At The Europas Startup Conference and Awards — the new type of tech conference devised in partnership with TechCrunch — we will have a number of amazing speakers many of whom are VCs or Angels. But we don’t go in for big formal pitch sessions. Why is that?
For one thing, it’s a much smaller, curated conference, where there are lots of breakout discussion groups. That means when you meet people, you don’t ‘pitch’ them so much as just tell them what you do. You can relax!
However, there are other ways to ‘pitch’ at The Europas and the main one a brand new format we’ve devised called Pitch Roulette.
Pitch Roulette dumps the tired old model of pitching and introduces an element of chance and theatre. The Europas will have delegates put their business cards into a bowl, asking for startups only. It will then curate these down into startups selected to pitch. At our afternoon Pitch Roulette session, founders will face off with four of the most powerful investors in the business. But instead of a Dragons’ Den scenarios, the founder will pitch for 1 minute then go into a Office-Hours like discussion with the assembled investors. They will poke the business around and give some raw feedback and advice. At the end we’ll declare a winner (selected by our panel), who get a cuddly toy and the business cards of the panel. We will also include a total wild-card on stage.
Our Panel:
Nic Brisbourne – Managing Partner, Forward Partners
Sonali de Rycker – General Partner, Accel Partners
Christian Hernandez – Managing Partner, White Star Capital
Saul Klein – Partner, LocalGlobe
Sitar Teli – Managing Partner, Connect Partners
Another way to pitch is to become a PathFounder
PATHFOUNDERS
Applications are now open for PathFounders – PathFounders is an invitation-only track during The Europas for start-ups in fund-raising mode. This is for the future ‘moonshot entrepreneurs’ networking with their future investors and partners. On the days either side of The Europas Awards, we will bring together 100 of Europe’s hottest early-stage Founders, together with Europe’s best VCs and Angel Investors in a relaxed environment, with amazing hospitality. You can apply for an invite here (this is an upgrade on The Europas ticket).
PathFounders will get to pitch the day before The Europas (June 13) to a select group of investors and VIPs.
Other ways to pitch at The Europas:
We will also have a lunchtime pitch session sin the sun, on the steps of the venue – Summer Time Style!
Plus, you can always come find me and ask to be introduced to an investor. If I can at the point then I will.
Here are just some of the investors speaking or attending The Europas:
Dave McClure – 500 Startups
Jason Ball – Senior Director, Qualcomm Ventures
Harry Briggs – Partner, BGF Ventures
Nic Brisbourne – Managing Partner, Forward Partners
Eileen Burbridge – Managing Partner, Passion Capital
Suranga Chandratillake – General Partner, Balderton
Tracy Doree – Founding Partner, Spring Partners
John Henderson – Principal, White Star Capital
Wendy Tan White – General Partner, Entrepreneur First
Riku Asikainen – Angel Investor, Finnish Business Angels Network
Lawrence Barclay – Principal, DN Capital
Ophelia Brown – General Partner, LocalGlobe
Isabel Fox – Head of Venture, White Cloud Capital
Fergal Mullen – Partner, Highland Europe
Evan Nisselson – Partner, LDV Capital
Mark Tluszcz – Co-founder & CEO, Mangrove Capital
Sarah Turner – Co-founder & Angel Investor, Angel Academe
Jon Coker – MMC Ventures
Maria Wagner – Beringea
Need more reasons?
Here are 12 reasons The Europas will sell out this weekend:
• A fantastic opportunity to pitch your startup in front of some of Europe’s biggest investors:
• Limited to 1,000 of the most influential people
• Expert discussions and Q&A
• Intimate “breakout” sessions with key players
• No VIP rooms, everyone equal
• No live stream — you’ve axtually got ot be there
• A Founders-only track (PathFounders)
• Ken Segall, Former Apple Creative Director, 500 Startups’s Dave McClure
• Musician Beatie Wolfe
• Patrycja Slawuta will teach you how to hack your own mind
• A stunning awards dinner and party
• Pitch your startup in a quick-fire session
TICKETS:
Tickets to this include all day access to the conference on June 14th in addition to the awards dinner and ceremony and after party in the evening.
‘AWARDS ONLY’
These include the pre-dinner drinks reception, seated dinner, awards ceremony and the after party – all held at Old Billingsgate on 14 June. There are also options to take a half table (5 guests), or a full table for 10 or 12 guests.
For full event details including the list of speakers for The Europas Conference & Awards, please click here.
SPONSORS:
Sponsors include Level39, TechHub, Ticketbase, Twitter, Metro Group Business Innovation, Raine Advisors, TechCrunch, Unicef, 33Seconds, All Response Media, Beringea, Forward Partners, iHorizon, Index Ventures, JAG Shaw Baker, Kemp Little, Multiple, Nexmo, Orrick, MMC Ventures, Smith & Williamson, and Fieldhouse Associates. More details can be found here.
Remaining sponsorship options are now strictly limited and we will be closing these at the end of the week, please contact petra@twistedtree.co.uk now.