
In an age where technology allows for rapid duplication of product features, brand stands as a company’s prime defendable asset. While lasting differentiation seems unthinkable when rivals rapidly mimic functionality, a distinctive brand remains impossible to replicate. Sharing examples from the last decade’s most disruptive and category-defining brands, hear from brand and digital agency Koto on why brand is the most under-leveraged asset class in tech and learn how to utilize it for building a competitive differentiation and a lasting business advantage. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Small Group Discussion: How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Impactpreneurship and Coopetition; how to run your business without ruining you @ Roundtable 2
The “”go big or go home approach”” to entrepreneurship works when it does, and is a total disaster when it doesn’t. But what doesn’t get talked about more is the enormous human toll and the hit that founders’ mental health takes. But I believe that there is another way, an approach that takes all stakeholders into consideration, including the founders. And the other way is “”impactpreneurship”” and “”coopetition””. Impactpreneurship is an approach that utilizes a stakeholders decision tree model to ask and answer the question; who would this affect and how, with the objective to maximize positive impact for everyone including the founder, while minimizing negative impacts. It doesn’t just focus on how to impact users and the environment; the impact has to be 360 degrees and inclusive. “”Coopetition”” is embracing collaboration even while competing as a way to cut off toxic competition. In practice, how can we apply this to our businesses, and how could it transform the way we work and the quality of life of founders and reduce the mental stress to founders? What are the steps we can take so that we can embrace “”impactpreneurship”” and coopetition in the way we do business? These and more are the answers we would go away with at the end of this interactive soul-searching. See you there! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Finals Winner Announcement
What’s Robinhood’s next chapter? @ Industry Stage 1
Robinhood was founded 10 years ago with a mission to give more people, not just the wealthy, access to the financial markets. It has since grown to offer more than just stock trading. People can now also use Robinhood to trade crypto, save for retirement and manage their cash. The company found itself the subject of controversy in early 2021 when it decided to freeze trades for GameStop. It has since recovered but other challenges, such as a declining user base, remain. What’s next for the popular trading app? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Raising in a New Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Hear from investors about the current headwinds facing climate tech, where they’re finding new opportunities and areas they wish more startups would enter. Where opportunities might be found, overlooked areas and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
How to Found Your First Startup
People around the world are building exciting companies targeting big markets. Given the quick pace of technology innovation and the potential for startups to build something truly special, many people want to know how to become a founder. To help answer that question, TechCrunch has assembled a brilliant panel of founders who will provide actionable advice and insight for individuals looking to build something while navigating the ever-evolving startup ecosystem. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
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. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to raise your first round as a fintech founder @Breakout Room 1
Fireside talk-style conversation between two early-stage fintech VCs, detailing the major changes over the last year in the early-stage fintech market, the different business / revenue types, how to craft a pitch, and what VCs look for. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Clearing the Air on Tech and Cities @ Industry Stage 2
Fast-moving tech, slow-moving government. Or so the story goes. In the era of climate change, city leaders are more eager than ever to embrace new technologies to promote sustainability. But that doesn’t mean everything is always rosy. We’ll hear from city leaders on the highs and lows of bringing sustainable tech to urban spaces. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Off-the-Record Chat with VC Rex Salisbury @ Roundtable 3
Attend an unfiltered conversation on all things venture and fundraising with Rex Salisbury, founding partner of Cambrian Ventures, 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. You’ll hear his thoughts on fundraising during a down market, inspiring and influencing VCs to believe in your vision, and how and when to build your executive team and board. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Leverage Events to Reach and Engage Business Audiences @ Roundtable 2
In a world where digital distractions grow exponentially, reaching your business audience can be daunting. Here’s a tip: Business events cut a powerful path through the noise. In this session, you’ll discover how to find the right event for your product and learn specific techniques and strategies — like researching events intelligently, identifying hidden opportunities and more. Plus, we’ll share actionable tips on how to use events to cut through digital noise, amplify your brand, generate leads and foster meaningful connections. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Digital Silk Road: From Central Eurasia to Silicon Valley @ Breakout Room 2
For centuries, tradesmen from the Far East traversed the Great Silk Road transporting valuable goods and ideas to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Now, a digital version — the Silkroad Innovation Hub — fosters connection and opportunity for entrepreneurs, founders and startups in Central Eurasia’s booming IT and tech ecosystem. Join them for a discussion on the burgeoning startup ecosystem, rapidly growing venture capital market, strategic government partnerships and cross-border investment opportunities featuring key players from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Future of Community-led Growth and Why Elephants are Greater than Unicorns @ Roundtable 4
Join Erica Wenger (founding GP of Park Rangers Capital) for an off-the-record conversation on her thesis backing software startups that turn their customers into members and their companies into communities or as we like to call them: elephant companies. See here for her foundational essay diving deeper into the topic (https://prc.beehiiv.com/p/elephantsnotunicorns). You’ll have a chance to ask her any questions about what she looks for when making an investment and what she’s seeing these days in the early stage investing market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Power of Partnerships: Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Join us for an engaging panel session that dives into the power of strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. This session brings together industry leaders from Navan, Visa and Zip to explore the art of forging meaningful partnerships that drive growth, innovation and transformative change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to leverage real time payments to expand product capability and accessibility @ Roundtable 1
FedNow is scheduled to launch in July, resulting in many questions: what are the incentives needed for banks to act, what is the role of regulators in driving real-time payments adoption, and what is the impact of the push-based payments model on fraud management and other implications on the broader financial ecosystem? This roundtable will explore factors such as network connectivity and bank adoption, regulatory power, consumer protection and fraud management, interoperability, and backend complexity. It will draw on successful examples of real-time payment systems in other countries, such as Brazil’s Pix, the UK’s Faster Payments Service, and India’s United Payments Interface, to identify gaps in the US system. Participants will gain valuable insights into the potential benefits of real-time payments and will learn how to address the challenges of implementing an effective real-time payment system in the US to increase product capability and accessibility. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
a16z’s Arianna Simpson on the Promise of Web3 Investments @ Industry Stage 1
Yes, there are still crypto-focused investors out there doubling down their web3 strategies as other VCs look to other horizons (ahem, AI). Arianna Simpson is a general partner deploying capital for a16z’s multi-billion-dollar crypto fund(s). While other investors move away from the crypto industry amid the market downturn, we want to learn about why and how a16z is holding on, their strategy, how they view the investing landscape and more. We’ll also dive into what the regulatory landscape means for VCs and the projects they invest in. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Pervasive AI: Where We’re Going and How You Compete
We’re entering an era of pervasive AI; it’s transforming every aspect of how we do business, for every employee, in every department, and across every industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)But AI is complex – the right path isn’t obvious. Where do you start? Buy or build? Large models or small? And what about the chip shortage? In this high-stakes battle for a competitive edge, the right AI strategy could decide the winners.
