Agenda
December 10th
Early Badge Pickup @ betahaus Kreuzberg
Avoid the crowds and come by betahaus Kreuzberg (Rudi-Dutschke-Straße 23, 10969 Berlin, Germany) to pick up your badge the day before the conference. The first 500 people to pick up their badge will receive a pair of TC socks! Please bring your ticket and government-issued photo ID to pick up badge. Badge supply is limited so arrive early.
December 11th
Opening Remarks by WeChat Developer Challenge
WeChat Developer Challenge aims to connect key industry stakeholders and developers with WeChat’s open ecosystem, as well as to accelerate worldwide digitization for industry and business services. The WeChat team will share best practices within key verticals, latest support tools for industry service providers and developers, as well as latest statistics and platform initiatives on WeChat Mini Program and WeChat Pay. Six WeChat partners will also share their WeChat journey and WDC Berlin Challenges.
Welcome Remarks by Brian Heater (TechCrunch)
Welcome Remarks by Matthew Panzarino (TechCrunch)
Creating a Global Payment Network with Hiroki Takeuchi (GoCardless)
GoCardless has a shot at becoming a global leader when it comes to payments via direct debit. And now, all eyes are on the company’s next challenge — becoming the best way to collect recurring payments, globally. The startup’s CEO will join us to talk about how GoCardless plans to replace cash, cheques and even card payments at a global scale.
How to Build Sustainability as a Business with Seth Bannon (Fifty Years), Benjamina Bollag (Higher Steaks) and Pierre Paslier (Notpla)
As climate change and the impacts of a warming world become more important for the consumers who are exposed to it, hear from a developer of lab grown meat; a biodegradable packaging technology developer; and one of the world’s largest impact investment funds on how to build sustainability as a business.
How Station F is Boosting the French Tech Ecosystem with Roxanne Varza (Station F)
Three years after unveiling Station F at Disrupt, its Director Roxanne Varza is back to give us an update on the world’s biggest startup campus. Station F has become a cornerstone of the French tech ecosystem and a signal for the international tech community. There are now 1,000 startups working from Station F in Paris. Station F’s director will join us to talk about what’s next for Station F and the French tech ecosystem.
What does it take to raise a Series A with Jessica Holzbach (Penta), Louise Dahlborn Samet (Blossom Capital) and Hannah Seal (Index Ventures)
Venture capital funds have boomed this decade, but raising money is still hard for young companies. What are investors today looking for in teams, metrics and products?
Fireside Chat with Atomico with Sophia Bendz, Siraj Khaliq, Hiro Tamura and Niall Wass (Atomico)
From a single London base a few years ago, Atomico has now spread to the US and Asia. Hear from key partners about this global VC’s strategy going forward.
Startup Battlefield Competition – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $50,000.
The Top Three Immigration Mistakes Startups Make with Sophie Alcorn (Alcorn Immigration Law)
Learn how to troubleshoot the many snags that can affect startups trying to bring international talent into their organizations, with top Silicon Valley immigration expert Sophie Alcorn.
How to Iterate Your Product with Andrew Bowell (Unity Technologies) and Georgina Smallwood (N26)
Building something that’s used by millions is an exhilarating feat, but the real challenge is understanding how to iterate your product so that it can scale to a bigger audience with a bigger impact. We’ve assembled the product chiefs from some of the most influential tech companies in the world to dive into the details of what every product manager and product chief needs to know.
Break
Break
Startup Battlefield Competition – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $50,000.
Lessons Learned from Serial Founders with Zoe Adamovicz (Neufund) and Thibaud Elziere (eFounders)
What would you do differently if you were crazy enough to start another company? Hear what these leaders learned from the first time(s) around — and why they’re back at it again.
How to Build for the Virtual Economy with Paul Murphy (Northzone) and Mundi Vondi (Klang)
Gaming platforms ranging from Second Life and Eve Online to Fortnite and Roblox offer virtual worlds where our avatars can create and trade virtual goods like digital clothing, weapons, vehicles, and buildings with other players for real-world value. With rapidly growing mainstream participation in these virtual economies and announcements of new worlds in development like Facebook’s Horizon, where are there biggest opportunities for entrepreneurs?
