One of the most popular activities at a TechCrunch conference is watching top-notch early-stage founders square off in a pitch competition. Seriously, who doesn’t love a pitch-off? And the Crypto Pitch-off is just one more compelling reason to go to TechCrunch Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. Let’s take a look at the judges our intrepid startups will need to impress.
But first (hey, you had to see this coming), if you have not yet done the deed, buy your pass right now. Changes in the crypto world are fast and furious — like Binance aiming to purchase FTX but just over 24 hours later backing out. Did you know Binance founder CZ will speak at the event? You do not want to miss that.
Okay, back to the pitch-off. Be in the room when three of the brightest early-stage crypto startups take the stage in front of a live audience — for glory, for media and investor interest, and, drumroll please, for an automatic spot in the Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt 2023. TechCrunch handpicks a cohort of 200 early-stage startups to receive a VIP Disrupt experience that includes, for starters, exhibiting all three days of the show — for free.
The contenders will pitch their tech to this panel of expert VCs: Grace Isford, principal, Lux Capital; Wen-Wen Lam, partner, Gradient Ventures; and Will Nuelle, general partner, Galaxy Ventures — check out their bonafides below.
Grace Isford invests at the nexus of web3, data infrastructure and applications of AI/ML. She focuses on crypto and blockchain infrastructure companies building the next-gen web3 stack, as well as on data and machine-learning startups that hyper-personalize user experiences and transform legacy industries.
At Lux, Isford works with companies such as Tactic, Goldsky and RunwayML. Prior to joining Lux, she worked at Canvas Ventures and Handshake (in product management), and she earned her BS and MS from Stanford University.
Before joining Gradient Ventures, Wen-Wen Lam was the CEO and co-founder of NexTravel (YCW15), a leading corporate travel solution that serviced thousands of customers like Lyft, Twilio and Stripe. She grew the business to over $100 million in annual sales before exiting to TravelPerk in 2020.
Prior to founding NexTravel, Lam worked with startups in leadership roles. She received a BA in economics from UC Berkeley and her MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business, and she began her career in tech at LinkedIn.
Will Nuelle focuses on early-stage investments in protocol layer infrastructure, DeFi applications and software products. Nuelle started at Galaxy Ventures in research, where he developed quantitative risk software for trading.
Prior to joining Galaxy, he built incentive simulations for Ethereum protocol FOAM as an intern. He holds BS degrees in mathematics and architecture from Stanford University. He is a board member for Skolem Technologies and has led more than 13 investments for Galaxy.
TC Sessions: Crypto takes place on November 17 in Miami. Don’t miss your opportunity to connect with our partners and to tap into the tech, trends and controversy spanning the blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFT and web3 cryptoverse. Buy your ticket today!
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Galaxy, Gradient and Lux VCs will judge the TC Sessions: Crypto pitch-off by Lauren Simonds originally published on TechCrunch