Doing Something Concrete on Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Nearly 10% of the world’s carbon pollution can often be found right under our feet — literally. Cement is one of the least climate friendly materials, yet it’s also one that the world depends on for housing, transportation, and commerce. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Three-time NBA champion Rick Fox will be joining us to discuss his carbon-negative concrete startup Partanna, the role of teamwork in startups, and his desire to make a dent in climate change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Building Up Blockchains for Mass Adoption @ Industry Stage 1
As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
War Stories with Founder Equity and Cap Tables @ Roundtable 1
Many entrepreneurs leave stable jobs with steady pay to pursue their vision of building a vibrant venture. Founders may work for little to no salary in hopes that the future payout of a successful startup will more than make up for years of risk, uncertainty, and sacrifices.Sadly, it’s common for early stock decisions to metastasize into cancerous terms or unfair equity splits, creating founder conflicts that threaten to tear the company apart. Or rookie mistakes with cap table management result in excess dilution for all the founders and employees, dramatically reducing the equity payday for your hardest working contributors. After founding several startups and advising dozens more, we’ve seen hundreds of avoidable mistakes. Join us for a lively, interactive discussion of what often goes wrong with founder equity and how to get it right. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Build a New Venture Firm in Public
Venture funds aren’t new, and neither are solo GPs. What is a fresh innovation in venture land, however, is building a new fund or firm in public. Some newer investors are as well-known for their online presence as for their investments. And that’s no diss: Raising capital is tough, and building a brand is no sin. Still, we want to know both the pros and cons of building something as complicated as a venture fund without a filter. Founders, there will be learnings for you as well, even if you are a few exits away from hanging up your spurs and taking the other side of the deal-making table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How to Found your First Startup
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Art of Choosing the Right Investor: A Guide for Startup Founders @ Roundtable 2
Startup founders need more than just funding to succeed. They need an investor who can provide mentorship, guidance, and access to specific resources to help them grow for years to come. Sergey Gribov will share his insights on where and how to find the right investor for your company, what qualities and characteristics to look for, including their track record of working with startups and their willingness to provide added value. He will discuss the concept of a founder-friendly investor and how to identify them, as well as the crucial questions to ask before partnering with a VC. Sergey will also share the tips on how to do proper due diligence and discuss the importance of psychological support during difficult times and how a good investor can provide it. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Establish Series A Milestones @ Roundtable 4
Early-stage founders and VCs are operating in a new long-term adjusted market and the best companies will need to tweak performance expectations to successfully navigate upcoming headwinds to reach competitive Series A and growth rounds. During this session, we will walk through how the market will impact early-stage fundraising, share what growth-stage investors are looking for to lead your next round, and review valuation expectations in this new market reality. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
AI for Social Good: How technologists & nonprofits can partner to deliver lasting impact @Breakout Room 1
As the climate crisis, refugee crisis, food crisis, mental health crisis, and many other challenges of our time have made clear, we need the business, nonprofit, government, science, and tech communities to work together to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals. We’ve seen that AI can reduce the time and resources needed to advance progress, but having completed over 400,000 hours of pro bono work over the past few years, we also know that partnering to deliver lasting impact can be hard. We’ll share case studies and discuss best practices and lessons learned from building & launching 30+ social impact products with nonprofits & civic entities over the past few years, in order to help individuals & companies who want to lend their tech expertise maximize their impact. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Shaq-nology: Slam-Dunking Education's Future with AI & Edsoma
Hear from basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal and Edsoma’s CEO, Kyle Wallgren. Discover the intriguing world of AI investments as Shaq shares his winning approach and what drives his passion for innovation. In this session, Shaq and CEO Kyle Wallgren will discuss their recent collaboration, with Shaq as an investor in Edsoma, a startup leveraging AI to revolutionize reading and education. Get insights into the limitless possibilities of AI-driven technology and learn from the man who continues to redefine success both on and off the court. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Building Early-Stage Products as a Non-Technical Founder: What to and not to do @Breakout Room 2
Building startups is hard. The facts: 90% of startups fail. 50% never reach product-market fit. And the average seed-stage runway is 15 months. As an early-stage founder, you have limited time and resources to build an awesome product that your users will love and your customers will pay for. We are here to help.From our experience building 35 startups collectively valued at $1.5B, we’ve witnessed the wins and fails of early-stage startup founders, especially those who are non-technical. In this breakout session, our CBO, Andy Powell, will share invaluable product development insights based on real-world scenarios we’ve encountered with startups that we’ve built. He will discuss starting lean, focusing on outcomes over outputs, and giving your product time to breathe. Learn about what to do and not to do as an early-stage, non-technical founder in order to build a better product and maximize your chances for success. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Is Sustainable Fast Fashion Possible? @ Industry Stage 2
Giants in fast fashion know the greenwashing game like the backs of their hands, yet the industry’s actions speak louder than words. As brands cash in on TikTok-fueled microtrends and embrace their products’ shrinking lifespans, their dependence on fossil fuel ingredients, toxic dyes and worker exploitation harms people and the planet. Can the industry address its toll while still attracting customers with the latest looks and ultra-low prices? Join us as three trailblazers weigh in on the future of circular fashion, sustainable materials, and the roles they believe emerging tech will play in decarbonizing the industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why Climate Tech Needs an Ecosystem Approach @ Roundtable 2
Many climate startups face unique challenges because they require buy-in from each member in a complicated stakeholder web. For example, a carbon-removal startup must consider government agencies (for permitting and grants), project finance partners, VCs, corporate or government partners for carbon offtake, additional partners for site co-location and co-product offtake, universities for academic research and more. How do startups navigate this complexity? We’ll discuss the basics of how an ecosystem approach can help and cover actionable steps that climate tech startups can take. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How the Fortune 500 is buying AI Software (or not!) @ Roundtable 1
As an Enterprise AI investor working with over a dozen AI startups selling to Fortune 500 companies, there are some clear patterns in who is buying, what their criteria are and how to sell into them. From safety and data privacy to access permissions – the answers vary based on the type of AI models your startup uses to the level of risk associated with customer adoption! Learn more alongside top GTM leaders and F500 buyers. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How Reed Jobs is Coming for Cancer Through VC
Reed Jobs initially set out on a path to become a doctor after losing his father, Apple founder and Silicon Valley luminary Steve Jobs, to cancer. That journey took some unexpected turms, which resulted in Reed becoming something he never thought he would: A venture capitalist. We’ll hear from Reed about why he ended up in VC, and how it serves his goal of battling cancer in ways a medical career never could. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart @ Industry Stage 1
Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Chasing the next big thing is often a pretty good idea for founders and investors alike. But when folks are chasing the wrong trend, the hype can be more siren song than victory march. When should founders follow the hype? When should they ignore it? Let’s talk about it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Upside (and Downside) of Cultivated Meat @ Industry Stage 2
In the fight to reduce our carbon footprint there is perhaps no bigger challenge than food, or more specifically meat. Raising, processing and distributing cattle, chicken and pork products are among the largest contributors to greenhouse gasses. So what if we grew it in the lab? Uma Valeti, founder and CEO of UPSIDE Foods, aiming to do just that. Come to the sustainability stage to learn the obstacles that stand in Valeti’s way — including getting consumers to literally take a bite — and if this nascent industry stands a chance. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
So, You Want to Work in Space? @Breakout Room 2
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. Join us for a conversation with some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Disrupting in a Digital World @Breakout Room 1
In today’s world truly disruptive technologies, like AI, quantum computing and frontier technologies are fundamentally changing the way we do business and live our lives. Startups stand at the forefront of these advancements as key agents for change. Being digital-first isn’t just a mindset; it’s a model that creates efficiencies, disrupts the status quo and enables innovation. This group of leaders share how they’re rethinking traditional business models and are harnessing the benefits of these technologies to digitize processes and deliver meaningful customer value. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Live Pitch Session
Beer, Lab Meat and Climate Chaos @ Industry Stage 2
As climate awareness and anxiety grows, so too has the proliferation of loosely defined terms like regenerative and sustainable agriculture. Yet, what matters most is relatively straightforward; We know business-as-usual isn’t working in virtually any industry as far as the climate goes, and that includes agriculture. Enter startups such as Berkeley Yeast and S2G Ventures-backed Future Meat; these and other emerging tech firms are developing new ways to deliver the same (or even better) foods and drinks we love, ideally without wrecking havoc on the planet that makes such foods possible. Join us as key figures in agriculture-tech dish on the greatest obstacles and opportunities they see in the sector, from the future of beer and lab-grown meat to the ways supply chains can evolve to meet environmentally-conscious consumers’ demands. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Contrarian Negotiation Tactics for Sales and M&A that Work for Founders @ Roundtable 4
In the world of negotiation, conventional wisdom centers around seeking agreement and achieving a “yes.” However, one entrepreneur’s startup journey shattered this norm, revealing the power of “no” as a strategic weapon. In this session, Healey Cypher will share seven traps to avoid when negotiating and give you the toolkit you need to come out on top in your future negotiations. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 2
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
AI in Your Meetings and Beyond @ Roundtable 1
Otter’s mission is to make conversations more valuable. Having transcribed over a billion meetings, the leading AI transcription and collaboration company is looking to unlock the collective knowledge within an enterprise with AI meeting assistants smart enough to answer questions and participate on behalf of professionals. Join us to learn more about how we’re innovating with AI by adding new ways to chat, share, summarize and generate new content. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Sustain a Tech Company in a Competitive World
Building a successful company is never easy, especially in highly competitive consumer tech markets. Founders need the drive and know-how to challenge established players and keep their products competitive. At OnePlus, a group of passionate people —supported by a vibrant community who shared the same values — challenged the entire tech industry with meaningful innovation. In this session, we will share strategies to help you stay on track during difficult times, remain open to possibilities and expand from a niche brand for tech enthusiasts to serve a larger market — and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
Decentralized, Decarbonized, and Fully Electrified – Tomorrow's Grid @ Industry Stage 2
Electrify everything: it’s one of the leading solutions to the climate problem. But doing that isn’t as easy as simply swapping smoke stacks for solar and wind power. It’ll require an entirely new electrical grid that’s ready for new ways of generating and using power. Join us to hear how innovative startups are working to remake the grid from the bottom up. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
When Should Founders Provide Early Liquidity to Retain Staff?
