TechCrunch’s Disrupt SF (Sept. 5-7) is our most ambitious event ever. And if we’re sure of one thing, it’s that people in the startup scene will extract more insights and inspiration from this Disrupt than any before. Here’s why…
More, better programming. For the first time ever at Disrupt, we have two stages, plus two additional off-stage “Q&A” areas where Disrupt attendees can ask questions directly to speakers. Sequoia’s Doug Leone, Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd, Sinovation’s Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, 23andMe’s Anne Wojcicki are just a few of the stellar interviews TechCrunch editors will conduct on stage. Disrupt will be live streamed, but only Disrupt pass holders will be able to catch sessions they missed via video-on-demand.
Precision-guided networking. We spent years refining CrunchMatch, TechCrunch’s founder-investor matching and meeting system, and we’ve got it down to a science that has already produced thousands of meetings. Investors, use the CrunchMatch/Brella app to find the the founders and startup ideas you’re looking for, request a meeting, get the thumbs up, and boom you have a time and an assigned meeting table in the CrunchMatch meeting area.
Startup Battlefield and Startup Alley. We’ve already selected the 20 startups that will compete in Startup Battlefield, and though the list is under wraps until the start of Disrupt, trust us it’s an amazing field of contestants – the fruits of a very deep, global recruitment effort. And Startup Alley will have more than 1,000 companies exhibiting across a dozen tracks – AI, mobility, blockchain, fintech – and each has Top Picks – the standouts that TechCrunch’s editors chose to exhibit free of charge. (Learn more about exhibiting in Startup Alley.)
Comfortable digs. We built past Disrupts in pier warehouses, but this year we’re moving to the glistening, super comfortable Moscone West, where we have 3x the floorspace, which means spacious, sunny lounge areas where attendees can relax, charge gear and catch up with fellow attendees.
The right pass for you. For the first time, Disrupt is offering passes with features and prices designed to suit different attendees, like founders, investors, all around innovators and more. Plus, passes come with access to discounted San Francisco hotel rooms. Right now, early birds prices apply, so do don’t wait. Get your pass now.
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Joanna Glasner Contributor More posts by this contributor VCs serve up a large helping of cash to startups disrupting food US startu...
Hydrate, intoxicate, caffeinate, repeat: Meet the startups pouring the future
These days, it seems like everyone with extra cash has some kind of pricey drinking habit. It might be fine wine, craft beer or cocktails. Or it could come in the form of coconut water, cold-pressed juice or the latest frothy caffeinated concoction.
No matter what your preference, startups and their backers likely have you covered.
In a follow-up to our story earlier this month about food startups gobbling up venture funding, Crunchbase News is taking a look at beverage companies guzzling capital. We found that while drinkables receive a smaller portion of funding than edibles, it’s still a sector that draws hundreds of millions of dollars in annual investment.
Where are investors pouring all that money? Some unlikely places. For instance, it appears the largest funding recipient so far this year is a China-based chain called Hey Tea that’s well known for a specialty called cheese tea. (An unfortunately named, slightly salty iced drink that a Crunchbase News team sampling determined was actually pretty tasty.)
Besides cheese tea, we found startups are also raising millions to bottle deep ocean water, customize instant coffee and make your party punch more portable.
Bottom line: So long as there are profit margins to squeeze out, the quest continues for new ways to get you drunk, hydrated or caffeinated. Below, we look at what’s trending on all these fronts.
Hydrate
Venture investors and startup entrepreneurs are betting there are highly scalable businesses to be built in doling out more exotic varieties of water, coconut-based beverages and other drinks to hydrate calorie-conscious consumers.
An analysis of Crunchbase data unearthed at least a dozen companies developing new varieties of water and fitness drinks that have raised funding in recent quarters.
Funding data reveals that investors still see the potential for significant returns from coconut water. The largest round in the hydration category went to Harmless Harvest, a seller of fair trade, organic coconut water and probiotic drinks that recently raised $30 million. The funding comes as the sector is on a tear, with the U.S. spending alone on coconut water projected to reach $2 billion next year.
We also saw a couple of deals involving startups offering alternatives to bottled or tap water. The most heavily capitalized one to receive funding in the past couple of years appears to be FloWater, a Denver-based startup that provides pure water refill stations and has raised about $8 million to date. Meanwhile, bottled water is still generating attention, too, as evidenced by the $5.5 million round late last year for Kona Deep, a bottler of deep ocean water.
Intoxicate
You may need water to survive, but if you’re looking to secure venture capital, it helps to throw in a bit of alcohol.
