TechCrunch Early Stage Returns in 2021

Here at TechCrunch, we consistently contemplate the future – a practice we’ve maintained for the past 15 years. The answers to “what’s next?” typically originate with founders in the initial phases of building their companies. This realization led us to launch TechCrunch Early Stage last year.

TC Early Stage focuses on connecting founders with leading specialists across all essential areas of entrepreneurship, encompassing fundraising, marketing, and operational strategies. It rapidly became a highly valued offering from TechCrunch, prompting us to expand its scope in 2021.

In the coming year, we will be hosting two TC Early Stage events (delivered virtually) – one scheduled for April 1 & 2, and another for July 8 & 9, each featuring unique viewpoints and content.

Here’s a breakdown of the event format:

Professionals specializing in fundraising, marketing, and operations will deliver presentations, allowing ample opportunity for interactive live Q&A sessions. These workshops will cover the complete startup journey, featuring speakers such as early-stage investors, experienced legal counsel, growth strategists, experts in achieving product-market fit, technology stack specialists, recruitment professionals, and more, including sessions dedicated to pitch analysis.

TechCrunch aims to equip founders with insights and valuable connections comparable to those gained through an accelerator program, but condensed into a single day and with a broader range of experts and investors available.

TC Early Stage is specifically tailored for founders in the early stages of development, ranging from pre-seed to Series A funding, a period when entrepreneurs benefit most from expert guidance. The core of the event consists of numerous breakout sessions led by specialists and selected by TechCrunch editors. These sessions will prioritize attendee questions and discussion, and the event is designed to allow participants to attend six to eight different breakouts throughout the day.

Last year’s sessions included:

• “Timing Is Everything in Fundraising” presented by Jake Saper
• “Seed Funding Tips and Tricks” with Jeff Clavier
• “What VCs Look for in a Term Sheet” with Lior Zorea
• “Building a Brand That Captivates” with Emily Heyward
• “Selling Your Vision Before You Have a Product” with Charles Hudson
• “Navigating the Y Combinator Application Process” with Dalton Caldwell

This represents only a portion of the content offered. We are committed to building upon successful elements and have no intention of altering what has proven effective. Expect similar high-quality sessions at our 2021 Early Stage events on April 1 & 2 and July 8 & 9. Single event tickets are available at an Early Bird price of $199 for early-stage founders and $299 for founders at a later stage, investors, or those seeking to enhance their knowledge. Even greater savings are available with a dual-event ticket – as each event will feature different speakers and topics, attending both is highly recommended!

We look forward to seeing you there!