25th
Where is the Disruption at TC Disrupt?
As the name implies, TC Disrupt is about cutting edge ‘web innovation disrupting media and technology.’ Unfortunately, the highlight of the show - the Startup Battlefield - failed to deliver much disruption. While guilty of gross generalization (and to be extremely clear there were absolutely some fantastic companies, including, but not limited to, two IA portfolio companies Kohort and Billguard), the overall Battlefield failed to inspire.
While there are many reasons for the poor showing, I think it comes down to two limiting choices made by TechCrunch regarding selection criteria and presentation format.
First, TechCrunch requires that companies competing in the Battlefield publicly launch for the first time at TC Disrupt. What this means in practice is that if you were a Y Combinator company, you’re out; Techstars graduate? too bad, you’re out; if you were onstage ‘launching’ and received press at any one of the countless other tech conference around the world, you’re out. Essentially, TechCrunch cuts off its own legs by imposing such stringent limitations on who can compete in the Battlefield. This requirement has to be relaxed for future events to attract the best innovators in web tech.
Second, the presentation format simply does not allow companies to convey the full extent of their innovative disruption - six minutes is just too short for many companies, particularly those that have some degree of complexity (and let’s be honest, not every great company is beautifully simple). Adding just two additional minutes (for a total of eight minutes - the amount of time allocated to companies at TechStars demo day) would alleviate much of the time crunch imposed on presenters and give them flexibility to more reasonably and comfortably express their innovation. I, for one, would not be the least bit upset to see the Battlefield reduced from 30 to 20 companies to accommodate more impactful presentations.
TechCrunch has firmly established its well deserved position as the media gold standard at the epicenter of web innovation, but having now been to three TechCrunch conferences I know that it can shine brighter than it did this week in NYC.