Look, we all want more IPOs. But they’re still far rarer than startups need them to be if they want to retain staff who want to see their hard-earned shares turn into something other than paper. So when should founders take a little pre-IPO liquidity as a treat, and when should they let staff do the same? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
September 20th
Help Desk Hours
Meditate with us! – TC+ Lounge
Start your day with clarity, purpose and focus: meditate with TechCrunch’s very own immigration attorney contributor Ask Sophie™, Sophie Alcorn, for a peaceful respite. Nourish your mind and soul so you can continue your day of innovation and connection with presence! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live on Stage: TechCrunch's Chain Reaction Podcast
Join us for a live podcast recording of Chain Reaction as we unpack and explain the latest crypto news, drama, and trends, breaking it down block-by-block for the crypto-curious. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Stronger, Faster…Safer? Anthropic's Dario Amodei on Letting AI Find Its Best Self @ Disrupt Stage
Is it possible for AI to be built ethically, to operate safely, yet remain useful and perhaps even profitable? Anthropic aims to thread this needle by moving slow and avoiding breakage — and it has raised hundreds of millions to do so. Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei speaks about taking on the most complex software ever attempted with one hand tied behind his back. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Women in Fintech: The Power of Partnership @ Breakout Room 2
Fintechs bring new financial technology to life and enable consumers, businesses and financial institutions to innovate and create better financial products and experiences. This session brings together women leaders in fintech, who make up a small percentage of the industry, but have made a profound impact. Join Discover Global Network and their partners as they discuss their role in fintech and the power of partnership. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
It seems like it was just yesterday that the tech talent market was so hot that mega-corps hoarded staff to simply keep them off the market and out of the reach of their competitors. Today things are different: Layoffs are more common than hiring binges, and suddenly perks have a bad name. How can startups use a new, and perhaps more attractive, talent market to their advantage? Let’s find out. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Bridging the Gap Between What Companies Offer and What Customers Value @Breakout Room 1
Out of all the experiences a company delivers to its customers, many are unperceived and others are meaningless. Only a few of these experiences provide value and generate revenue. Find out what Customer Value (CV) is, why it’s important, and how you can measure and deliver it to build a thriving company. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Selling your SaaS startup: The VC view @ Industry Stage 2
There are many reasons to sell your SaaS startup, but what is the investor perspective? This panel looks at why VCs might support your move to sell, and when they might encourage you to keep going. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Big Fish, Little Pond: Can Investors Make 10-Figure AI Valuations Pay Off in Markets No One Is Sure Exist? @ Industry Stage 1
Everyone seems to have agreed that AI will revolutionize tech, but so far the kind of revenue and deals that would justify billion-dollar valuations are scarce. How do venture capitalists and institutional investors envision the next few years playing out — and paying out? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Solving the Challenges in Deploying Enterprise AI Systems @ Roundtable 2
The transition from AI prototyping to full-fledged production is complex and fraught with challenges. This session will address key strategies for handling issues around data governance, scalability and deployment consistency to help you deliver AI-powered applications safely and efficiently in the enterprise environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 1
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
What’s next for GitHub? @ Industry Stage 2
GitHub has long been at the core of developer workflows, but over the course of the last few years, the company started going well beyond being a code repository and collaboration service. To a large degree, that’s thanks to its Copilot code completion service. In this session, we’ll talk about what’s next for GitHub as it expands beyond its core service under the ownership of Microsoft. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
TechCrunch 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. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Navigating the AI Frontier in 2023: Lessons, Pivots and Triumphs from Two Early-stage Founders
In the dynamic world of AI entrepreneurship, cautionary tales and strategic advice go hand-in-hand. Join two pioneering early-stage founders and a seasoned investor as they discuss and explore what it takes to build in today’s frenzied AI environment. In this session, panelists will discuss how to discern signals from noise, how to find elusive product-market fit, and how to manage investor and team expectations along the way. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Next AI Evolution Moves into Your Hands @ Industry Stage 1
Thousands of generative AI applications have bloomed over the past year, with large language models (LLMs) gaining the most buzz. In the next year, many of those applications will start to run on phones and PCs rather than in the public cloud. Join Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian and partners to find out when and how generative AI will shift to devices in your hands, and what applications are likely to make the first move. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Workplace of the Future is Here @ Industry Stage 2
How can you build a more effective and productive remote work culture? Katmai offers a breakthrough way for remote teams to work. Our 3D virtual office brings people together in one space to provide more natural communication, unlock real-time collaboration and reduce meeting fatigue. Katmai combines video conferencing with immersive, photo-realistic environments for companies to meet, work and feel like a team — not a Brady Bunch box where everyone disappears when the call ends. Join Erik for a virtual visit to Katmai HQ and the future of work. PS: We’re in private beta with a waiting list. TC Disrupt attendees get to pass the velvet rope. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scarce
Writing a good market slide is an art. You don’t want to oversell your total addressable market (TAM) and look silly, or post a number that’s too small to be exciting. Nailing TAM for both external pitching and internal planning is no small feat. Let’s dig into the matter with today’s more picky venture market in mind. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Building Applications with AI @ Breakout Room 1
Join us for a roundtable discussion with top data leaders as we explore the future of AI-powered applications. In this session, Harrison Chase CEO of Langchain & Henry Scott-Green, CEO of Context, discuss the best-practices for building applications with AI. Discussion topics include: The types of applications are best suited for using LLMsThe infrastructure & tooling required to achieve successMaximizing the user experience If building applications in a modern way is on your roadmap – or even just a curiosity – you don’t want to miss this exciting panel discussion. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
From Inception to Iconic: A Candid Conversation about What it Takes to Succeed in AI @ Breakout Room 2
Join a candid and audience interactive conversation with a leading AI seed investor and two breakout founders. They’ll touch on a variety of essential topics including defining your breakout value proposition, accessing success in the face of incumbents, how company vision, culture and values drive theri mission, GTM strategies, barriers to enterprise AI adoption and more. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻 With Chris Lattner, co-founder Modular.ai, Rodrigo Liang, co-founder, SambaNova Systems, and Vijay Reddy, partner, Mayfield.
