TechCrunch
TechCrunch is an American global online newspaper focusing on topics regarding high tech and startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare.[4]
Type of site
Technology news and analysis
English
Chinese
French
Japanese
San Francisco, California, United States[1]
AOL (2010–2017)
Yahoo! Inc. (2017–present)
Matthew Panzarino[2]
Yes
None
June 10, 2005[3]
Active
In 2010, AOL acquired the company for approximately $25 million. Following the 2015 acquisition of AOL and Yahoo by Verizon, the site was owned by Verizon Media from 2015 through 2021.
In 2021, Verizon sold its media assets, including AOL, Yahoo, and TechCrunch, to the private equity firm Apollo Global Management. Apollo integrated them into a new entity called Yahoo! Inc.
In addition to its news reporting, TechCrunch is also known for its annual Disrupt conference, a technology event hosted in several cities across the United States, Europe, and China.
Events[edit]
Former features[edit]
Crunchbase[edit]
From 2007 to 2015, TechCrunch operated Crunchbase, a website and online encyclopedia of information on startups, key people, funds, funding rounds, and events. In 2015, Crunchbase spun out of TechCrunch to become a private entity, and is no longer a part of TechCrunch.[24][25]
Crunchies[edit]
From 2007 to 2017, TechCrunch sponsored the annual Crunchies award ceremony to award startups, internet, and technology innovations.[26] At the first award ceremony in 2007, Facebook won the award for best startup. TechCrunch announced in 2017 that it would end the Crunchies.[27][28]
Controversies[edit]
The company was criticized for allowing developers to present the Titstare application, created by participants in a hackathon at TechCrunch Disrupt 2013. The application allows users to "stare at tits".[29][30][31]
In 2011, the site's editors and writers were criticized for possible ethics violations. These included claims that Arrington's investments in certain firms which the site had covered created a conflict of interest.[32] The controversy that ensued eventually led to Arrington's departure, and other writers, including Paul Carr and Sarah Lacy, moved to another technology investment based media company.[33][34]
In popular culture[edit]
In 2014, TechCrunch Disrupt was featured in an arc of the HBO series Silicon Valley.[35] The characters' startup "Pied Piper" participates in a startup battle at TechCrunch Disrupt.[35]