Happening today: TechCrunch Live’s free special episode in Austin, Texas!

TechCrunch Live is in Austin, Texas today. Virtually, at least. For today’s show, we’re shinning a spotlight on the incredible region in Austin, Texas. It’s a city of unicorns and tech giants, as Mary Ann Azevedo writes in her expose of the scene.

We hope you can join us. Register here. It’s free and kicks off at 2:00 p.m. CDT and 12:00 p.m. PDT.

The line up is killer, but no showcase would be complete without an Austin Pitch-Off. TechCrunch editorial selected three Austin-based startups to compete for free exhibition space at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October. Each company will have four minutes to pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A with our fantastic judges. Companies will get private training with the Startup Battlefield team responsible for training all the TechCrunch early-stage company pitches, a mini feature on TechCrunch.com and a complimentary table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 in person.

TechCrunch Live is a free weekly event featuring investors, founders and startups with the goal of helping entrepreneurs build better venture-backed businesses. The show runs every Wednesday at 12 p.m. PDT and is always free to attend.

Agenda

April 6, 12:00 p.m. – 12:35 p.m. PDT

TCL Panel with The Zebra and Silverton Partners

The Zebra was an early Austin transplant. Founded in 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the founders, lured by Texas investors, including Mark Cuban and Silverton Partners’ Morgan Flager, relocated to Austin the next year. In 2017 after raising $40 million, the company brought on Keith Melnick as CEO and has grown to be one of the largest tech startups in Austin.

• Keith Melnick, CEO, The Zebra
• Morgan Flager, managing partner, Silverton Partners
• Moderated by TechCrunch Managing Editor Matt Burns

12:35 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PDT

How to raise early capital in Austin

Austin is quickly becoming a hub of early-stage startups, and there’s a handful of firms writing checks to get these companies off the ground. Hear from three of the top investors in the Austin area about their investment strategies and the best way to get their attention.

• Krishna Srinivasan, co-founder, LiveOak Venture Partners
• Sara T. Brand, founding general partner, True Wealth Ventures
• Bryan Chambers, president, Capital Factory
• Moderated by TechCrunch Sr. Reporter Mary Ann Azevedo

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT

TC City Spotlight Pitch-off

Apply now! Three Austin-based startups will pitch their company live to a panel of investors and TechCrunch staff. The companies have four minutes to present their pitch deck, and the winner gets exhibition space at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.

• Krishna Srinivasan, co-founder, LiveOak Venture Partners
• Sara T. Brand, founding general partner, True Wealth Ventures
• Bryan Chambers, president, Capital Factory