Let’s make one thing clear from the start: tickets to TechCrunch 2016 aren’t cheap.
With exclusive tickets starting at USD500, this event means business. Small business, to be exact – TechCrunch Beijing is an ode the capital’s homegrown startup scene. The multi-day event includes intense pitch-offs, a Hackathon (term explained below) and more zeitgeisty buzzwords than you’ve ever seen in one place before.
TechCrunch, a major tech news platform, with offices across the world, is doing it big – last year’s event was a huge success. This year, the company has teamed up with Chinese tech site Yicai.com and Wired Germany to bring a tech fair of unprecedented scale to Beijing. The city is, after all, China’s tech hub.
This is all well and good, but is USD500 good? Well, you decide – we’ve previewed all that’s going on during its three-day run below. And, if you decide it’s not worth it after all, entrance to Startup Alley is free.
Startup and Away
TechCrunch’s Startup Alley is like Diagon Alley for entrepreneurs. Seriously though – this is your one-stop shop for information on the capital’s bustling entrepreneurial scene. Expect to see startups focusing on what's hot right now: e-business, fintech, transport, mobile healthcare and AI technology.
A Capital Idea
We all know what’s important to a company's success – creativity, resourcefulness, hard work… oh, and funding. TechCrunch will give aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to mingle with VCs from IDG, Sequoia China, GGV Capital and Zhenfund.
Survival of the Fittest
But the VCs have more to offer than chit chat (er, sorry, we mean valuable knowledge). At TechCrunch’s Startup Competition, teams representing fifteen new companies will have the chance to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists. The winner will get an RMB1 million investment from Gobi Partners.
Hackathon
This isn’t as scary as it sounds. For the uninitiated, a hackathon is a multi-day event in which coders and computer programmers work to solve the ultimate logic puzzle: software development. These sorts of tech competitions have exploded in the West in recent years, but if this still sounds terrifying to you, know that at least there’s food and drink provided.
The Stream Team
If waving in the background of an online broadcast to thousands of rando Internet dudes is your thing, this is for you. If one event will be live-streamed like crazy this November 5-8, it’s this. While official TechCrunch-related accounts will certainly be living the stream, the TC team has promised that there will also be Internet celebs with selfie sticks willing to let you jump in their shot.
Celeb City
Speakers for the 2016 event had not yet been announced – but we do know that past speakers have included major stars of the tech world. At TechCrunch’s Shanghai event earlier this year, Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen made headlines when he spoke openly about his distaste for his controversial funder, Trump-supporter Peter Thiel.
Inspector Gadgets
In addition to a mystical name, the “Black Technology” Entertainment Zone has the hardware of the future. You’ll be surprised how much the future of your dreams resembles the future of reality. And by that we mean: Did you know personal holograms are a thing now? Also, it’s 2016, so you know there’ll be VR. And we know it’s called “Black Technology,” but we promise it’s legal.
Techie and the Brain
Think of this like a job fair for geeks. Companies aren’t the only ones attending; talented job seekers will be all around, and TechCrunch is organizing opportunities for networking – a good bet both for employers and potential hires.
TechCrunch Beijing 2016 will take place Nov 5-8 at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. For more info or for tickets, visit www.techcrunch.com.
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