• Elin Blesener

    Community Manager

    Elin is the Community Manager for TechCrunch. Previously, she was one of the first Community Managers at Slide and was in charge of one of their most successful products, SuperPoke! Pets. Slide went on to be acquired by Google for $182 million.

    Originally from Huntington Beach, Elin attended California State University, Chico, where she studied Organizational Communications and Art History.

    December 16th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Two Free Tickets To This Year’s Crunchies Awards #Crunchies

    outsidedaviesorangephotography

    The 5th Annual Crunchies Awards are right after the holidays and we already have sold out our first batch of tickets. I told you they went fast. We are planning on releasing our next set of tickets some time soon before the holidays, but before that we wanted to give one lucky reader a chance to win two free tickets.

    We haven’t announced our surprises that we have in store yet, but listen when we say that it is going to be a blast. The awards show never disappoints, and this year we are taking over the exquisite Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. The Crunchies will take place on January 31st, starting at 7:30pm. The After Party will follow with all of the honorees and distinguished guests. There will be a hosted bar, hors d’oeuvres, a casino game room, and a lot more other fun and surprises we will announce shortly. → Read More

    December 10th, 2011

    Get Your Nominations In Now For The 2011 Crunchies Awards

    DaviesSymphonyHall

    There are only a couple days left to nominate your favorites for this year’s 2011 Crunchies Awards. Already, we’ve received over 150,000 nominations from the tech community, with hundreds more trickling in every couple hours. Coming this January 31st at 7:30pm PT, we will be hosting the 5th Annual Crunchies Awards with GigaOM and VentureBeat. The ceremony is taking place at the gorgeous and huge Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, with an incredible after party following the ceremony. We have some really big surprise announcements coming soon, all of which we will share with you in the coming weeks.

    Now is the time to nominate. Nominations close to the public this December 13th, at 11:59pm PT. That gives all of you only three more days to nominate who you believe is the most deserving. We have 20 categories this year, with topics ranging from: Best Social Application, VC of the Year, Best Time Sink, Best Mobile Application, CEO of the Year, Best New Startup of 2011, all the way to Best Overall Startup of 2011. Some winners from last year include: DailyBooth, Yuri Milner, Cityville, Google Mobile Maps for Android, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason, Quora, and Twitter who took Best Overall Startup for 2010. You can view the full list of winners from last year here.
    → Read More

    November 30th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Last Chance To Win A Ticket To LeWeb’11

    leweb

    LeWeb’11 is right around the corner. For those who do not know what LeWeb is — it is Europe’s number one tech event. This year they already have some amazing speakers lined up. Some of those include ones we’ve even seen at our very own Disrupt events. Those speaking at LeWeb’11 include: Eric Schmidt, Sean Parker, Kevin Rose, Marissa Mayer, Brian Chesky, and Dave Morin just to name a few. You can view the full list of speakers here.

    Also, Karl Lagerfeld has just been added as a speaker. Many of you may know him as the head designer and creative director for Chanel. Très fantaisie, vous ne pensez pas?

    They have a number of other surprises in store for those attending as well. I can promise you that it is going to be a great event. Already over 3,000 participants from 60 different countries have registered and that number is continuing to grow, but not for long. I was just informed that tickets are almost sold out. Lucky for all of you, we have one of the last tickets to give away and we’re giving it away for free. → Read More

    November 29th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Android 4.0) #TechCrunch

    Samsung Galaxy Nexus

    Our very own Greg Kumparak and Jason Kincaid have both reviewed one — both giving it positive reviews. It’s the first time Greg has been excited about Android from a software standpoint in a while, and Jason thinks it is going to be really big. With special thanks to Appitalism, we have one Samsung Galaxy Nexus to give away.

    First off, not only is the winner of this giveaway receiving a brand new Samsung Galaxy Nexus as soon as it’s released, but the winner will also receive a $500 app download card from Appitalism and Beats headphones by Dr. Dre Headphones. Obviously, in light of the holiday spirit, we wanted this giveaway to be big. → Read More

    November 18th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: iPad 2 Loaded With Jimi Hendrix: The Complete Experience

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    We have an Apple iPad 2 to give away today. Do you want it? Would you say you’re a big Jimi Hendrix fan? Then you’re in luck. Not only are we giving away an iPad 2, but we are giving one away that has a pretty awesome Jimi Hendrix app already installed on it.

