TechCrunch Live is taking a trip. On June 1 our crew is hosting three hours of panels, talks and pitches with founders, investors and startups from Columbus, Ohio. This extended event is designed to highlight the growing startup ecosystem emerging from America’s midwest.
Register for the virtual event here, and apply for the pitch-off here.
The pitch-off application deadline is May 24, 2022. Selected companies get four minutes to present their company (with a pitch deck), and they’ll answer six minutes of questions from venture capitalists from Rise of the Rest Seed Fund at Revolution and Initialized Capital.
To qualify you need to:
- Be based in the greater Columbus, Ohio area
- Have an MVP
- Be pre-Series A
Agenda for TechCrunch Live in Columbus!
Columbus Unicorns with Olive and Drive Capital (3:00 pm EDT)
Olive is a homegrown Columbus unicorn; hear from the CEO and lead investor how the company was built and raised $856 million since its founding in 2012.
- Sean Lane, Olive CEO
- Chris Olsen, Drive Capital Founding Partner
Raising startup capital (3:30 pm EDT)
Ohio isn’t Silicon Valley, and yet there are numerous venture capital funds eager to write checks to early-stage founders. Join this session and hear from two investors on which industries are thriving in Columbus, and which sort of founders fit best in this scene.
Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room
Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.
Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit
1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13.
- Janine Sickmeyer, Overlooked Ventures
- Wolf Starr, CEO Atlas Partners
Work for a startup in Columbus (4:00 pm EDT)
Columbus, like many major American cities, is home to industry giants with hundreds of workers toiling away in cubicles. But startups are hiring! Hear from two local leaders on who’s hiring, and what startups look for in new employees.
- Erika Pryor, Denison University
- Alex “Fro” Frommeyer, CEO Beam Dental
- Ryan Landau, CEO Purpose Jobs
Pitch Competition (4:20 pm EDT)
Apply here!
Judges
- Anna Mason, Managing Partner, Rise of the Rest Seed Fund at Revolution
- General Partner, Initialized Capital
Found Live with Claire Coder, CEO of Aunt Flow (5:00 pm EDT)
Aunt Flow is an innovative startup from Columbus, Ohio that supplies 23,000 bathrooms with essential feminine products. The company’s clients include Apple, Meta and more. Hear from the company’s CEO Claire Coder about the pains of raising capital in Ohio, and scaling her company to 40 employees during this special Found Live podcast recording.
- Claire Coder, CEO and Founder of Aunt Flow
- Darrell and Jordan