Navigating the Consumer AI Gold Rush: Moats, GTM, and Positioning @ Roundtable 3
With VC capital pouring into AI startups, a gold rush of entrepreneurs building products leveraging these novel technologies has emerged. At Maven, we’ve been investing in consumer AI for nearly a decade and continue to see world-changing opportunities in the space. Join me to discuss how to build moats, develop GTM, and master positioning of an AI startup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Cloudflare’s Journey from TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield to Public Company @ Industry Stage 2
Cloudflare launched on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2010. Today it’s a public company. We will chat with the co-founders about their journey and the challenges they face in today’s investment climate. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Transforming Patient Outcomes with AI in Life Sciences and Healthcare @ Roundtable 4
Join Dipwanita Das, Sorcero’s Co-Founder and CEO, for a discussion on how AI is disrupting Life Sciences organizations worldwide. Fueled by an overabundance of research, the pharmaceutical sector is missing the proper mechanisms to connect the dots that lead to better patient outcomes. AI-driven technologies can effectively extract meaningful insights from diverse data sources in an omnichannel approach. Learn how the partnership between technology firms, AI, and life sciences companies has demonstrated promising results in extracting valuable wealth of information. These insights can then offer precise treatment to the right patient at the right time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How Designing Inclusive Business Solutions and Leadership Practices Builds Success @ Roundtable 2
Business leadership needs to recognize the crucial role that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) solutions play in building success and impact. The numbers don’t lie — inclusive practices and diverse teams generate more revenue and better performance. This roundtable discussion will explore the transformative power of inclusive practices to stimulate creativity, innovation, storytelling, impact and diverse solution-building. Led with empathy, this session will be an open discussion and a safe space to explore new ideas and best practices. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Can AI Be Ethical? @ Industry Stage 1
There’s palpable excitement around AI, especially generative AI. But like many technological breakthroughs, these tools aren’t perfect, and they can cause serious harm when deployed irresponsibly. Generative AI has the potential to reshape our workflows and drive innovation, yet it can also power misinformation and IP theft. Policymakers around the world are grappling with the implications of AI, as will this panel, which will explore tensions in the AI space and how they can be responsibly mitigated. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Build an Inclusive Startup – and Why it Still Matters
In a more conservative venture capital market, burn reduction and financial stewardship are discussed more frequently than how startups can construct an intentional culture. Still, with younger generations bringing an updated set of values to the workplace – and a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion with them – upstart tech companies cannot ignore how their culture evolves. Paradigm’s DEI-focused software tools put it in the middle of this conversation, with its CEO Joelle Emerson well-known for her perspective on corporate culture. Join us for a conversation discussing how the savviest startups are building for the future, despite political crosswinds at the concept of inclusiveness. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Charging Forward with JB Straubel
Tesla co-founder and former CTO JB Straubel, who went on to launch buzzy climate tech startup Redwood Materials, will join us on the main stage at Disrupt. Hear his thoughts about returning to Tesla as a board member, if automakers can reach their EV goals, what is really required to reduce emissions and the ups and downs of building a startup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
AI in the Cloud @ Industry Stage 1
Thomas Kurian became Google Cloud’s CEO in 2019 and early in his tenure, he made a major bet on AI. Today, Google Cloud offers numerous foundation models for developers, AI-enabled tools in Google Workspace and wants to build an open ecosystem of AI partners. We’ll talk to Kurian about all of this, as well what’s next for Google Cloud and AI in general. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How the Fortune 500 is buying AI Software (or not!) @ Roundtable 2
As an Enterprise AI investor working with over a dozen AI startups selling to Fortune 500 companies, there are some clear patterns in who is buying, what their criteria are and how to sell into them. From safety and data privacy to access permissions – the answers vary based on the type of AI models your startup uses to the level of risk associated with customer adoption! Learn more alongside top GTM leaders and F500 buyers. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The New Power Duo in Capital-Efficient Growth: Marketing + Customer Success @ Breakout Room 2
In this talk, we’ll explore how the emerging partnership between Marketing and Customer Success (CS) can be a catalyst for your customer experience and your organization’s net revenue retention (NRR). CS’s expertise maximizing value and Marketer’s mastery of experience at-scale can amplify value realization. Learn how top-performing companies align goals and metrics, leverage data to create personalized experiences, and create ongoing communication and feedback loops as they onboard, renew, and expand customers. We’ll also discuss the impact of post-sale marketing on key metrics such as customer retention, acquisition, and advocacy. Attendees will gain practical insights to build a powerful partnership between Marketing and Customer Success and transform their business by boosting retention and expansion through personalized connection and community. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Building a Strong Company Culture for Virtual Teams: Best Practices for Remote Onboarding @ Roundtable 1
The transition to remote work has made it more challenging for startups to establish and maintain a strong company culture, particularly when onboarding new hires virtually. In this roundtable talk, we’ll discuss best practices for building a strong company culture for virtual teams through effective remote onboarding, with a focus on multicultural teams. We’ll explore strategies for creating a sense of belonging and fostering collaboration among team members from different cultural backgrounds.We’ll also discuss how to ensure that new hires understand and align with the company’s mission and values, and how to provide ongoing training and support to help them succeed in a high-performance team in a virtual environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
What Will be the Breakout Consumer AI Applications? @ Roundtable 3
Recent technical leaps in AI have expanded its ability to address consumers’ wants and needs. This is an exciting time of potential widespread, ground-breaking applications of AI. Join me to dive into big areas of opportunity and discuss where this technology heading, how it can help us, and what the challenges will be. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Gen Z Founders You Should Know @ Breakout Room 1
What does it take to build a startup in the current landscape? How is Gen Z going to transform the industry? Join us for a double-header session where we interview two early-stage founders who are making waves. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Live Pitch Session
Small Group Session: How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scrce:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
AI for SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
The use cases for generative AI are endless, so it’s no surprise that virtually every new and existing SaaS startup now wants to make it part of their core product. In this session, we’ll talk about how to best do that, no matter whether you have an established product or just starting out – all while doing so responsibly. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How AI Can Both Accelerate and Slow Down the Disinformation Economy @ Industry Stage 1
The threat of AI-generated disinformation, or just plain spam, is on everyone’s minds. We know language models can dish it out, but can they also hold it back? This panel will explore the risks and potential solutions as an election year looms. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023
It’s possible to build huge companies without venture money. So long as your startup brings in more cash than it burns, you’re in business. But bootstrapping in tech circles often carries negative connotations — phrases like “lifestyle business” are sometimes thrown around. But with many startups realizing that they aren’t going to be able to raise more money, perhaps it’s time to give bootstrapping another look? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
TechCrunch 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. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Defining Disability Tech: Innovations for the World’s Largest Minority @ Breakout Room 2
Fifteen percent of the global population has a disability. Together, these 1.85 billion people and their allies control $13 trillion worth of disposable income, yet the disability tech market remains fragmented and full of friction points. Hurdles in the hunt for investors and challenges testing products slow the process down. But determined entrepreneurs are pushing forth: a robotic arm that communicates to the deafblind and a pair of glasses that transcribe conversation for the Deaf demonstrate how cutting edge technologies can make education, work, and daily living more accessible for the world’s largest minority. The Howe Innovation Center at Perkins School for the Blind and McKinsey & Company have joined forces to debut our market research findings at TechCrunch Disrupt, with an overview of product and investment trends across 750+ disability tech companies. The audience will leave understanding why now is the opportune time to get involved with disability innovation. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Which Founders Are VC-Backable? @ Roundtable 3
Inside the psychology of a top VC. How are they deciding whether or not to back your business? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Securing the modern engineering ecosystem: Allowing the engineering train to continue to accelerate, without making compromises on security @ Breakout Room 1
Software engineering has transformed into a highly-dynamic, high-velocity vehicle, with the benefits of minimizing friction for this vehicle clear to all functions in the business. This transformation has had a massive impact on Application Security – the security umbrella over the engineering ecosystem: The engineering paradigm shift has introduced numerous new opportunities and attack paths for attackers, and a whole new set of challenges for security teams. Defenders not only have to keep up with this evolving risk landscape, but also be able to do so with zero friction and disruption to the rapid engineering train. In this session, Daniel will cover the challenges of securing the modern engineering ecosystem, the ways today’s attackers are taking advantage of this transformed attack surface, and the approaches defenders and security product builders must adopt to effectively adapt to the new reality.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
War Stories with Founder Equity and Cap Tables @ Roundtable 2
