TechCrunch Early Stage returns to Boston on April 25, 2024, and the flagship founder event agenda is nearly complete. We're excited to share a not-so-sneaky sneak peek at some of the great speakers and sessions we're attending. For builders just starting their startup journey, TechCrunch Early Stage is the place to be. With the help of a large body of leading investors and entrepreneurs, we take a deep dive into founder-focused topics such as:
- How to use Startup Accelerator.
- How to raise your first funding.
- How to find product-market fit.
- How to make a killer pitch deck.
Early Stage is different from other TechCrunch events. Instead of panels or fireside chats, speakers present on assigned topics and answer questions. As always, all attendees will receive a transcript and visual assets of the presentation so they can take what they learned home with them.
Also, if you're a talkative type, you'll enjoy roundtable discussions and lots of time interacting with other founders, builders, and investors. You'll have a lot of questions in the early stages, and we're here to answer them. More roundtables will be announced closer to the show.
Please join me at my favorite TechCrunch event in Boston on April 25th. Get an early bird pass and save big bucks. See you soon!
TechCrunch 2024 Early Agenda Preview
How to find product-market fit when you need it most
With Sequoia Capital Partner Jess Lee
In the startup world, everyone wants one thing. It's product market fit. Jess Lee, a partner at Sequoia, has experience building and scaling some of the world's most popular products at Google, where she enjoyed success as co-founder and CEO. She also has many years of experience investing in companies like yours that are looking for ideal conditions.
How to earn money and live
With Tom Blomfield, Y Combinator Group Partner
Raising money in the first round is tricky. Especially if you don't want to look back years from now and regret your terms of service or side letters. In this session, Tom explains how investors think, common pitfalls that may come up later, and how to put your company in the strongest possible position to raise capital. After all, who would want to participate in his game of 2024 fundraising hanger with old information?
How to Intelligently Calculate TAM to Surprise Investors
With trading partners Tobi Coker, Felicis and Nabiha Saklayen, co-founder and CEO of Cellino Biotech.
How big is your market? Every founder pitching to investors or early employees has faced this question. How to properly answer that is not at all easy. There are many different ways to measure Total Addressable Market (TAM), and for good reason, a topic TechCrunch has written about ad nauseum. Without a big market, no startup has a chance to get big. Also, if the TAM number is too high to be believed, it can make the founders appear unfounded. The challenge is to come up with the largest and most reasonable number. If you're a founder writing a pitch deck, or just working on a napkin to sort out whether an idea is worth your time, this is the session for you. Felicis' Tobi Coker and Cellino's Nabiha Saklayen explain how he approaches TAM from both an investor and founder perspective and answer your questions.
How to build an MVP and navigate the startup-industrial complex
With NFX General Partner James Currier
The perfect minimum viable product (MVP) is building a product that is good enough or better to convince potential customers and users that you have created something they want and need to use. Don't build a product or dance. There's always the siren song of adding more features, more polish, and more time. NFX's James Currier answers questions about MVP and provides insight into what he describes as the “startup-industrial complex.” This is a must-have session for founders who are still hard at work on their startup's first product launch.
VC Pitch Blueprint: Strategies for Success
With Sara Choi, Partner at Wing Venture Capital
Join Sara Choi, partner and biotech investor at Wing Venture Capital, as she reveals the secrets to successful VC pitching. Founder turned investor Sarah reveals common misconceptions about pitching to VCs, the key elements investors look for in a pitch deck, preparation strategies, the ideal presenter, and more. In this session, she will learn the tools she needs to attract investors, hone her pitch approach, and ultimately secure funding.
Build the investor relationships you need, before you need them, in the right way
With Lily Lyman, general partner of Underscore VC
Looking to raise funding for your startup? Building strong relationships with the right pre-qualified investors is critical to your success. This session will provide short-term information on how to strategically manage inbound interest, effectively nurture these relationships, and showcase momentum while sharing enough information to investors who are hungry to hear more. We offer intensive courses.
Working hard for $1M ARR: Best practices to learn quickly from your launch partner
Rudina Ceceli, co-founder and managing partner, glasswing ventures
Once you secure a seed round, the race begins to prove product-market fit and grow your ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue). With the clock ticking, limited seed dollars, a difficult macroeconomic environment, and the bar rising to secure the next round, founders' margin for error is slim and execution is critical. is. In this session, we'll dive into the best practices for rapidly iterating on lessons learned from launch partners (such as early customers). Learn how to ask the right questions, get actionable answers, respond effectively, and avoid idleness at this critical juncture in your company's growth.
Choosing the right accelerator or incubator
With Emily Knight, President of The Engine Accelerator
Incubators and accelerators often provide a support structure for early-stage startups. Founders transitioning from academia often seek assistance in defining the potential commercial viability of their research, so specific programs are often tailored to their unique needs. . Founders from academia face unique challenges stemming from higher education and national research institutions. Choosing the right startup program can help young companies navigate the known hurdles of founding. Here's what you need to know today.
So you think you can pitch?
Founders selected to participate in this session have five minutes to wow a panel of judges, including leading VCs, and then provide feedback. Check the event page now for how to apply!
Early stage financing: convertible notes, SAFE, series seed financing
With Rebecca Leigh Whiting, Founder and Fractional Legal Counsel of Epigram Legal
Learn from early-stage fractional general counsel about various financing mechanisms for early-stage companies, including convertible notes, simplified agreements for future equity (SAFE), and series seed financing rounds. This session will highlight the pros and cons of these alternatives, demystify standard terms, highlight potential pitfalls to avoid, and suggest key points to consider when negotiating.
TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 will be held in Boston on April 25th. Join other emerging founders and bring your questions, get answers directly from industry experts, and learn the next steps you need to take to build your startup. Buy your pass now and save with early bird pricing.
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