Build Different With The Other Location Platform
80% of mobile applications make use of location services. From finding a restaurant to getting a ride home, location technology is an essential part of many applications. Yet, everybody is developing using the same maps APIs. Generic, one size fits all functionalities. Changing terms & conditions. Unfair pricing and practices. But if you are serious about location, and if you want your app to stand out, then there is an alternative. This session will help you understand how TomTom is enabling developers around the world to add location to their application: Maps, Routing, Search and Traffic APIs, carefully crafted with TomTom’s 25 years of experience in mapping and navigation.
Investing and Operating in Growth Markets with Michal Borkowski (Brainly) and Bob van Dijk (Prosus and Naspers)
Naspers’ tech holdings Prosus became Europe’s largest consumer internet company when it listed earlier this year on Euronext in Amsterdam. Its interests include food delivery, payments and fintech, classifieds, travel, retail, media, social platforms — not to mention a huge stake in Tencent. It also has a dedicated and very active ventures team. Come hear from one of its portfolio companies, the ed-tech startup Brainly, whose CEO will be on stage with Prosus CEO Bob van Dijk talking about the challenges of how to scale a startup, and more.
How to Scale Your Startup Globally with Sophie Alcorn (Alcorn Immigration Law), Karoli Hindriks (Jobbatical), Holger Seim (Blinkist)
Global expansion is critical to building the next unicorn, but what’s the right approach to maximize growth with limited resources? Join Holger Seim, founder and CEO of audio startup Blinkist, Karoli Hindriks, founder and CEO of Jobbatical, and prominent Silicon Valley immigration attorney Sophie Alcorn as we discuss the opportunities – and pitfalls – of expanding outside your local market.
Fireside Chat with Sebastian Siemiatkowski (Klarna)
Klarna was once a small Stockholm-based outfit looking to offer payment services for online shops. Today, is tackling physical stores and looking to storm the U.S. It has plenty of support, including that of early investor Sequoia Capital. In fact, it has amassed more funding and a higher valuation than almost any other privately held company in the world. Can it live up to expectations? We’ll talk with cofounder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski about the company’s ride so far, and where it goes next in this must-see sit-down.
Customer Episodes As The Unit Of Change
A different approach to digital transformations, shifting mindsets and producing fast results.
AI Chips with Everything? — Nigel Toon (Graphcore)
In this fireside chat with Nigel Toon, founder of Graphcore, we’ll discuss the race between chip giants and startups to build AI chips, how next-gen chipsets are pushing the boundaries of software innovation, and what happens once AI chips are everywhere.
How to Win Customers and Influence Markets with Colette Ballou (Ballou PR), Joanna Kirk, (Joanna Kirk PR) and Katy Turner (Multiple)
Every startup is a story and the best stories can change the world. Some of Europe’s finest alchemists of allusion will share their tips on how to be a signal in a world of noise.
Are We There Yet? Inside the Tech that Will Help AVs be Better Chauffeurs with Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz (Nexar) and Clare Jones (What3Words)
Clare Jones, chief commercial officer of what3words, and Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz, Co-founder of Nexar will talk about the role of mapping and geolocation in autonomous vehicles and how this tech is already rolling out in human driven cars.
Will We Pay For Social Media? with Hovhannes Avoyan (PicsArt)
PicsArt has reached 140 million users for its photo and video editor by asking people to pay for its creative tools. We’ll talk to CEO Hovhannes Avoyan about why free isn’t always the answer and how top social networks will embrace subscription pricing.
How to Brexit as a Startup with Volker Hirsh (Amadeus Capital Partners), Bindi Karia (Bindi Karia) and Glenn Shoosmith (JRNI)
The turbulence of Brexit has left both UK and European startups alike wondering about the best path forward. Hear from from both the investor and entrepreneur perspective on how best to deal with this thorny subject.
WDC Berlin Top Teams Presentations and Awards
WeChat and TechCrunch welcome developers worldwide to bring their solutions against challenges brought by WeChat partners (Boisset Collection, LVMH, Viking, Porsche Digital, Sixt Ride, and Simon) to Disrupt Berlin. After two months of hard work, the top 30 teams are selected to showcase their Mini Programs onsite. Six of them will present their unique WeChat solutions on stage. An award ceremony will follow after the presentations.
Opening Up VC with Matt Penneycard and Francesca Warner (Ada Ventures)
VC has been historically bad at backing under-represented founders. ‘Old boys networks’ and unconscious biases abound. VC needs a systemic change. Check Warner and Matt Penneycard of Ada Ventures have previously pioneered industry initiatives to address this and will discuss what new techniques VCs can use to support overlooked founders.