Many entrepreneurs leave stable jobs with steady pay to pursue their vision of building a vibrant venture. Founders may work for little to no salary in hopes that the future payout of a successful startup will more than make up for years of risk, uncertainty, and sacrifices.Sadly, it’s common for early stock decisions to metastasize into cancerous terms or unfair equity splits, creating founder conflicts that threaten to tear the company apart. Or rookie mistakes with cap table management result in excess dilution for all the founders and employees, dramatically reducing the equity payday for your hardest working contributors. After founding several startups and advising dozens more, we’ve seen hundreds of avoidable mistakes. Join us for a lively, interactive discussion of what often goes wrong with founder equity and how to get it right. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Power of Personal Branding for Founders @ Roundtable 1
In today’s digital age, building a strong personal brand is more important than ever, especially for founders. During this session, we’ll explore why personal branding matters and how it can help founders establish credibility, build relationships, and attract investors and customers. We’ll discuss the best practices for creating a compelling personal brand, including identifying your target audience, crafting a strong narrative, and leveraging social media (mainly LinkedIn) and other online platforms. You’ll hear more about the various cases of industry founders who have successfully built their personal brands and leveraged that to get investments, new clients, or simply take their startups to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your personal brand to the next level, this session will provide you with actionable strategies and inspiration to help you stand out in the crowded startup world. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Chasing Generative Video @ Industry Stage 1
Tech companies are chasing after what could be the next big thing in generative AI: generative video. Runway is arguably at the forefront — and hopes to foster a creator ecosystem around generative video tech. This fireside will explore Runway’s journey so far and what might loom on the horizon. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What's Next for Atlassian? @ Industry Stage 2
In many ways, Atlassian pioneered the modern approach to SaaS marketing and monetization. After careers at Microsoft and Meta, Rajan joined Atlassian as its CTO last year. The company spent the last few years evolving its tech stack and evolving its overall technical strategy. We’ll talk to him about the current state of modernizing Atlassian’s infrastructure, what the challenges are of a modern SaaS tech giant, what it takes to take the reins as CTO of an organization this size, and what the job entails. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dept. of Treasury Dives into Foreign Investments, Security and Capital Flowing into the U.S.
As startup investments grow domestically and internationally, there’s a need to monitor foreign inflows to U.S. businesses, while still promoting innovation and allowing for cross-border cooperation. Paul Rosen, assistant secretary of the treasury for investment security, oversees all operations and activities regarding hundreds of billions of dollars in investment activity to mitigate national security risks. We’re diving into his perspective on investments, security and risks that fall into the U.S. as well as how nascent sectors like AI and crypto fit into the equation. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The State of VC Financing: What Startups Need to Know & Negotiate @ Roundtable 2
In 2022, Crunchbase reported that global venture funding totaled $445 billion, a 35% year-over-year decline from the $681 billion startups raised in 2021. This represented an even steeper pullback than was experienced after the 2008 financial crisis or dot-com bubble, per Preqin data reported by Bloomberg. Yet, early stage startups at the Angel/Pre-Seed, Seed, Series Seed and Series A levels have remained relatively insulated from market volatility to date. How does that affect early stage startups’ negotiating power? What terms should a startup founder look out for in negotiating their raise? 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to build a team for a growing startup @ Roundtable 1
When you’re forming a startup, one of the most important things you need to do is build a team. Having the right team behind you can make the difference between a successful venture and one that fails. Join this workshop and get the keys to ensuring that you are building a successful team. Learn about strategies for finding quality applicants, and how to develop a comprehensive understanding of what experience or skills each role requires can help propel your organization forward faster with measurable results. With these tips and tools at hand, create a winning team that sets your brand apart from competitors through expert hiring advice tailored specifically towards startups. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Small Group Session: Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Build Intelligent Startup Ops that Will Scale with Your Business
Ignore topics like trust, safety and privacy at your own peril: For startup customers, these are much more than nice-to-haves. But as a young startup, it can be hard to build ops in a way that makes sense both in your early days and as you scale. From this panel, expect operational notes and tips that you can put to work to avoid known pitfalls and build the right operational foundations from day 1. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Robotics, AI and Self-Driving Cars @ Industry Stage 1
What’s happening in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation? Experts provide context and insights on a variety of fronts, including pure-play L4 and ADAS-first approaches for self-driving cars. Plus, they’ll discuss the proliferation of AI-driven development beyond the automotive field, including mining, drones and the path toward robotics automation at large. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Robotaxi Revolution
Explore the future of transportation and startup investing with Kyle Vogt, co-founder of Twitch and Cruise. Hear his unique insights on how self-driving vehicles are blending robotics, AI, and urban mobility in unprecedented ways, and learn how Vogt’s two successful exits has shaped his outlook as a startup investor. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
5 Ways Generative AI Changes How Companies Approach Data – And 5 Ways It Won't @ Breakout Room 2
Generative AI is not a new concept. It’s been studied for decades and applied in limited capacities. That is until ChatGPT shocked and awed our collective consciousness in late 2022. Still, generating a recipe for lasagna is an entirely different process than infusing generative AI capabilities across a business or integrating large language models (LLMs) into data engineering workflows. Lior Gavish, CTO and co-founder of Monte Carlo, the data observability leader, shares his take on critical ways LLMs will impact data engineering and analytics teams – and 5 ways it won’t. This presentation will provide insights into practical GenAI use cases and opportunities, as well as shed light on common challenges with AI implementation and adoption. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Why coastal tech hubs should pay attention to the innovation happening in the Midcontinent @ Breakout Room 1
The heartland of America has been an economic engine for the country for centuries because of legacy sectors like energy, agriculture, healthcare, aerospace/defense, and manufacturing. Now, the region is seeing a new wave of venture capital that is funding tech startups to innovate in these legacy sectors, creating massive opportunity for venture returns in a geography traditionally ignored by coastal VCs. Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures, and Michael Basch of Atento Capital, two of the largest early-stage funds in the region, will share how we’re building a tech ecosystem that is attracting new, diverse talent into the region – including talent that is migrating from the coasts. In addition, we’ll share some of our region’s top startups that you would never have guessed are building tech unicorns in Oklahoma. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Lights, Camera, Algorithm! Where AI Fits into Movies, Games and Creativity @ Industry Stage 1
The Hollywood writers’ strike provides a timely background for this panel on how AI tools and platforms can be integrated into the creative process in filmmaking, game development, and other media. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Revolutionizing Healthcare with AI: Real-Life Use Cases and Solutions @ Roundtable 1
In recent years, the healthcare industry has been revolutionized by using machine learning (ML) to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and streamline workflows. However, the successful implementation of ML in healthcare has its challenges. This talk will explore some real-life use-cases of ML in the healthcare sector and discuss how AI-optimized hardware can help overcome some of these challenges. We will also delve into how more interpretable models and a tight feedback loop can help gain the trust of key stakeholders, including clinicians, driving adoption and the success of ML solutions. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Building a successful startup in highly regulated spaces (healthtech/medtech) @ roundtable 3
(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The State of Quantum @ Industry Stage 2
Quantum computing is quickly moving from a science fiction concept to a technology that has the potential to change the state of computing. In this session we’ll talk about the state of the industry, the challenges ahead and the potential risks involved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Power of Personal Branding for Founders @ Roundtable 2
In today’s digital age, building a strong personal brand is more important than ever, especially for founders. During this session, we’ll explore why personal branding matters and how it can help founders establish credibility, build relationships, and attract investors and customers. We’ll discuss the best practices for creating a compelling personal brand, including identifying your target audience, crafting a strong narrative, and leveraging social media (mainly LinkedIn) and other online platforms. You’ll hear more about the various cases of industry founders who have successfully built their personal brands and leveraged that to get investments, new clients, or simply take their startups to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your personal brand to the next level, this session will provide you with actionable strategies and inspiration to help you stand out in the crowded startup world. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Startups
This discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships can boost startup growth opportunities. The panellists will outline how to choose the best partners to create beneficial relationships for all parties involved while encouraging the development of innovative solutions and services that can improve society as a whole, especially in the early childhood development (ECD) sector. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Social Life 3.0: AI and the Future of Digital Connection @ Industry Stage 1
Social media has taken a toll on people’s social skills, played on their insecurities and overwhelmed them with endless choice. How can technology, and AI specifically, help people move beyond superficial relationships to build authentic connections — romantic or platonic — in the digital world? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What Do You Need to Raise a Series A Today?