    Sony Music, The Hendrix Estate and Universal Mind have joined forces to create this super immersive experience — an amazing discovery tool that doesn’t just stream music, but unveils Jimi’s life story complete with interactive audio, video, pics, landmarks and more that you can curate yourself.

    If you’re a Hendrix fan, it’s pretty cool to say the least. If you want a shot at winning this brand new iPad 2 with the new Jimi Hendrix Experience app, just follow the steps below.
    → Read More

    November 16th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Free Ticket To LeWeb’11 #TechCrunch

    Screen shot 2011-11-16 at 12.03.13 PM

    If the words Path and Milk mean something to you in more ways than one, or you happen to have heard of a few little companies called Airbnb, Flipboard or Instagram, boy do we have a treat for you. For this week’s TechCrunch Giveaway, we’ll be offering you a way to get up close and personal with some of the greatest minds in today’s startup scene: a ticket to LeWeb’11.

    And if those names didn’t get you excited, maybe an appearance by our very own Apple columnist MG Siegler will. The tickets aren’t cheap, priced at >$2,500, so if this sounds like your cup of tea pay close attention. → Read More

    November 4th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Apple iPad 2 #TechCrunch

    iPad2B64-xlarge

    It’s been a big week in the news. We’ve wrapped up our first international Disrupt event in Beijing, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg & co-founder and former Ning CEO Gina Bianchini invested in Levo League, Apple promised an iOS 5 update to help with battery life, we have two new amazing writers joining our team, Google announced a change to its search algorithm, and Kevin Rose’s new startup Oink has hit iTunes.

    Today, while we all wait to hear how Groupon’s stock performance will do, we want to give you the chance to win something fun.

    We have an extra iPad 2 in the office and we want to give it away.

    This is an Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi with 3G and 64 GB in black. → Read More

    October 24th, 2011

    The Hackathon: Your Ticket To Disrupt Beijing, Great Prizes, And More

    hack-disrupt

    Hackers, are you ready? The Disrupt Beijing Hackathon is almost here. Not only is this our fifth time hosting the Hackathon at TechCrunch Disrupt, but it is our very first time hosting it overseas. The Hackathon has become an incredibly popular event, where hackers of every stripe come together to build cool products and businesses — from funny to useful, from bizarre to essential. The goal of the Hackathon is to push innovation forward.

    What’s more, ALL hackers who finish their hacks AND present in the 24-hour allotted time period will get FREE tickets to Disrupt Beijing!

    而且, 所有完成并且在24小时中展示所做项目的程序员将获得Disrupt北京大会的免费门票!

    We have been lucky enough to receive support from some amazing companies. These companies will be helping hackers by hosting their own API platforms, providing educational workshops, and offering exciting prizes from their own contests. Make sure to check out the contests and prizes below, and make sure to get your ticket soon! It’s our first Hackathon overseas and one you don’t want to miss. → Read More

    October 21st, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Toshiba Thrive 10-Inch Tablet #ChannelCaster

    (JPEG Image, 2400x2823 pixels) - Scaled (23%)-1

    Thanks to OneLouder, we have a Toshiba Thrive 10-inch tablet to give away! This tablet is 8GB and valued at around $379.99. Not only will the winner of this giveaway win the tablet, but the ChannelCaster app will also be included in it. It’s an app that makes it simple to create custom content Channels based on any person, topic, or trend by mashing together multiple content sources in real-time from thousands of places like TechCrunch, YouTube, Flickr, news sites, blogs, etc. → Read More

    October 7th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Two Free Tickets To Disrupt Beijing #TCDisrupt

