Frugal, budget-minded college and university students take heed. The $195 price for a student pass to TechCrunch Disrupt goes up this Friday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Disrupt rolls out in person on October 18–20 — with an online day October 21 — in San Francisco. The OG of tech conferences offers plenty of opportunities for students determined to make their mark in the startup world.
Here are just a few of the many great reasons you should go Disrupt.
Learn the best way to build from experts in all phases of the startup life cycle — from ideation and testing to funding and scaling. Connect with product and UX/UI operators who know how to turn an idea into a prototype and eventual MVP.
Start networking weeks before the show begins with the Disrupt event app. It searches the attendees list for the people who align with your goals (based on info you provide when you register). It’s a quick, efficient way to schedule meetings, pitch investors or find the perfect co-founder or post-grad gig.
Disrupt is where founders go to grow. Check out some of the founder-focused sessions happening at TechCrunch Disrupt.
Three ways to earn a free pass to Disrupt
Enter the student pitch competition
The TechCrunch Student Pitch Competition (powered by Blackstone LaunchPad) is industry-agnostic, and we encourage students building in any vertical to apply. While we’re excited to review the applications from students with a functioning MVP, the ultimate winners will be a mix of student-led startups at the ideation stage, with product/market fit, and those at the growth stage.
Applying to the competition is a simple, three-step process:
- Record a 60-second video of your pitch.
- Fill out an application and answer a few quick questions about your startup.
- Submit your application and video.
The application deadline is September 9. TechCrunch will review all submitted videos and select 20 finalists. We will notify the finalists on September 18. Note: This is a video-only competition. No one pitches at Disrupt.
Volunteer
Take advantage of a fun, easy way to attend Disrupt for free: Apply to volunteer for work exchange. Trade up to 10 hours of your time, and we’ll give you a free General Admission pass good for all three days of Disrupt.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a world-class tech conference. Check out this FAQ for the details and the requirements all volunteers need to meet.
Join the University Ambassador Program
TechCrunch believes in supporting the next generation of founders, makers and entrepreneurs by making it easier — and more affordable — for students to attend our events. We do that by partnering with universities around the world to raise awareness of TechCrunch offerings to students, university clubs and student-led startups.
So far, more than 100 university staff members have signed up for our University Ambassador Program. These campus ambassadors receive a biweekly email that includes TechCrunch branding kits and promo codes to share with students through college social media accounts and university newsletters.
In exchange for promoting TechCrunch events, university ambassadors receive a mix of free and discounted tickets to distribute to students.
Interested? Fill out and submit your profile for consideration.
TechCrunch Disrupt takes place on October 18–20 in San Francisco with an online day on October 21. So many great reasons to go — what are you waiting for? Buy your student passes before the price goes up this Friday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.