Gone are the days when you simply needed $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to raise a Series A. Some startups have raised a Series A with a lot more, and we’ve seen many manage the same feat with far less in recent quarters. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)So before raising a Series A, how can a founder ensure their business has the right metrics and that their pitch is tuned for the current venture climate? Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures and Loren Straub of Bowery Capital are coming to Disrupt’s Builders Stage to help us answer those questions, and more. If you’ve raised pre-Seed or Seed capital, this is a conversation you shouldn’t miss.
The Use of Advanced AI as a Strategy to Impact the Finances of a Health System @ Breakout Room 2
Embrace the future of healthcare and discover how Jorie Healthcare Partners is revolutionizing health systems by deploying AI automation for financial optimization. Understand the strategic implementation of AI to navigate financial challenges, streamline operations and enhance revenue cycle management. Learn from real-world case studies and gain insights into the transformative potential of AI in healthcare financials. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge and envision a financially robust future for health systems. Reserve your seat and be at the forefront of healthcare innovation! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Certified SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
To sell your SaaS product to regulated industries, you will need to get certified. At a minimum, most enterprises now expects you to have a SOC 2 certification, but there are also the ever-present GDPR, ISO 27001 and HIPPA, among many others. In this session, we’ll talk to Vanta, which helps startups gain these certifications and HR SaaS solution Remote, which due to its global nature needs to comply with a plethora of local rules. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Game-Changing Insights: Lessons from an AI Game Technology Startup @ Breakout Room 1
Explore transformative lessons from the AI game technology startup realm. Hilary Mason, co-founder & CEO of Hidden Door, distills universal wisdom about incorporating AI into your business including hiring, LLM research and ethics, and merging machine learning with other disciplines in your organization. This dynamic conversation promises to empower tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs with real-world strategies to implement AI effectively in their projects. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Live Pitch Session
AI Can Write Words — But Can It Understand Them? @ Industry Stage 1
Text-generating AI is the hot new thing in tech. But while it’s proven to be a major productivity boost for some, it’s far from perfect. Generative text AI has biases and, depending on the model, a tendency to generate toxic content — or even confidently make up facts. Our panelists will discuss these limitations and more as investments in generative AI pick up steam. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The State of the U.S. Latino Tech Ecosystem @ Roundtable 1
Latino business owners, 40 percent of whom are women, received less than 2% of all venture capital in 2021. What, if anything has changed? Join us for an important conversation about the current state of the U.S. Latino tech ecosystem.We’ll identify investors who are funding Latino founders, along with accelerators and companies that champion and support Latino founders. Founders can share the challenges they face today, and we’ll discusswhat we can do, collectively, to ensure more Latino founders get the funding and resources they need. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Securing the Future: AI and its role in Advancing Cybersecurity @ Roundtable 4
AI is and will continue to be an important tool in advancing cybersecurity and protecting individuals and enterprises against the emerging threat landscape. At the same time, advancements in AI are also helping bad actors generate higher-quality, unexpected attacks. Join Casber Wang, Partner at Sapphire Ventures, for a discussion exploring the cutting-edge innovations, critical considerations, and promising developments that are shaping the future of AI in cybersecurity. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Leadership from Distress to Hypergrowth @ Roundtable 3
In today’s ever-changing business landscape, leaders are constantly challenged with navigating their organizations through ups and downs. Gain insights into strategies for sustaining growth and momentum over the long term as Karl shares the art of leadership during these critical moments. Having guided multiple companies through difficult times and successfully propelled them toward hypergrowth, hear practical strategies to recognize distress, transition to recovery, prepare for growth, and beyond. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Mitigating Risk While Harnessing Generative AI @ Roundtable 2
The rapid rise of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Bard, Vertex and others creates unique data challenges for those charged with its safekeeping. They must balance the need for innovation with ensuring their organizations meet their obligations to protect data. This session will explore how to enforce data security, privacy and governance controls to attain and insure the safe use of AI technology. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Scale at all Cost? @ Industry Stage 2
What are the best ways to scale a SaaS startup in 2023? With the markets changing and potential SaaS buyers reevaluating how they allocate their spend, it’s clear that we’re not in 2021 anymore. We’ll talk to VCs and experienced founders about the tactics that they think SaaS startups should use today to keep growing – and the ones they should avoid. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Winning with Generative AI: Real-world Case Studies beyond RPA for Business Automation @ Industry Stage 1
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we think about how we leverage Automation and RPA to influence customer and employee experiences. Discover winning AI strategies that tackle complex operational challenges and drive competitive advantage. The future belongs to those who harness AI’s transformative potential. This session provides the roadmap you need to be an industry trailblazer. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Stretch Your Venture Dollars
Cash is worth more this year than last year, and certainly more than the tech industry got accustomed to during the last venture supercycle. With the dollar now more powerful than ever, how should startups ensure that their raised capital — equity, debt, whatever floats your burn — goes as far as possible? After all, the more you can do before you need more cash, the higher a price you can charge in your next round. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: What do you need to raise a Series A today?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live Pitch Session
September 21st
Help Desk Hours
Meditate with us!
