Guide to Disrupt SF 2019

By Laurie Jo Miller Farr

You're serious about startups and so are the folks behind Disrupt SF. So, if you're looking forward to three days of truly out-of-the-box thinking, mark your calendar now. San Francisco's Moscone North Convention Center at 730 Howard Street is the venue for the next Disrupt SF on Oct. 2-4, 2019. 

What's Disrupt SF About?

The renowned annual event has grown over the years. Attendees can expect plenty of stimulating conversations and Q&A sessions in the hot seat. The conference incorporates a Virtual Hackathon, more than 1,000 exhibitors in Startup Alley, 100-plus interactive workshops, after-party networking, and the Startup Battlefield, where someone walks away with $100,000 to take it to the next level. And it's all organized by TechCrunch, the leading San Francisco-based online publisher of tech and industry news that'snow owned by U.S. telecommunications giant Verizon.   

How Does it Work?

Startup Battlefield is the main draw on center stage. In a format that's now been used by other conferences and reality television shows, selected startups pitch business models in front of venture capitalists, investors, and media. In past years, winning presenters and finalists have included now-famous startups such as Dropbox, Trello, Mint, Zenefits, Getaround, Fitbit, and Yammer. Live streaming on YouTube? For sure. 

Who Decides?

Speakers, panelists, moderators, and judges are drawn from the deep pool of San Francisco and Silicon Valley experts. Past names include Marc Benioff, Salesforce Founderand co-CEO; MarcAndreesen, Tracy Chou, Infrastructure Engineer, Pinterest; Co-founder and General Partner,Andreesen Horowitz; Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors; Anne Wojcicki, Co-founderand CEO of 23andMe; and Prisclla Chan, the pediatrician and philanthropist who leads the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and invests in startups. The 2019 speakers and judges will be announced closer to the October date.  

Who Attends?

Are you a founder, investor, hacker, tech leader or tech reporter? If so, it's likely that Disrupt SF is within your sights. More than 400 press outlets are typically in attendance to catch breaking news first. The conference has been expanded into other global locations as well: New York City, London, Berlin, and Beijing.   

How Do I Register Interest?

Participation is free and open to all pre-Series A startups. International startup pavilions in recent years have included startups from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Germany, Bahrain, Lebanon, Taiwan, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, Colombia, and Argentina. Applications will open sometime in early 2019. Get in touch via the website.

Disrupt SF programming covers a vast array of verticals: 

• Artificial Intelligence
• Augmented/Virtual Reality
• Blockchain
• BioTech
• FinTech
• Gaming
• HealthTech
• Investor Topics
• Justice/Diversity
• Mobility
• Privacy/Security
• Retail
• Robotics

What About Sponsorship?

Sponsors are a critical aspect of Disrupt SF's success and deliver high visibility to a targeted audience. Potential sponsors are invited to visit the website for an inquiry form.