    Beijing 2011

    Disrupt Beijing is almost here. With speakers like Pony Ma, Lin Bin, Peter Vesterbacka and Niklas Zennström, it’s going to be an amazing conference. This October 31st to November 1st, our very own Jason Kincaid, Alexia Tsotsis, Leena Rao, Greg Kumparak, John Biggs and many more will be flying to China to shake things up. Of course, our own Sarah Lacy will be hosting, along with special guest Peter Goodman. Peter Goodman knows a thing or two about disruption and China. He has more than a decade of reporting on the economy, business and technology for The New York Times and The Washington Post, with 5 of those years being spent in China. He currently is the executive business editor at The Huffington Post. → Read More

    September 30th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: One DROID Bionic #TechCrunch

    DROID BIONIC by Motorola - Android Social Smartphone - Experience - Motorola Mobility, Inc. USA

    Last week we ran a giveaway for one whole week, giving away a DROID Bionic. A huge congratulations to Scott Leither for winning last week’s DROID Bionic! Since the giveaway was so popular, we wanted to give all of you another shot. Thanks again to Verizon, we are giving one more DROID Bionic away to one lucky reader. Just like before, the giveaway will run for one full week and we will choose the winner next Friday. → Read More

    September 23rd, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: DROID Bionic #TechCrunch

    After Nine Months Of Revisions, The Verizon Droid Bionic Is Finally Available | TechCrunch

    After being teased for months and months, nine months to be exact, of when Verizon and Motorola would release the DROID Bionic, the wait is finally over. The DROID Bionic is now out in stores and the reviews have been nothing but positive. In fact, people are so in awe of the phone, some even believe it will be the only phone to compete with the up-and-coming iPhone 5. So, since this is Friday, and we like to give things away on Friday, we are going to give one DROID Bionic away to one lucky reader. → Read More

    September 10th, 2011

    Applications For Paul Graham’s Office Hours Close Today. Get Your Applications In Now.

    office_hours

    One of the most popular Disrupt sessions is Paul Graham’s Office Hours. (See video below). We are bringing it back to Disrupt SF on Monday, September 12th.

    If you are attending Disrupt and would like to be considered, be sure you fill out the form below and fill it out soon. Applications are going to close this Saturday, September 10th, at midnight PDT. → Read More

    September 9th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: 4 Free Tickets To Disrupt SF #TCDisrupt

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    Disrupt SF is literally right around the corner. We are kicking things off this weekend with the incredibly popular Hackathon, where we have more contests and prizes than ever before. Disrupt starts on Monday, September 12th, with Reid Hoffman, Tom Conrad, Peter Thiel and Paul Graham kicking things off. This is one event you do not want to miss. Be sure to check out the full agenda.

    Ticket sales are closed, but we are giving you one last chance. Today, we are giving away 4 free tickets to Disrupt. Anyone in the world can enter, but remember these tickets do not include airfare or hotel. We have partnered with Oyster.com to provide several discounted hotel options surrounding the area. Getaround and Zimride also have some awesome transportation deals going on. Be sure to read more about hotel options here and transportation options here. → Read More

    September 2nd, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Tickets To BoxWorks Featuring A Live Band #TechCrunch

    boxworkslogo.jpg - File Shared from Box.net

    Want to attend an enterprise software conference after party with Third Eye Blind?

    Cloud content management startup Box.net is holding its first-ever customer conference, BoxWorks, on September 28th in San Francisco. To celebrate, they’re throwing a big after party featuring Third Eye Blind. The party gets started at 6pm at the Bently Reserve, and runs until 11pm. There will be an open bar, heavy appetizers, and lots of dance floor action.
    → Read More

    August 26th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: iPad 2 #TechCrunch

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    We all know by now. Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple. The outpouring of emotion from this news is something we have never really seen before and this very well may be one of the biggest stories we will ever see in this space. Even though this may be the end of an era, Steve Jobs will still be with Apple and continue to touch lives of millions.

    In light of all the news, Pursuitist, the premiere travel, food, style and leisure online destination, where our very own Paul Carr is a contributor, has offered to give an iPad 2 away to one lucky TechCrunch reader. → Read More

    August 19th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Free Tickets To Disrupt SF #TCDisrupt

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    We just announced a couple more speakers who will be joining us onstage at Disrupt SF, which is only one month away! You can follow along with the growing list of speakers here. Disrupt SF is going to be packed with all-star guests, speakers, insightful discussions, after parties and much more. It’s going to be held at the San Francisco Design Center Concourse, with after parties at Roe and Mighty. We still have many more surprises to announce, which we will do as we get closer to the event. Disrupt really will be huge, and one you will not want to miss.