Start your day with clarity, purpose and focus: meditate with TechCrunch’s very own immigration attorney contributor Ask Sophie™, Sophie Alcorn, for a peaceful respite. Nourish your mind and soul so you can continue your day of innovation and connection with presence! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Live on Stage: TechCrunch's Found Podcast @ Industry Stage 2
Join us for a live recording of Found, the TechCrunch podcast where we bring you the stories behind the startups. In this episode, we’ll talk to a founder about how they built their company, run their team, raise money, and the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Signal and the Future of Encrypted Messaging @ Industry Stage 2
Signal is one of the most popular end-to-end encrypted messaging apps today. We’ll chat with Meredith Whittaker, Signal president and esteemed AI expert, to talk about the work that goes into sustaining a security startup, the dangers of data collection, and Signal’s efforts to resist governments working to weaken encryption; plus, an AI reality check. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Augmented Reality Finds Its Focus @ Industry Stage 1
Even the most impressive technology can struggle to find its market. One of hardware’s most well funded startups, Magic Leap didn’t take the consumer world by storm. CEO Peggy Johnson has led the company’s pivot to focus on enterprise applications, launching a second-generation device and forging partnerships with enterprise players along the way. With Meta, HTC and now Apple vying for a piece of the market, has augmented reality’s moment finally arrived? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
AI Product Bootcamp: Bring AI Products to Life @ Breakout Room 2
Join Marily Nika for a mini, hands-on AI Product Bootcamp. Get a practical understanding of AI’s role in product development and innovation. This session will offer a sneak peek into Marily’s 12-week program, aiming to equip participants with the core skills to create and manage AI products effectively. Ideal for startup founders and VCs, this workshop is a straightforward guide to navigating the AI landscape and ensuring your products stand out with AI-enhanced features. Don’t miss out on this chance to upskill and build impactful 0 to 1 AI products with zero coding skills needed. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Empowering the Future @ Industry Stage 1
Marc Raibert and Gill Pratt go way back. Raibert founded MIT’s highly influential Leg Lab, while Pratt served as director. In recent years, the pair’s work has converged in fascinating ways. Pratt currently heads up the Toyota Research Institute, while Raibert runs the newly formed Boston Dynamics AI Institute. Both organizations are devoted to pure research in fields including robotics, AI and automotive. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ransom-where? The U.S. Cities Fighting Back Against Hackers @ Industry Stage 2
Local governments are under siege by ransomware: more than 200 local governments, schools and hospitals were targeted by ransomware in 2022, causing the U.S. public sector hundreds of millions of dollars in downtime and damages. We’ll discuss how local governments and startups alike can fight back against the growing ransomware threat. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to stand out amongst the noise when building a SaaS tool @ Roundtable 3
Learn how to stand out amongst the noise when building a SaaS tool (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Leadership from Distress to Hypergrowth @ Roundtable 4
In today’s ever-changing business landscape, leaders are constantly challenged with navigating their organizations through ups and downs. Gain insights into strategies for sustaining growth and momentum over the long term as Karl shares the art of leadership during these critical moments. Having guided multiple companies through difficult times and successfully propelled them toward hypergrowth, hear practical strategies to recognize distress, transition to recovery, prepare for growth, and beyond. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Art, Artifact and Artificial Intelligence in News with Kevin Systrom
Kevin Systrom’s follow-up act to Instagram is Artifact, an app that launched at the beginning of 2023 with a mission to reimagine how audiences interact with news and the people who report it. The app has been updated consistently at a rapid clip all year long, and it has already adopted some generative AI features to help with its mission. We’ll talk about the future of news, writers as creators, the impact of AI and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Navigating the Privacy Paradox with Meta's Chief Privacy Officer @ Industry Stage 2
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram were born out of the idea that our lives could be bigger and richer by sharing photos, life updates, opinions and funny memes with friends, family and new acquaintances. More recent regulations and consumer preferences have created a new set of challenges when it comes to how that actually works. Join us to hear how this is playing out for the mother of all social media companies, Meta. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
New CEO Imperative: Why You Need a Revenue Governance Strategy @ Breakout Room 2
Given the challenging macro-environment, the #1 question Boards and VCs are asking CEOs right now is, ‘What’s your revenue governance strategy?’ It’s not enough to share your quarterly revenue target and how you’ll meet it. Founders also need to demonstrate they have the rigor, discipline, and systems in place to collaborate on and control the end-to-end revenue process, and stop revenue leak – revenue earned but not captured – so they can answer the most important question in business: ‘Are we going to beat, meet, or miss on revenue?’In this breakout session, Clari founder and CEO Andy Byrne will share a new framework for Revenue Collaboration & Governance and why many investors now require it. Andy will discuss what VC’s expect and how to manage the relationship – with learnings from how Andy manages and reports his own revenue strategy and results to his board. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Between Hype and a Hard Place
Balancing skepticism with a healthy respect for the havoc AI could create, Gary Marcus has been a rational voice in a hype-filled world. But with the technology entering the mainstream, we need to do more than warn — we need action, regulation, and cooperation. How do we get it? Marcus has some ideas. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Retail Tech Innovation: Emerging trends and technology for Retail's next decade @ Roundtable 3
With more than ten years of experience working at companies like Sephora as Chief of Staff for Omni-Retail, Outdoor Voices and more and investing in retail tech startups, Zhenni Liu can tell you a thing or two about the changing landscape of retail. She’s built strategies and solutions for the best of the best across the industry and now extends her insights to startups looking to take over the e-commerce space by storm. As a partner at MaC Venture Capital, Zhenni can offer first-hand experience and insights on emerging tech trends and innovation in retail, successfully tackling the industry and standing out in a heavily competitive and saturated market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Driving Practical Global Collaboration in Disaster Tech @ Roundtable 1
Join us for a practical exploration of cross-border partnerships in disaster technology. Learn how international collaboration is solving real-world challenges and discover companies from around the world that are making a footprint in the U.S. market. We’ll showcase success stories, including how Flame Security International and Plumis have navigated practical aspects like market entry, partnership building and research collaboration. The UC Berkeley Disaster Lab and The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology are committed to helping more U.S. startups engage with international customers, partners and researchers. Walk away with actionable insights to expand your startup’s global reach in the disaster tech landscape. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Automation Education @ Industry Stage 1
Alphabet X graduate Intrinsic was founded with a loft goal: making programming robots accessible. The company is far from the first to tackle the problem, but it has a lot going for it, including Google’s immense resources. CEO Wendy Tan White joins us, along with Brian Gerkey, who joined the team when Intrinsic acquired Open Robotics in December. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Insecurity of Things @ Industry Stage 2
Smart home tech and internet-connected devices are all the rage, but security flaws plague the hardware space. Amit Serper, director of security research at Sternum IoT, is a skilled hacker with a track record of finding vulnerabilities and understanding what causes them. Join us for a crash course on what can — and does — go wrong, and how to do security right. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
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. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What it Takes to Keep Billions of Internet Users Safe @ Industry Stage 2
Parisa Tabriz started as a hacker, now she’s known as Google’s “security princess,” tasked with protecting the data of billions of users around the world. Tabriz, who oversees Chrome browser security and Google’s security research team Project Zero, knows all there is to know about the complex world of web security. We’ll discuss what goes into keeping billions of users safe, and how startups can be better prepared for the threats of tomorrow. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Smartphone's Next Act @ Industry Stage 1
It’s been a rough couple of years for the smartphone industry, but throughout it all, OnePlus has been a breath of fresh air. The company’s CEO of North America, Robin Liu, will discuss the challenges in the mobile space and how the brand managed to plant its flag in the U.S. market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ask Sophie LIVE – Your Startup Immigration Questions Answered! @ Breakout Room 2
