TC Early Stage 2021 Pitch-Off

The TC Early Stage Pitch-Off: A Showcase of Emerging Startups

A competition featuring ten international startups, structured around three rounds of presentations and assessed by a panel of nine seasoned judges, unfolded as part of TC Early Stage 2021: Operations & Fundraising.

Following a day dedicated to instructive guidance, the second day of TC Early Stage transitioned into a dynamic showcase of entrepreneurial talent. TechCrunch meticulously reviewed numerous applications to select participants for Early Stage 2021.

Round One: Initial Presentations

The first round commenced at 9 a.m. PT, spotlighting five startups: Clocr, Crispify, Pivot Market, hi.health, and Fitted. Each company was allotted five minutes to deliver their pitch, followed by a question-and-answer session with the judging panel.

The judging panel for this initial phase comprised Marlon Nichols, co-founder and managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital; Sarah Smith, partner at Bain Capital Ventures; and Leah Solivan, general partner at Fuel Capital.

Round Two: Continued Competition

The second round began at 10 a.m. PT, featuring presentations from FLX Solutions, Nalagenetics, The Last Gameboard, Attention Quotient and Soon. These startups also had five minutes to present and engage in a Q&A.

Lucy Deland, partner at Inspired Capital Partners; Eghosa Omoigui, founder and managing general partner at EchoVC Partners; and Neal Sáles-Griffin, managing director at Techstars, served as the judges for this round.

The Final Round: Determining the Winner

Only three startups advanced to the final round, starting at 11 a.m. PT. These finalists presented their pitches once more, facing a different panel of judges and a more in-depth Q&A session.

The final judging panel included Wen Hsieh, partner at Kleiner Perkins; Natalie Sandman, partner at Spark Capital; and Stephanie Zahn, partner at Sequoia Capital.

Prizes and Benefits

The ultimate winner of the pitch-off received significant benefits. These included a featured article on TechCrunch.com, a one-year membership to Extra Crunch, and a Founder Pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 in September.

Observing the pitches of other startups and the subsequent judge’s inquiries offers considerable value. The feedback provided by experts can be exceptionally insightful, potentially offering actionable advice for refining one’s own presentations.

Ashley Barrington, founder of MarketPearl, benefited from a similar experience at TC Early Stage 2020.

The second day of TC Early Stage 2021 was characterized by continuous pitch activity. Attendees were encouraged to engage with the event, recognizing that the insights gained could directly improve their own pitching skills.

Updated 4/2/2021: The list of participating companies has been updated for accuracy.