4 ms·

Confirmed: TechCrunch50 conference is no more

18 points by alain94040 16y ago

seiji 16y ago
This is a great opportunity to make a killing (both financially and influentially) with a new trendy tech startup conference. What do we need? A snazzy venue, a few internet-famous MCs, startups starved for attention, and attendees. A name and a date would help too. Basic model: No charge for startups presenting. Charge a nominal amount for normal attendees, more for VCs (better seating/access), and a more substantial amount for corporate/VC event sponsors. Format: 24 startups. 8 minutes each to present a heavily polished, rehearsed presentation (TED-level). Generic awards. Applause. Offers of funding. Interested? Reply with more fleshing out of ideas. Maybe we'll make it happen.
- staunch 16y ago
  If you can get the VCs and press to come you're 90% of the way there. If you can't you're in for a very rough ride. Y Combinator Conference would be awesome, but they already do it for YC companies: Demo Day.
- jasonlbaptiste 16y ago
  i was at tc50 2 years ago. they did an awesome job putting it on if you're an attendee. The production quality was great. Only gripe was Wifi. As far as the companies go? None were really "startups". Afterwards, I realized I was more excited to see the demo day companies from all the seed accelerators. They all had equal funding playing fields (for the most part), put the company together in 3 months, and were the real "startups". I'd love to see the YC essence mixed in with a TC50 type conference.
  - alain94040 16y ago
    We were on stage at TC50 two years ago. We definitely were a startup. Like a good chunk of others, at least 30%, maybe half. I have to be fair to the selection process, having no funding was not a barrier to being selected. That's as open-minded as I can think.
- puredemo 16y ago
  Well, I own mixce.com, mixce.net and mixce.org. Those would be pretty great names for this sort of event -- short, easy to remember and somewhat hip. The startups would be considered a "mix" of the best of the industry. I also work directly with a couple of prolific designers in SF, as well as some leading event planners and a couple VCs. Diageo might also want to sponsor an event like this as well, especially if it had a "mixed drinks" angle. I could talk to the promotion staff over there about it. Why I am getting downvoted for this? Anyone care to explain why I'm at -3 simply for responding to the request?
staunch 16y ago
I think the lesson here is about taking your fair share. Calacanis convinced Arrington to put on the conference, and to split the company 50/50 with him. Arrington eventually realized what an obviously stupid and unfair situation this was and killed it. This is why one should always try to get a fair share of things, and not take more just because you can. It's not just ethical, it's also enlightened self-interest. I bet Calacanis could have maintained a much smaller share indefinitely. From Calacanis' new "conference" page: http://thelaunchconference.com/ http://thelaunchconference.com/ "...Alas, Mike and I are both strong personalities and we had a different vision of where to take the conferences (and how to split the not insignificant profits from it–but I digress)..."
- jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
  The Launch Conference will be exactly the same as TechCrunch50--except I'm going to invest all the profits in the startup companies. It's going to be epic and I encourage everyone to attend Mike's event, and hope you consider coming to mine.
  - staunch 16y ago
    More places for startups to get attention can only be a good thing. I hope The Launch Conference is a big success. I don't know why money has to be such a big part of it though. Paying $2000 for a ticket seems ridiculous. And giving $50k to the winner is kind of meaningless too (did Mint really need it?) All startups really want is a chance to show press and VCs how awesome their thing is. How about $50 per ticket and the winner gets an additional "finale" presentation or something?
    - jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
      I hear your feedback.... Stay tuned!!!
DTrejo 16y ago
Is anyone planning on going to TC Disrupt? If so, let me know: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1339763 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1339763
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

18 points by alain94040 16y ago

seiji 16y ago

This is a great opportunity to make a killing (both financially and influentially) with a new trendy tech startup conference. What do we need? A snazzy venue, a few internet-famous MCs, startups starved for attention, and attendees. A name and a date would help too. Basic model: No charge for startups presenting. Charge a nominal amount for normal attendees, more for VCs (better seating/access), and a more substantial amount for corporate/VC event sponsors. Format: 24 startups. 8 minutes each to present a heavily polished, rehearsed presentation (TED-level). Generic awards. Applause. Offers of funding. Interested? Reply with more fleshing out of ideas. Maybe we'll make it happen.

staunch 16y ago
If you can get the VCs and press to come you're 90% of the way there. If you can't you're in for a very rough ride. Y Combinator Conference would be awesome, but they already do it for YC companies: Demo Day.
jasonlbaptiste 16y ago
i was at tc50 2 years ago. they did an awesome job putting it on if you're an attendee. The production quality was great. Only gripe was Wifi. As far as the companies go? None were really "startups". Afterwards, I realized I was more excited to see the demo day companies from all the seed accelerators. They all had equal funding playing fields (for the most part), put the company together in 3 months, and were the real "startups". I'd love to see the YC essence mixed in with a TC50 type conference.
- alain94040 16y ago
  We were on stage at TC50 two years ago. We definitely were a startup. Like a good chunk of others, at least 30%, maybe half. I have to be fair to the selection process, having no funding was not a barrier to being selected. That's as open-minded as I can think.
puredemo 16y ago
Well, I own mixce.com, mixce.net and mixce.org. Those would be pretty great names for this sort of event -- short, easy to remember and somewhat hip. The startups would be considered a "mix" of the best of the industry. I also work directly with a couple of prolific designers in SF, as well as some leading event planners and a couple VCs. Diageo might also want to sponsor an event like this as well, especially if it had a "mixed drinks" angle. I could talk to the promotion staff over there about it. Why I am getting downvoted for this? Anyone care to explain why I'm at -3 simply for responding to the request?

staunch 16y ago

I think the lesson here is about taking your fair share. Calacanis convinced Arrington to put on the conference, and to split the company 50/50 with him. Arrington eventually realized what an obviously stupid and unfair situation this was and killed it. This is why one should always try to get a fair share of things, and not take more just because you can. It's not just ethical, it's also enlightened self-interest. I bet Calacanis could have maintained a much smaller share indefinitely. From Calacanis' new "conference" page: http://thelaunchconference.com/ http://thelaunchconference.com/ "...Alas, Mike and I are both strong personalities and we had a different vision of where to take the conferences (and how to split the not insignificant profits from it–but I digress)..."

jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
The Launch Conference will be exactly the same as TechCrunch50--except I'm going to invest all the profits in the startup companies. It's going to be epic and I encourage everyone to attend Mike's event, and hope you consider coming to mine.
- staunch 16y ago
  More places for startups to get attention can only be a good thing. I hope The Launch Conference is a big success. I don't know why money has to be such a big part of it though. Paying $2000 for a ticket seems ridiculous. And giving $50k to the winner is kind of meaningless too (did Mint really need it?) All startups really want is a chance to show press and VCs how awesome their thing is. How about $50 per ticket and the winner gets an additional "finale" presentation or something?
  - jasonmcalacanis 16y ago
    I hear your feedback.... Stay tuned!!!

DTrejo 16y ago

Is anyone planning on going to TC Disrupt? If so, let me know: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1339763 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1339763

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]