Since last year, venture investors have poured more than $300 million into an assortment of companies providing alcoholic beverages, drinking gadgetry and services to connect consumers with booze. Crunchbase News highlighted about a dozen that raised sizable rounds, along with one hangover cure startup.
Some of the larger funding rounds are for companies that don’t make alcohol; instead, these startups offer easier ways to select and buy it. These include Vivino, a popular wine rating app, as well as Drizly and Saucey, two ordering and delivery services.
There are emerging brands in the mix, too, including BeatBox Beverages, a purveyor of party punch in portable packages; Milestone Brands, a producer of organic tequilas and other spirits; and Plum, which has a gadget for dispensing good wine by the glass.
Caffeinate
If too much drinking makes you sleepy, let caffeine come to the rescue. Venture investors, known to be heavy consumers of caffeine, also seem to like investing in the stuff.
Using Crunchbase data, we highlighted more than a dozen companies in the coffee and tea space that have secured good-sized rounds in roughly the past year. They range from fast-growing chains, like China’s Hey Tea, to packaged drinks, like non-dairy blended drink maker Willow Cup, to instant beverage innovators, like Sudden Coffee. We even found a blockchain company in the mix, Crypto N Kafe, which aims to connect coffee farmers and consumers directly.
One additional beverage category in which we saw a high level of activity was in meal-replacement and nutrition drinks. Overall, we found at least a half-dozen companies developing nutritional drinks that have raised funding in recent quarters.
In this sector, probably the best-known startup name is Soylent, which has raised over $70 million for a line of drinks marketed to consumers who don’t have the time or inclination to sit down for a traditional meal. We also found a potential rival, meal-replacement beverage maker Ample, which secured angel funding last month.
The biggest round in the past couple of months for the space, however, went to REBBL, a startup that raised $20 million in May for its line of bottled drinks featuring health-promoting herbs, protein and coconut.
Mix it all up: Caffeinated, full and buzzed
Beverage investments, like everything else, aren’t always a home run for VCs. The demise of juicer startup Juicero last year offers a cautionary tale that large rounds don’t always translate into compelling business models.
That said, beverage purveyors don’t have to worry much about demand drying up. People will always be thirsty. And while we typically quench our thirst with simple tap or filtered water, where’s the fun (or the massive exit potential) in that?
Methodology
Our analysis focused primarily on companies that have secured funding in the past year; however, we also included some rounds outside those parameters that were exceptionally large or noteworthy in other ways.
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Just 16 teams are left from the group stages of the World Cup 2018 and your chance to live stream the Spain vs Russia match for free has arr...
How to watch Spain vs Russia: live stream World Cup football free from anywhere
Just 16 teams are left from the group stages of the World Cup 2018 and your chance to live stream the Spain vs Russia match for free has arrived.
Group B winners Spain will face Group A runners-up and host nation Russia. The Russian side - ranked the lowest from all the teams at the World Cup - have exceeded all expectations to get this far. Spain also faced a challenge with a tough group following that incredible 3-3 draw against Portugal in the opening game and another draw against Morocco in the final clash. Russia smashed Saudi Arabia 5-0 and beat Egypt 3-1. So expect a high scoring game, potentially. You can watch it all live from anywhere in the world using this handy guide.
Don't miss out on any of the action by reading the World Cup watching guide which will help you not only get excited for the build up but catch every game no matter where you are.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don't have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer - even if the country where you are isn't broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free - see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it's really easy to do:
How to stream Spain vs Russia live in the UK
How to watch Spain vs Russia: US live stream
How to watch Russia vs Spain: Canada live stream
How to watch Spain vs Russia: Australia live stream
How to watch Russia vs Spain: New Zealand live stream
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
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The last 16 teams have been whittled down from the group stages of the World Cup 2018 and now's your chance to live stream the Uruguay vs Portugal match for free.
Uruguay came through the group stages with maximum points, having won every game including a 3-0 win over host nation Russia. Portugal was in a much harder group with the likes of Spain which meant a thrilling 3-3 draw in that opening Iberian game but with wins from there onward.
Both sides like to play defensively but with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez going head- to-head there should be some very exciting attacking and (hopefully) goals to look forward to. You can watch it all live from anywhere in the world using this handy guide.
Don't miss out on any of the action by reading the World Cup watching guide which will help you not only get excited for the build up but catch every game no matter where you are.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don't have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer - even if the country where you are isn't broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free - see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it's really easy to do:
How to stream Uruguay vs Portugal live in the UK
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: US live stream
How to watch Portugal vs Uruguay: Canada live stream
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: Australia live stream
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: New Zealand live stream
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
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What is VAR? The controversial star of World Cup 2018 decoded
The countdown continues to the iPhone XI, or the iPhone 9, or whatever Apple is calling this year's devices, and the latest rumor to reach us involves the technical configuration of one or more of the new handsets: specifically, that a dual-SIM might be involved.