Startup Battlefield Competition – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $50,000.
Pitch Deck Teardown with Russ Heddleston (DocSend), Karen Stafford (Intel Capital), and Sitar Teli (Connect Ventures)
Talk through the nuts and bolts of what makes a great deck (or not) with investors Sitar Teli and Karen Stafford, plus insights from Docsend’s Russ Heddleston, as they go through submitted pitches live on stage.
December 12th
Opening Remarks: Matthew Panzarino
Delivery-as-a-service with Sacha Michaud (Glovo) and Charity Safford (UberEats)
On this panel we’ll sit down with Sacha Michaud, co-founder of Glovo, and Charity Safford of UberEats to talk ops and logistics of scaling on-demand delivery, plus delve into what the model means for suppliers and partners, and consider regulatory headwinds.
Opening Remarks: Brian Heater
How to Build a Billion Dollar SaaS Company with Christoph Janz (Point Nine Capital), Matthew Prince (Cloudflare) and Laura Urquizu (Red Points)
Scaling a SaaS company is anything but easy. In this session, we’ll talk about everything from how (and when) to charge for your product, when to make crucial hires, how to sell into the enterprise and when it’s time to consider an exit.
Scaling Ethereum and Beyond with Justin Drake (Ethereum Foundation)
The Ethereum vision has always been to create a world computer. But its scalability remains an issue. Ethereum Researcher Justin Drake will discuss the road ahead.
Q&A Session: Winning Investors with Colin Hanna (Balderton Capital), Julia Hawkins (LocalGlobe) and Jag Singh (TechStars)
Your chance to ask questions to some of the greatest early stage investors in technology.
Unnatural Language Processing with Emily Foges (Luminance) and Sofie Quidenus-Wahlforss (omni:us)
Legal contracts and insurance policies can be difficult even for experts to decipher – hear how the founders of Luminance and omni:us are using AI to take on jargon and save everyone some time.
How to Raise Your First Euros with Nic Brisbourne (Forward Partners), Russ Heddleston (DocSend), and Malin Holmberg (Target Global)
The process of securing your very first check isn’t an easy one. To make it a little bit easier, we’ve invited DocSend founder Russ Heddleston, Forward Partners managing partner Nic Brisbourne, and Target Global partner Malin Holmberg to the stage to offer their best tips and tricks to aspiring or current founders.
Investing in 2020 with Carolina Brochado (Softbank Investment Advisors) and Andrei Brasoveanu (Accel)
Nothing changes quite as rapidly as investment trends. Two key investors from Softbank and Accel will offer perspectives from their experiences both on the ground in Europe and from 50,000 feet to talk about what 2020 has in store for startups.
European Innovation Council (EIC) workshop – Funding Breakthrough Innovation from idea to market
Join the EIC Enhanced Pilot’s workshop to find out how it supports EU-based start-ups with high-risk, breakthrough, market-creating and disruptive innovative ideas with scale-up potential and how it brings together innovators, entrepreneurs and investors through its funding schemes providing grants and equity financing, business acceleration and coaching services as well as brokering activities!
Succeeding in the Streaming Era with Efe Cakarel (MUBI)
MUBI has been in the streaming business since before Netflix, and has successfully built a service that caters to specific needs in a useful, novel way. The company’s CEO will join us to talk about the maturation of the streaming market, and what it takes to build a lasting business in an increasingly crowded space.
SAP.iO Demo Day: Shifting Gears in B2B FinTech
6 SaaS startups are tackling the biggest pain-points of every business: Payments, Risk & Compliance and Authentication. How can combining the expertise of the market leader in enterprise application software help them execute BIG on their vision? This session will showcase all 6 “Demo Day” pitches of the latest SAP.iO Foundry cohort and mark the end of a 12-week full-throttle acceleration program. Can their solutions change the pace of this billion-dollar industry?
Oh the Places You'll Go! Disrupt Travel with Johannes Reck (GetYourGuide)
Travel is perhaps the last bastion of the on-demand economy to be colonised. GetYourGuide founder Reck will unpack how, after raising a total of $654.5M, he plans to expand across the globe.
