TechCrunch’s Disrupt Conference is a relatively young event—only in its second year – and yet it has become an important gathering that has successfully attracted more than 150 startup companies and upwards of 1500 technology investors and innovators. Disrupt 2011 New York took place late last month, and I was glued to the computer screen throughout the conference—with amazing startups and edgy speakers there was never a dull moment! There were so many interesting and creative ideas presented. I’m looking forward to seeing which startups succeed.
The conference featured a Startup Battle, in which more than 30 startups pitched their ideas and applications to conference leaders and attendees; an exhibit hall, Startup Alley, devoted specifically to new startups; and A-list personalities such as Ashton Kutcher, Arianna Hufftington and the notorious Michael Arrington.
The winner of the Startup Battle, Getaround, received a $50,000 dollar prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup. Getaround is a car-sharing application that allows customers to rent a car by the day, hour or week through their iPhone. Already off to a great start, the company has received backing from General Catalyst partners and Barney Pell, among others.
My other favorites from the event were BillGuard and Everything Butt Art.
BillGuard garnered plenty of media attention with its “antivirus for credit cards and bills” application. The company’s aim is to alert customers of hidden fees and scams. Twitter was abuzz with commentary on the innovative app. One tweeter, industry influencer Guy Rosen, commented, “Just ran @BillGuard on my credit card and it found four questionable expenses. None bad. Neat service!” BillGuard sounds to me like one of those applications you can’t believe wasn’t invented earlier—it’s so clever and useful.
One of the most bizarre startups that was launched at the show had to be Everything Butt Art. The app teaches children to draw—literally using a butt as the basis of their artwork. Proud parents can share and display their child’s artwork using the application. I guess the judges were betting that a lot of kids would find such a concept pretty entertaining! For my part, I think the app has to be one of the strangest picks for the Startup Battlefield portion of the event.
Another aspect of the conference that was both hilarious and attention-grabbing was the dialogue that took place between Michael Arrington and his new boss Arianna Huffington. At one point, Arrington inquired, “Is [our new business relationship] as awkward for you as it is for me? I’m not used to reporting to people! I’m not even good at constructive criticism!” Huffington and Arrington are two strong personalities, and it would definitely be fun to attend one of their meetings—I can’t imagine either one of them backing down in an argument! Huffington also pledged her love for Mapquest (Arrington disagreed) and encouraged attendees to buy AOL stock with the promise of a payoff—a comment which many think may have violated SEC guidelines. :) Their amusing banter made the conference that much more entertaining.
New York’s annual TechCrunch Disrupt Conference was certainly worth following this year. From notable speakers, to new revelations about tech companies, to exciting startups, the event was truly enthralling. I’ll definitely be watching in the years to come!
A Shel of My Former Self
Ars Technica
All Things Digital
Bad Pitch Blog
Breakaway Blog
GigaOm
Influential Marketing Blog
Louis Gray
Mashable
PRNewser
Pro PR Tips
ReadWriteWeb
Scobleizer
Silicon Valley Watcher
Strategic Public Relations
TechCrunch
VentureBeat
Webware
Wi-Fi Networking News
ZDNet’s Social Business