That's according to sources speaking to the 21st Century Business Herald in China. Apparently models for some countries will use a standard dual-SIM tray, while others will incorporate a standard SIM and the bespoke Apple SIM you can already find in some iPad Pro models. At this point it's not clear which of the three 2018 iPhones will get the tech.
The Herald doesn't have any previous form in predicting Apple's hardware moves, so take this report with several grains of salt. That said, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously hinted that dual-SIM technology could arrive in this year's iPhones.
One SIM good, two SIMs better
Being able to manage two numbers from one phone is a feature a lot of users in developing nations rely on – and that's part of the reason why the iPhone lags behind Android outside the US. The global appeal of the iPhone would certainly get a boost.
At the same time, we know that Western carriers aren't keen on dual-SIM technology, because of the money they make on international plans. With recent changes in roaming charges, there might be some flexibility on that front now, though we'd still be surprised if dual-SIM models arrived in the US and UK.
In September, we should find out for sure – in the meantime, file this in the "possible" column. You can also expect the usual speed bumps in terms of performance, an iPhone X-esque notch design across all the models, and of course iOS 12.
Lego has long been regarded as among the most creative of children’s toys, encouraging the nurture of design skills, and letting young hands make their first steps towards architectural greatness. Likewise, the more advanced Lego Technic line has fostered an interest in mechanics and engineering, with its motorised components and remote controlled models requiring a little more expertise to assemble.
But thanks to an ongoing partnership between Lego Technic and Volvo, the two companies are looking to an even more exciting future – autonomous vehicles. And they’ve enlisted the next generation of engineers – Technic obsessed children – to help in the design.
The Zeux is the latest entry into the Lego Technic line, a 1,167-piece wheel loader that comes with articulated four-wheel steering, a working boom and bucket and an active counterweight that raises and lowers the chassis.
It’s the impressive result of a collaboration between the two companies, which now stretches back to 2016, and is inspiring Volvo’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, with elements of the Zeux concept now patented with the intention of introducing them into full size, industrial-working models.
“One of the coolest things about this is that it was a true collaboration, a mixture of Volvo designers and engineers and Lego Technics designers, capturing that knowledge of how real machines should work, how it could be more efficient and effective, and letting the designers go crazy,” said Andrew Woodman, Senior Design Manager for the Lego Group.
“Not having restrictions, but having the ability to put things together in a whole new way was something really interesting. The mixture of the teams, and the energy that created, was beneficial to both groups.”
From Wall-E to a child’s possible reality
The final rendered model, intended as a blueprint for future AI-driven vehicles, appears far more personable than most of the relatively-faceless autonomous vehicles we see in development at the moment. There’s a hint of Pixar’s Wall-E to the Zeux – and that’s in large part thanks to suggestions offered by children involved in the design process.
“For Lego, children are the heart of what we do,” continued Woodman.
“So whenever we’re making new products we always involve them in the process. We give them products to look at, we give them products to build with, we let them play with stuff and basically let us direct our design involvement, right down to the features and functions that you see in the final model.
“This project was no different. This time we collected the three favourite directions that we had from the different concepts at the time, we benchmarked it against the very first product we did together with Volvo, with the intention of focussing in on the wheel loader aspect of it.”
With the Zeux intended to be a conceptual showcase for construction products of the future, it proved particularly insightful into the expectations of which children have for the world around them as they grew up. And, with the design resulting in numerous patents being awarded and elements being worked on for real-world application, in this project the children also had the chance to influence an element of the future they’d perhaps eventually grow to be a part of.
“By putting it in front of the kids, letting them play with them and come with their own stories, that’s when we see things really come alive. When we’re testing stuff, it’s not just a case of ‘oh I like this, oh I don’t like this.’ It’s when they tell stories about how they’d play with it and use it, and how it’d be used in the real world, that’s when we really start discovering what the right functions are and features to use.
The small mapping drone that’s present with the models was one key feature that the children in the testing groups insisted upon, and points to the level of familiarity and easiness with which youngsters are already approaching concepts around autonomous creations.
“[The children] don’t even see or think about the driver, the machine would be controlled through the drone. That for them was instant – that’s just the way it should be, the way it is. They don’t even think there’s something missing, which is really cool.”