    Today, we are going to give away 2 free tickets to 2 lucky readers. These tickets do not include airfare or hotel, but we have partnered with Oyster.com to provide several discounted hotel options surrounding the area. Be sure to read more about hotel options here. → Read More

    August 18th, 2011

    Don’t Miss Out: Last 5 Days To Get TechCrunch Disrupt SF Early Bird Tickets

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    Disrupt SF is going to be huge. There are only 5 days left to get the best price on tickets, so be sure to get your early bird tickets now HERE. We have just announced more all-star speakers and you can continue to follow along with our announcements of speakers on the Disrupt SF site here. Some of the speakers who will be joining us on the Disrupt SF stage include: Elon Musk, Vinod Khosla, Peter Thiel, Mike McCue, Dustin Moskovitz, Ron Conway, Marissa Mayer and much more. Be sure to also take a peak at our agenda outlined here, which highlights some of our incredibly fun after parties as well. We still have many more surprises to announce which we promise will not disappoint. You do not want to miss out, so get your tickets now! → Read More

    August 16th, 2011

    TechCrunch Giveaway: Three Free New Relic Pro Accounts #NewRelic

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    What do Groupon, Zynga, Airbnb, Crunchbase and LinkedIn have in common? They know site performance is critical to their success, so they use New Relic app monitoring to make sure their apps are quick and fast. Every second on the web counts and New Relic has been on a tear since raising $10 million in October from Benchmark, Allen & Co., and Trinity Ventures. They now measure over 20 billion metrics each day and have a goal of being ubiquitous – like the Google Analytics of web performance.

    New Relic recently agreed to be a Partner Sponsor of our September Disrupt SF conference (where all Hackathon participants will get a free standard account) and we convinced them to give away three free pro accounts today to our readers. → Read More

    August 15th, 2011

    Michael Arrington’s New Executive Assistant Did It All For The Labradors

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    Michael Arrington decided to test the limits of what his new Executive Assistant, Greg Barto, can actually do by asking the TechCrunch readers to suggest tasks he should complete for one day. Using Zaarly, Greg was sent on a day long adventure fulfilling tasks (risking his life and dignity?) offered up by the community and doing it all for charity. Luckily, it is all captured in the video below. Viewer discretion is advised. → Read More

    Upcoming Events

    Disrupt SF 2012

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    Crunchbase

    Copperfasten — Received €500k in Unattributed funding from Enterprise Ireland and Oyster Technology Investments
    5.27.2012
    Himax Technologies — Company added to CrunchBase
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    Bolt | Peters — Acquired by Facebook for $50M.
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    GlobalEnglish — Acquired by Pearson for $90M.
    5.25.2012
    Chick Approved — Acquired by Lockerz.
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    PowerReviews — Acquired by Bazaarvoice for $151M.
    5.24.2012
    Copperfasten — Received €500k in Unattributed funding from Enterprise Ireland and Oyster Technology Investments
    5.27.2012
    Undo Software — Received Unattributed funding from Cambridge Angels group
    5.27.2012
    Soteira — Received $375k in Debt funding
    5.25.2012
    Spectra Analysis — Received $125k in Debt funding
    5.25.2012
    Exec — Received $3.3M in Seed funding
    5.25.2012
    5.27.2012
    Enterprise Ireland — Invested in Copperfasten.
    5.27.2012
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    NextView Ventures — Invested in TurningArt.
    5.23.2012
    TELUS — Invested in SecureKey Technologies.
    5.25.2012
    Facebook — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:FB.
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    Himax Technologies — Company added to CrunchBase
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    Medivation — Company added to CrunchBase
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    Copperfasten — Company added to CrunchBase
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    Undo Software — Company added to CrunchBase
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    SGL Network — Company added to CrunchBase
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    Google Chromium — Product added to CrunchBase
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    cloudbank — Product added to CrunchBase
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    mywheebox — Product added to CrunchBase
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