What we learned from TC Disrupt Battlefield 2023

In August 2023, we (at SpeedLegal) were selected to participate in TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield as one of the top AI startups in the world.

A selected number of startups were invited to present in San Francisco between 19 and 21 September 2023.

The excitement was great - more than 10,000 people participated in the event: investors, potential customers, startups, founders and media.

As a TC Disrupt Battlefield selected startup, you get a booth to show your product and solution for free! (Typically, other vendors pay up to $100k to have a booth there!)

Here’s how we made the most of it, and you can too!

1. Building Connections 

Preparation is key, and the real work starts before the event.

TechCrunch Disrupt has an app specifically for this event. 

It is crucial to start familiarising yourself with it and start connecting with the relevant people you are working with, e.g. investors, potential customers, and media, BEFORE the event.

Ideally, you want to have events set on your calendar before coming to Disrupt.

An excellent way to invite them for a meeting is offering breakfast, lunch or coffee - that worked for me, at least!

Bonus Hack

This year, on the third floor, there was the investor lounge - I had the idea to bring French croissants in the early morning and offer them to investors while they were waiting for their coffee in exchange for a short pitch/intro of the company (SpeedLegal). It worked pretty well :)

2. Location Matters

First, it is essential to get a good place to show your product, ideally close to one of the breakout rooms (where people gather to see the speakers at the several workshops taking place during the conference).

You do not have much power on that, but being friendly and talking to the organiser may help!

If you are coming from another state or abroad, consider bringing a gift or something special to the organisers :) they poured so much into organising this event that they totally deserve it!

3. Set the stage

Once you get to your booth, get there early. You are allowed to get there the day before the start of the event to set up your booth. Take advantage of it.

I would recommend getting a big screen (if you need to showcase your product) - you can get one at Target next to the venue (Moscone Center in San Francisco) and return it after the event 🙂.

I would also print a big roll-up and position it next to the (small) table that you are given. If you can elevate your roll-up a bit - to make it at eye’s sight or a bit higher that would help you to stand out. We borrowed a paper box and got a black cloth to create a nice base for the rollup.

What worked for us were sweets - we bought some mini Twix, Mars, and Snickers and put them in a bowl on the table, and they went out fast!

Some other startups had other swag, such as t-shirts, iPhone holders etc. They are great too!

‍Additional tip: instead of staying behind your table and looking like a salesman waiting for their prey, step away from the booth or stand in front of it as if you are reading more about it and learning about it - this will attract many more people!

4. Leverage the potential customer base

At the event, there are a lot of investors, but many startups presenting at Battlefield could also become your customers! 

We created a specific landing page and printed out 200 flyers with a 2-month free access to SpeedLegal.io only for those startups selected to present at TechCrunch Battlefield. We went to them and they were happy to know more about it!

These are some of the strategies that helped us get great responses, and I hope this helps you better prepare for your next events too.

In wrapping up, the experience at TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield was more than just a platform to showcase SpeedLegal—it was a path to build lasting connections, understand the dynamics of a massive event, and put into practice strategic methods to make our presence felt.

I'd love to hear your strategies and experiences when going to such events! :)

Drop a comment or send me a DM.

PS - A big shout out to Lorenzo Di Cataldo who attended TC Disrupt last year in 2022 and gave me some great tips - a good number of the above ones were taught to me by Lorenzo!!

Until next time.

Cheers,

Hans Paul