Likewise, the “personable” camera eye, conceptually rendered to be expressively moving around on an articulating arm – letting you be aware of the autonomous vehicles point of focus, and giving it its Wall-E like personality – was a design consideration reinforced by the influence of the children involved.
“[The camera is something] we’re really proud of, as it’s letting you connect as a person with an autonomous vehicle,” said Woodman.
“An autonomous vehicle, with all of its sensors, and all of its features, knows exactly where it is. But how do you know that it knows where it is? And how do you know that the vehicle has seen you?
“When you walk in front of a car parked at a junction you instinctively make eye contact with the driver. You then make a series of decisions in order to know it’s safe to cross, based on that eye contact. If you have a vehicle with no way of communicating with you, even if it could never run into you, or move with you around – but you don’t know that. So the kids stories helped with the camera to personalise the autonomy.”
While the Technics model measures 18cm, any realised full size Zeux would weigh more than 13,000kg, and measure just over 6 meters long, running fully autonomously off an electric battery.
“It’s kind of unique, the result,” says Roland Schling, Chief Designer at Volvo CE.
“There’s a little bit of a blank spot on the map with autonomous products. You have the cars already, planes, drones. You’ve seen those before. But what is this? It’s not a people transporting product. It’s more like something you work with – a co-worker almost.
“The closest relative would be maybe Wall-E from the Disney movie, or maybe even a Transformer or something like that. We’re very excited about this.”
The Lego Technic Zeux concept wheel loader will be in shops this August, with prices for each market to be determined. As for the real thing? That’ll be some time further into the future, one that will have been, in part, designed by the children of today.
In the midst of the omnipresent football fest unfolding in Russia right now, sports fans would be forgiven for letting the 2018 British Athletics Championships slip their mind. But the all-important track-and-field event is upon us and there's plenty to compete for, so make sure you catch all the action by following one of the free live stream options we've outlined below.
Upping the stakes in Birmingham this year is the fact that spots in Team GB for the European Championships are up for grabs as well as the national titles themselves, so expect a full-blooded showing from those competing at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Among them will be Zharnel Hughes going head-to-head with defending champion Reece Prescod in the men's 100m, while the women's 800m looks particularly intriguing with Shelayna Oskan-Clarke defending her title against in-form Alex Bell, former European champion Lynsey Sharp and British Indoor champion Adelle Tracey.
That's just the tip of the iceberg and you can live stream the key action of the British Athletics Championships for free, wherever you are in the world, via one of the options below.
How to live stream the British Athletics Championships in the UK for free
In the UK, the British Athletics Championships will be shown live on BBC Two, the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport online. That means you can watch for free when the coverage kicks of at 2.45pm on Saturday, June 30 (Red Button and online only), and from 1pm on Sunday, July 1 (BBC Two until 5pm, Red Button and online only from 5-6pm).
Alternatively you can live stream the action via the BBC iPlayer platform or through a third-party online streaming TV service such as TVPlayer.com. This means you can catch the athletics on TV, computer, tablet and smartphone for free if you're in the UK.
Not in the UK this weekend? No worries - just download and install a VPN and use a UK location to watch as if you were back in blighty. Full instructions below.
How to live stream the British Athletics Championships for free anywhere else in the world
If you're outside the UK and try to start streaming the athletics on the BBC, you'll soon discover that it is location restricted. But there's a way you can watch for free anyway. By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's in the UK. That way you can enjoy the free coverage without having to pay your local broadcaster or find an illegal stream.
It's really easy to get started with a VPN - here's how to do it:
TechCrunch is excited to announce that the Startup Battlefield Latin America is coming to São Paulo on November 8 this year. This is the first event TechCrunch has ever held in Latin America, and we are all in to make it a memorable one to support the fast-emerging startup ecosystem in the region.
The Startup Battlefield is TechCrunch’s premier startup competition, which over the past 12 years has placed 750 companies on stage to pitch top VCs and TechCrunch editors. Those founders have gone on to raise more than $8 billion and produce more than 100 exits. Startup Battlefield Latin America aims to add 15 great founders from Latin America to those elite ranks.
Here’s how the competition works. Founders may apply now to participate in Startup Battlefield. Any early stage (pre-A round) company with a working product headquartered in an eligible Latin American country (see list below) may apply. Applications close August 6. TechCrunch editors will review the applications and, based on which applicants have the strongest potential for a big exit of major societal impact, pick 15 to compete on November 8. TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield team will work intensively with each founding team to hone their six-minute pitch to perfection.
