New York, the city that never sleeps, may finally meet its match. TechCrunch is coming, and we’re bringing three days of non-stop conference and startup-competition energy, May 24-26.
We call it TechCrunch Disrupt because we want to debate what’s really changing in media and technology right now, what’s causing disruption and what we need to do about it to survive and thrive in real time.
Each morning, we’ll explore media and technology disruption themes through hosted panel discussions, keynotes, roundtable conversations and select product demonstrations. We’ll bring the experts, thought leaders, top entrepreneurs and business leaders and others together to talk about what’s next. And why. With lots of audience participation.
Each afternoon, we take our morning debate into the field. New startups and products will be unveiled and will compete for recognition and a top prize in the Startup Battlefield.
This is a tournament-style launch platform where startups demo their products and impress the audience and panel of experts over multiple rounds of competition. Everyone gets stage time to show their stuff, and plenty of direct feedback. But then they’ll jump into head to head competition with the other startups.
Experts and seasoned veterans will be brought in to mentor and judge startups on product, business models, team, design and usability and more. And the final round will put startups in the hot seat where some of the most successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business executives will grill them in front of the audience and see how they perform. It’ll be a little bit like pitching a top VC, except it will be done live on stage in front of thousands. Audience voting as well as expert feedback will factor into final competition scores.
One startup will emerge the overall winner and take home a $50,000 cash prize. But all of the startups get an incredible launch event for their product, and priceless feedback from people who can really help. And, best of all, it’s free for startups to launch at TechCrunch Disrupt. Save those dollars for your product.
Applications open today (March 1) and will be reviewed on a rolling basis through midnight pst, Friday, March 26. There are no fees to apply or compete in the Startup Battlefield, and startups from around the world are welcome to submit for consideration. In fact, we go out of our way to help non-U.S. startups get the support they need during the application process to maximize their chances.
Where can you fit a battlefield in New York City, you ask? We found 100,000 square feet of space in the Soho-West Village neighborhood. We promise you haven’t been to a conference venue like this before. It’s actually an ex-Merrill Lynch office that’s available on short-term lease. It’s a perfect metaphor for disruption. And it gives us almost unlimited room for creativity, exhibits, lounges and demos. In typical TechCrunch style, save room for the after parties each night too.
Tickets to TechCrunch Disrupt are on sale now. Best rates are available through March 31.
Better to disrupt than be disrupted. Hope to see you there. More details will be coming on the Disrupt Blog.
INCREDIBLE! We’d love to pitch in to this kind of thing!
We too!
YES ARRINGTON! Thank you finally! You will see, you guys will love throwing events in NYC.
“If you think your startup has something unique to add to our agenda, please submit a For Show application.”
How do we submit a ‘For Show application’?
To submit For Show, please email us (events@techcrunch.com) a link to your updated CrunchBase profile and a brief description of (up to 500 words) explaining your product demo and how you believe it fits into the agenda.
We look forward to hearing from you, thanks.
Whether products that are related with twitter/any other network can be also submitted??
Looks interesting but that price tag is steep. I guess you dont expect to get any college students?
nvm
too bad its in NYC :) Thats a bit far just to pitch.
http://www.kalydo.com thats our stuff. but we’re not a startup anymore really…
very cool initiative!
We cannot wait to pitch for you and disrupt, online Advertising, Social Media gaming and Entertainment Content Delivery. We will be introducing the very first Facebook Game with Real Video.
We are also handling our own rewards, no Scamville here!
Any student-priced tickets, Mike?
I second that question. $1,500 is a bit too steep for me, though the conference does sound great.
yeah, stay tuned. we always have a limited number of tickets for students at a big discount.
Awesome, that’s what I love about TC50. It’s also how I can actually end up going on that trip too.
Sounds awesome! I will definitely go if there are student discounts available.
I second that! Maybe student housing too, or is that asking too much? :-p
It’s not really “non-stop” if you stop every day at 6pm.
After parties to be announced… it will be non-stop, promise.
I’ll be at the event with my company and were hosting an after party. What other after parties are happening?? Any insight??
YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This sounds fantastic. Now to go pitch this to the boss!! Wish me luck.
Hi Mike,
If I participate in this competition, Am I still eligible for TechCrunch50 in the future?
Thanks,
New York Smackkkkkin! Nice! Finally :). Will check out displaying for MindSmack and FastMall iPhone (android too by then :) :) :) ExcitingSmackkk :)
In the startup application it asks if you can show our application to your TC Disrupt advisory panel — who is on that panel?
Thank you team TechCrunch! You all are great. We really appreciate the opportunities and for opening up these types of events to us on the East Coast. Looking very forward to the event!
TC’s coming to the home of Silicon Alley Insider and looks to lock up NYC as well. Will Blodget and crew respond? Should be interesting…
Cool for NYC startups, however. Exposure is good
Didn’t SAI have a startup event last summer? Wonder if they’re doing that again as well.
Mike you need to dress up in flashy clothes and a gold cape and do this Iron Chef style
great move, but wish it was in miami
finally a TechCrunch event in New York.
Congrats to @TechCrunch Crew and Co. for setting something like this up … IN NY! Think we can expect some ‘old media’ Chiefs too. Would be great if you could ping NYTimes, WaPo, NBC, Fox, to take part/represent.
How can someone apply to be part of a panel discussion? I would like to talk about disruption in the K-12 education space.
I would love to attend but it seems, by the pricing its not exactly a student friendly event. Is there anyway I could work the event somehow? I would probably give my time for free if anything.
Andresalaz@gmail.com
Cool! New York Angels is delighted to welcome our Left Coast brethren (and sistren) to the hottest startup environment in the country! We’ll be there with bells on, and will see if we can figure out a way to maybe throw in some additional cash so that a few more of the great startups that don’t get the big $50k can still have a shot at funding from those of us here on the ground.
This will rock! (And now a larger audience might begin to realize why we’ve quietly been investing over $40 million here during the past decade :-)
For newbies closer to the Toronto area:
Social Media Basics – Toronto
Westin Harbour Castle
March 9, 2010
9am – 4pm
http://jenniferlestermedia.eventbrite.com
That’s the home state playa!
My hope is we get to see a lot of disruption within Fin Tech. Unfortunately Zodah won’t be ready to launch by then, but our goal is to be ready by the fall.
Come to Mumbai, why dontcha!
I thought Vegas was the city that never sleeps…
Great event Michael! We like the idea of East coast events… we plan on attending and submitting our start up. Keep them coming,
Adam Boalt/ Founder
GOSO.com
Washington, D.C.
This sounds like the show-and-tell elements of the TechCrunch 50 ceremony combined with more narrative / context about what’s hot in general.
I think it would be interesting if TechCrunch started to incorporate some footage of these tech companies leading up to the event. When you watch a cooking show, you don’t just see them presenting the meal after it’s finished. It would be cool to see some more behind the scenes footage of these entrepreneurs, documentary style. I’m sure the economics of travel / filming / etc. are prohibitive – just saying that I like the sort of behind the scenes stuff about these tech entrepreneurs.
Well, if I don’t get invited to sit on a panel, this really won’t be a complete conference.