It’s that time of the year when startups start drum rolling their entry, and investors are all upbeat about the innovations they are about to hear. Yes, Disrupt SF 2018 by TechCrunch is all set to disrupt your world and also the technology as you know it, this September in San Francisco. Already compared to the Super Bowl, this is the technology lover’s major event, one that you cannot miss it.

What Is Disrupt SF?

It is the platform where new startups are announced to the world, and where big sponsors and investors are named, the ones associated with the funding world. Basically, it is the platform that helps startups network, and investors identify their next funding round. It is a big event, one that most of the early-stage startups should not be missing out on. This is also known as the startup alley in the Disrupt SF vocabulary.

It is not just that! You also have a healthy competition among startups for the Disrupt Cup. Yes, the startup battlefield, competition over a period of three days, see which one can win the cash prize along with the cup. This startup also manages to get the investor’s attention. This is indeed the dream come true platform for startups.

Want to know some of the past companies that topped this battlefield? Mint, Dropbox, Yammer, and Tripit, are just some of the names, and you would see that each one of them is now a top-notch business.

If you are an early-stage startup and want to win over the battlefield, this is your chance. Make sure you apply to the battlefield, and not lose your magical chance of gaining good sponsors and investments.

Apart from the battle, you also have mentors giving out their best speeches, and people talking about their startups and their struggles. A lot of people come and talk about how the business world works, and what is important for startups.

What All’s Happening At The TechCrunch Disrupt?

• A whole lot of networking is definitely in the game. Yes, people will meet people and businesses will meet other businesses. There will be talks and there will be exchanges.
• Crunch match is yet another part of the Disrupt SF that attempts to get the investors talking to the right startups. This one makes sure the networking is happening right. It is a free service, and it is based on the specificity of the criteria, goals, and interests established by the investors. The day and time is scheduled beforehand for this platform.
• Daily interactive workshops will take place, which will help the entrepreneurs establish new problem-solving methods.
• The after-party is definitely not one to be missed. So, make sure you have enough energy left to attend it.

Why Should Startups Attend The Disrupt Event?

• It is your only golden opportunity to meet a roomful of people, investors, and other startup owners. You may get investment or better ideas. It is something that you cannot avoid, as it will help you and your business grow. While virtual interaction is definitely useful, when you meet these people in person, there is an increased chance of getting business or getting funded.
• You will be able to look at your business idea from a customer’s perspective. There will be people in that room who would have problems that your startup can solve. You can always ask them for feedback, and check how you can improve your product. Yes, there is a whole lot of space for brainstorming in there.
• There is nothing like good exposure for your business. If you want to surge ahead in the entrepreneurial world, you ought to get good visibility for yourself as well as your business. This is your best chance to get both.

How Businesses Can Stand Out In Disrupt SF?

There are just too many people attending the event. Your chances of getting noticed is 1 in a million. If you want to make the most of that chance, then here are a few tips that industry mentors have given out in the past.

• Opt for the startup battlefield. You will get to be a part of the conference for free and you would be able to showcase your product and demonstrate your solution to a roomful of people.
• It is important to be a part of the social media, as that is how your potential audience and investor is probably going to hear about you. Make sure you have established a good social presence.
• Startup t-shirts will help you get noticed. The event badges won’t help you stand out on the battlefield.
• It is important that you leave your booth to concentrate on networking and out of the box promotional activities to improve your connections and increase your visibility.
• Make sure you take every conversation as an opportunity. This way you would be able to gain maximum from the conference.

Save The Date (5th to 7th September)

The conference is going to be held from 5th September to the 7th of September in San Francisco. The featured guests include.

• Whitney Wolfe, founder, and CEO Bumble
• Reid Hoffman, a partner at Greylock Partners
• Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO Uber

For details into the event, check https://techcrunch.com/events/disrupt-sf-2018/

How to Grab your Spot in Startup Alley at Disrupt SF 2018?

As per the Chinese numerology, number 48 denotes a determination to prosper -for the business. How it is suitable to this because 48 also represents the number of hours is left to reserve your place in Startup Alley.

Disrupt tech events are all set to creating victory, so if you belong to startup or individual want to present yourself in front of thousands of thousands of attendees including investors, technologists, entrepreneurs and media persons, get a quick Disrupt SF Startup Alley Exhibitor Package before August 24 at 5 p.m. PT.

Secure your seat as early as possible and you can join them as they showcase their newest technology products, various platforms and services to most potential consumers, future investors and media outlets.

If you buy a Startup Alley Exhibitor Package, you will get the following:

• 2 Founder passes for all 3 days of Disrupt SF 2018
• 1 day to present on the Startup Alley show floor
• Use of CrunchMatch - curated an investor-to-startup matching platformEntry to The Main Stage, The Q&A Stage, The Next Stage, and The Showcase Stage.
• Interactive workshops.
• Access to the attendee list; You can be allowed to message attendees with the Disrupt App.
• Attend the TechCrunch After Party.
• In Addition, participates have a chance to win one of two Wild Card slots to compete in the Startup Battlefield, which is a grand prize of a whopping $100K.

For booking tickets please check - https://techcrunch.com/events/disrupt-sf-2018/?unii-trigger-open=GSLDXW

Summing up

Disrupt SF is definitely the road to meeting new people and networking in today’s time and age. According to a lot of people, it is the road to success for startups. With investors and startups meeting at the same place and connecting with each other, there is a possibility for an increase in the available opportunities.

Winner of Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018

In the beginning, there were 21 startups participated. After three days of amazing competition, a winner had been declared. Startups participating in the Startup Battlefield at Disrupt SF 2018 have all been selected to participate in the highly aggressive startup competition. They all presented in front of various groups of VCs and tech leaders helping as judges for a chance to win $100,000 and the coveted Disrupt Cup.

After hours of discussions, editors of TechCrunch have seen the judges’ notes and came up with the list of five finalists: CB Therapeutics, Forethought, Mira, Origami Labs, and Unbound.

The above five startups were selected into the finale to demo in front of the final panel of judges, which introduced:

Cyan Banister - Founders Fund
Roelof Botha - Sequoia Capital
Jeff Clavier - Uncork Capital
Kirsten Green - Forerunner Ventures
Aileen Lee - Cowboy Ventures
Matthew Panzarino - TechCrunch

Source: TechCrunch

Among the five nominees, Forethought won the startup battlefield at Disrupt SF 2018. Forethought has a new concept for enterprise search that uses AI to surface the content that means most in the context of work. Its first use case includes customer service, but it has a b aim to work across the enterprise.

Runner-up: Unbound

Unbound offers fashion-forward vibrators, and their newest is the Palma. The new device masquerades as a ring, allows multiple speeds, and is fully waterproof. It’s composed of surgical grade steel and appears in silver or gold. Their team plans to include accelerometer features.