Then it’s game day. The 15 companies will take the stage at São Paulo’s Tomie Ohtake Institute in front of a live audience of 500 people to pitch top-tier VC judges. The judges and TechCrunch editors will pick five for a finals round. Those lucky finalists will face a fresh team of judges, and one will emerge as the winner of the first-ever Startup Battlefield Latin America. The winner takes home $25,000 and a trip for two to the next Disrupt, where they can exhibit free of charge in the Startup Alley and may also qualify to participate in the Startup Battlefield at Disrupt. Sweet deal. All Startup Battlefield sessions will be captured on video and posted on TechCrunch.com.
It’s an experience no founder would want to miss, considering the opportunity to join the ranks of Battlefield greats from years past, including Dropbox, Yammer, Mint, Getaround, CloudFlare, Vurb and many more.
Here’s the need-to-know about qualifying to apply:
Have an early-stage company in “launch” stage
Headquartered in one of these countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela (Central America) Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama (Caribbean – including dependencies and constituent entities), Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Have a fully working product/beta reasonably close to, or in, production
Have received limited press or publicity to date
Have no known intellectual property conflicts
Apply by Aug. 6, 2018, at 5 p.m. PST
Tickets to attend Startup Battlefield Latin America will go on sale soon. Interested in sponsoring the event, contact us here
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In partnership with TechCrunch, The Europas Unconference & Awards , features smaller breakout sessions on key subjects for startups, fol...
The hottest investors at The Europas, & your specially discounted ticket
In partnership with TechCrunch, The Europas Unconference & Awards, features smaller breakout sessions on key subjects for startups, followed by a glittering awards show for the hottest startups in Europe, based on voting by expert judges and the industry itself. Plus loads of networking opportunities with investors, and the super-fun Pitch Rolette pitch competition. See below for your special discount offer!
Just some of the investors coming to The Europas this Tuesday, July 3, in London include:
Alliott Cole, Octopus Ventures
Andrei Brasoveanu, Accel Partners
Carlos Eduardo Espinal, Seedcamp
Damir Bandolo, Columbus Capital
Eileen Burbidge, Passion Capital
Eze Vidra, Reimagine Ventures
George McDonuagh, KR1 (Blockchain/Crypto)
Jamie Burke, Outlier Ventures (Blockchain/Crypto)
Jason Ball, Qualcomm Ventures
Jeremy Yap, Angel Investor
Joe White, Entrepreneur First
Maria Wagner, Beringea
Michael Jackson, Mangrove Capital Partners
Nancy Fechnay, Angel Investor (Blockchain/Crypto)
Paul Dowling, Dreamstake Ventures
Richard Muirhead, Fabric Ventures (Blockchain/Crypto)
Scott Sage, Crane Venture Partners
Sitar Teli, Connect Ventures
Stephanie Hospital, OneRagtime
Suzanne Ashman, LocalGlobe
Thomas Graham, TLDR Capital
Tugce Ergul, Angel Labs
Vishal Gulati, Draper Esprit
Wendy Tan White, BGF
Instead of thousands and thousands of people, think of a great summer event with a selected 800 of the most interesting and useful people in the industry, including key investors and leading entrepreneurs.
• Ultra-high quality Investors, speakers & featured guests
• New startup founders brought into the eco-system
• New deal-flow for investors
• Our “Diversity Matters” Free pass bringing in more women and POC
• Expert speeches, discussions, and Q&A
• Intimate “breakout” sessions with key players on vertical topics
• The opportunity to meet almost everyone in those small groups, super-charging your networking
• Convivial, relaxed atmosphere conducive to networking
• Key press including WSJ, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, attending
• A stunning awards dinner and party which honors both the hottest startups and the leading lights in the European startup scene
• Content independently curated by journalists
• The only truly independent, industry-backed awards in Europe
• Percentage of profits will be donated to charity
• All on one day to maximize your time in London
Plus, as a special offer for TechCrunch readers, we have discounted tickets of up to 60% off:
• Daytime conference plus evening awards tickets (£250, 60% discount) (valid all day, July 3rd) – this ticket includes the daytime conference and the awards dinner with ceremony and after party. It includes refreshments and lunch during the conference, and the awards drinks reception and dinner.
• Evening Awards-only tickets (£195, 60% discount) – this ticket is for the awards dinner with ceremony and after party. It includes the awards drinks reception and dinner.
If you wish to sponsor the events or to purchase a table for 10 or 12 guest or a half table for 5 guests, please contact petra@theeuropas.com
The conference and awards are supported by TechCrunch, the official media partner. Attendees, nominees, and winners will get deep discounts to TechCrunch Disrupt in Berlin, later this year.
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