Are you a fan of TechCrunch’s Ask Sophie column? Join expert immigration attorney Sophie Alcorn and moderator Walter Thompson of TechCrunch to ask your founder visa and green card questions live! Sophie will be in the hot seat and providing answers to your most pressing issues about H-1Bs, O-1As, self-sponsored green cards, hiring and retaining top global talent at startups – and more! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Live Pitch Session
Small Group Session: Founders of Extraordinary Ability – How to Get & Use the O-1A Visa
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Building a Billion Dollar AI Startup @ Roundtable 3
What does it take to create a business that will defy the odds and achieve unicorn status in Consumer AI? As a seasoned investor, I love discussing what impresses me when it comes to founder vision and drive. Join me to discuss the future of Consumer AI and what it would take to be part of it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Transfer their H-1Bs to their Startups
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Product-led growth: Industry buzzword or business game-changer? @ Breakout Room 2
We’re all familiar with the sales-led growth model – it’s been the go-to business model for decades. These days it’s product-led growth (PLG) in the limelight. As the economy took a nosedive, many companies scrambled to implement PLG, going all-in with only a surface-level understanding of how to operate under this model. The question is: what is best for driving growth in today’s economy? PLG has mistakenly created a polarizing mindset – you’re either all-in on your product, or you’re all in on sales and marketing. This is a huge misconception. This panel will convene three leaders who have witnessed distinctively different approaches to growth – product-led, sales-led, and product-led sales – to debate which model works best for different types and stages of companies. Alongside Justin Bauer, these leaders will discuss their experiences with the different growth models, sharing specific examples and anecdotes as well as advice for other SaaS companies figuring out the optimal way to drive growth in today’s market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Lessons from Service: Military Inspired Startup Strategies for Doing More with Less. No Push Ups Required @ Roundtable 2
In the startup world, resource constraints are a constant challenge. The same holds true for the military, where failure isn’t an option. Join us for a compelling session with Chris Irving, a Navy veteran, co-founder of School Twist and respected Bunker Labs leader. Drawing on his unique experiences, Chris will provide invaluable insights for achieving positive outcomes when resources are scarce, and he’ll highlight areas where cutting corners is not an option. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Getting a Leg Up @ Industry Stage 1
Agility cracked the code on bipedal robots with its Digit system. Now it’s looking to push its technology to work. CEO Damion Shelton and CTO Melonee Wise will discuss why the company is taking a different approach to the wheel-dominated world of warehouse robotics. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What We Can Learn from Cybersecurity Trashfires @ Industry Stage 2
Hacks happen every day, and they can be highly embarrassing. But it’s the response, handling and aftermath that few ever forget and what can make a cyber incident into a cyber disaster. You’ll hear from three of the sharpest hackers and security researchers in their fields about cybersecurity horror stories, with advice and guidance on how founders and startups can avoid making the same mistakes. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why is Web3 Such a Trash Fire of Cybersecurity? @ Industry Stage 2
In the last couple of years, hackers have stolen more than $4 billion in cryptocurrency from a seemingly endless list of web3 and blockchain projects. Is the crypto world inherently insecure? Or is it still in its early years? In this panel we will delve into what makes web3 more vulnerable to attacks than other tech sectors, and how it can be improved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What's Next for Robotics @ Industry Stage 1
After conquering warehouses during the pandemic, what comes next for automation? Agriculture, construction and health care are all safe bets. Farm-ng’s Claire Delaunay, Dusty Robotics’ Tessa Lau and Dilligent’s Andrea Thomaz will discuss where robots from here. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The State of VC Financing: What Startups Need to Know & Negotiate @ Roundtable 1
In 2022, Crunchbase reported that global venture funding totaled $445 billion, a 35% year-over-year decline from the $681 billion startups raised in 2021. This represented an even steeper pullback than was experienced after the 2008 financial crisis or dot-com bubble, per Preqin data reported by Bloomberg. Yet, early stage startups at the Angel/Pre-Seed, Seed, Series Seed and Series A levels have remained relatively insulated from market volatility to date. How does that affect early stage startups’ negotiating power? What terms should a startup founder look out for in negotiating their raise? 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Building a Strong Company Culture for Virtual Teams: Best Practices for Remote Onboarding @ Roundtable 2
The transition to remote work has made it more challenging for startups to establish and maintain a strong company culture, particularly when onboarding new hires virtually. In this roundtable talk, we’ll discuss best practices for building a strong company culture for virtual teams through effective remote onboarding, with a focus on multicultural teams. We’ll explore strategies for creating a sense of belonging and fostering collaboration among team members from different cultural backgrounds.We’ll also discuss how to ensure that new hires understand and align with the company’s mission and values, and how to provide ongoing training and support to help them succeed in a high-performance team in a virtual environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How AI Is Being 'Openwashed' and How to Fight Back
AI is dominated by a handful of companies making misleading and contradictory claims of “openness.” If the technology is to grow and mature outside of their control, it needs to embrace true open source and empower bottom-up innovation. Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, co-founder of the AI Now Institute at NYU, and early Google employee takes on this and other existential tech questions. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Spyware Industry is Out of Control. Now What? @ Industry Stage 2
For more than ten years, researchers at organizations like the Citizen Lab and Amnesty International have exposed countless examples of governments all over the world using spyware made by Western companies to hack activists, journalists, and dissidents. First there was Hacking Team and FinFisher, now it’s NSO Group, and a handful more. Can this industry operate legally and ethically? If not, what can we do to counter these abuses? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Crowdfunding the Future @ Industry Stage 1
For more than a decade, Kickstarter’s name has been synonymous with crowdfunding, but the last few years have brought their share of challenges for the platform. Everette Taylor, who stepped into the CEO at the end of 2022 will discuss how the company is adapting to face the future. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
From Go-go to So Slow, a Look at Crypto’s Roller-coaster Year
Katie Haun, the onetime prosecutor turned Coinbase board member and General Parter at Andreessen Horowitz set off to (successfully) raise a $1.5 billion venture fund of her own last year. Then, sparked by FTX’s implosion and its cascading effects, the landscape abruptly changed. Nearly one year later, Haun is sitting down to talk with us about how she and her team have navigated this past year — and where they expect the crypto industry to head next. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to build a team for a growing startup @ Roundtable 2
When you’re forming a startup, one of the most important things you need to do is build a team. Having the right team behind you can make the difference between a successful venture and one that fails. Join this workshop and get the keys to ensuring that you are building a successful team. Learn about strategies for finding quality applicants, and how to develop a comprehensive understanding of what experience or skills each role requires can help propel your organization forward faster with measurable results. With these tips and tools at hand, create a winning team that sets your brand apart from competitors through expert hiring advice tailored specifically towards startups. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Impactpreneurship and Coopetition; how to run your business without ruining you @ Roundtable 1
The “”go big or go home approach”” to entrepreneurship works when it does, and is a total disaster when it doesn’t. But what doesn’t get talked about more is the enormous human toll and the hit that founders’ mental health takes. But I believe that there is another way, an approach that takes all stakeholders into consideration, including the founders. And the other way is “”impactpreneurship”” and “”coopetition””. Impactpreneurship is an approach that utilizes a stakeholders decision tree model to ask and answer the question; who would this affect and how, with the objective to maximize positive impact for everyone including the founder, while minimizing negative impacts. It doesn’t just focus on how to impact users and the environment; the impact has to be 360 degrees and inclusive. “”Coopetition”” is embracing collaboration even while competing as a way to cut off toxic competition. In practice, how can we apply this to our businesses, and how could it transform the way we work and the quality of life of founders and reduce the mental stress to founders? What are the steps we can take so that we can embrace “”impactpreneurship”” and coopetition in the way we do business? These and more are the answers we would go away with at the end of this interactive soul-searching. See you there! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