Break
Break
How to Fit Blockchain into Your Startup Strategy with Justin Drake (Ethereum Foundation), Ash Egan (Accomplice VC) and Ashley Tyson (Web3 Foundation)
Chances are, you keep hearing about this ‘blockchain’ thing all the time — and maybe you’re ignoring it but deep down, you know you should probably think about how it could help your startup. To help you with that and maybe demystify blockchain a bit, too, we’ll be joined by three panelists who have deep roots in the blockchain community: Ethereum Foundation Researcher Justin Drake, Accomplice VC’s Ash Egan and Web3 Foundation Co-founder and Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Ashley Tyson.
Q&A Session: Collaborating with Corporates with Nicolas Autret (Samsung Catalyst), Christian Löwe (Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures), and Karen Stafford (Intel)
Your chance to ask questions to some of the greatest corporate investors in technology.
Investing in Africa’s Tech Talent with Jeremy Johnson (Andela) and Lila Preston (Generation Investment Management)
Generation Investment Management, the firm co-founded by former U.S Vice President Al Gore, was built on the premise of backing sustainable startups. The fund’s lead Lila Preston brings their portfolio company Andela to discuss how they have harnessed the booming talent in Africa to solve global outsourcing issues and what’s next in building sustainable companies.
Mobilizing Emerging Markets with Sujay Tyle (Frontier Car Group)
As the mobility industry evolves rapidly, a huge opportunity lies in emerging markets. Sujay Tyle, serial entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Frontier Car Group, is looking to capitalize on that opportunity with its investments in used-car marketplaces.
DT50 Awards: Announcement of Winners 2019
Europe’s hottest startup award will announce its 4 winners at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin. Initiated by Google, McKinsey, Rocket Internet and Freshfields the prominent Executive Jury will present the best European startups. More than 600 early-stage and digital companies all across Europe applied in the four categories: B2B, B2C, Social Impact and Early Stage. The Top 50 Selection startups have exhibited their startups at Disrupt and it is now time to celebrate the winners – Join us for a drink and meet the Top 50 and Winners afterwards at our DT50 Pavilion.
Startup Battlefield Alumni Updates
Battlefield startups from the past return to the stage to tell us what they’ve been up to since they competed for the Disrupt Cup.
Startup Battlefield Final Competition
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $50,000.
Q&A Session: Founders Lessons with Jessica Holzbach (Penta), Matthew Prince (Cloudflare), and Sujay Tyle (Frontier)
Your chance to ask questions to some of the leading founders in tech.
Growth Marketing with Asher King Abramson (Demand Curve)
Learn about the right ways and wrong ways to create great assets for paid channels, landing pages and more in this teardown workshop with Asher King Abramson, a top growth marketer who works with hundreds of successful startups. Submit your landing page and ads beforehand for a chance to receive feedback live onstage.
How to Radically Change Finance Through Fintech Startups with Yoni Assia (eToro) and Charlie Delingpole (ComplyAdvantage)
Few areas of investment have been as white hot as fintech these past few years, but how can startups radically transform the finance industry both for financial institutions but also for consumers? Join Charlie Delingpole, founder and CEO of ComplyAdvantage and Yoni Assia, founder and CEO of eToro, as we discuss how startups can compete in this fast-moving industry.
Democratizing Robots with Daniel Dines (UiPath)
Robotics is a hotbed of investment and activity, but how does the average person access the benefits of automation? UiPath CEO and founder Daniel Dines will explain how we can expand access to the benefits of robotics, for companies and individual workers alike.
TravelTech Opportunities with Andrew Reed (Sequoia Capital) and Julian Stiefel (Tourlane)
Berlin-based Tourlane has raised $81 million for multi-day travel booking. Co-founder Julian Stiefel and his investor Sequoia’s Andrew Reed will discuss what products still need to be built in travel, and how startups can do something unique enough to avoid getting steamrolled by tech giants.
Igniting Innovation with Young Sohn (Samsung)
As the President and Chief Strategy Officer for Samsung Electronics, Young Sohn oversees critical aspects involving global innovation, investment and business creation. Hear how Sohn views the opportunities for Samsung and startups in the European market.
From Startup Battlefield to IPO with Matthew Prince (Cloudflare)
In 2010, Cloudflare participated in one of the very first Disrupt Battlefields and a few months ago, the company made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange. In this conversation with co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince, we’ll talk about Cloudflare’s path to an IPO, the unique challenges it faced, and what’s next for the company.
Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) – Announcing The Regional Finalists
Startup Battlefield Closing Awards Ceremony
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