In just a couple of months, Disrupt will have landed in the greatest city in the world, New York. And with it comes some of the brightest minds in the world.
Disrupt is the biggest tech startup conference in the world. Not only do we have amazing speakers on our stage, but we also turn the stage into a launchpad for the coolest new startups on the scene as part of the TC Disrupt Startup Battlefield. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Today, I’m pleased to announce some of the incredible speakers joining us onstage come May.
Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant is a man of many talents. Winner of this year’s Angel of the Year award at the Crunchies, Ravikant has made a name for himself as both an angel investor and a founder. In 2010, Ravikant created AngelList, giving the tech community a central database to track startups, investors and general VC activity in the tech world. He’s also an incredible angel investor, with shares in Postmates, Uber, Twitter, Yammer, Change.org, Navdy, Poshmark and many others.
Ravikant will join us for a 1:1 fireside chat to discuss broader topics in the tech industry, as well as his own news — AngelList recently bought ProductHunt for a reported $20 million.
Dan Teran, Managed By Q and Oisin Hanrahan, Handy
The future of worker classification is up in the air. As technology infiltrates service-based businesses, the tech community finds itself at a crossroads. While 1099 classification offers lower costs to the business and more flexibility to the workers, W2 offers a level of protection to workers, and can generate higher-quality end-results from workers who feel like a part of the team.
To discuss these issues live, we’ll be joined by Managed By Q’s Dan Teran and Handy’s Oisin Hanrahan.
Teran has grown Managed By Q to service New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, SF and Oakland, as well as signing an exclusive partnership with Staples to be the digital service provider for all Staples enterprise clients. Managed By Q has raised more than $70 million in funding.
What sets the office management platform apart is its employee program. All of MBQ’s contractors work on a W2 basis, with access to a stock program that gives all operators part of a 5 percent equity pool.
Meanwhile, Hanrahan has turned Handy into a household name. The cleaning company has now expanded to furniture assembly, handy work and even home storage. Handy expanded service to the U.K. and Canada, and operates across the United States.
Last year, the company celebrated its millionth booking on the platform. Handy has raised more than $110 million in funding. But unlike Managed By Q, Handy employs workers on a 1099 basis, which hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine.
Teran and Hanrahan will hop onstage to argue the finer points of both employment methods — and we can’t wait to watch it play out.
Disrupt New York goes down May 15 to May 17, and the only way you’re getting in is with a ticket. So pick one up right here! We’ve only got a few days left for Extra-Early-Bird ticket sales, so you’ll be saving money and planning ahead. You’re so damn responsible!
Sponsors make TechCrunch events possible. If you’re interested in learning more about sponsorships with TechCrunch, shoot an email to sponsors@beta.techcrunch.com.