Ned Desmond

Desmond began as a journalist, spending about eight years as a Time correspondent in Asia.⁠[1]

He joined Infoseek in 1996, moving into internet businesses. His career also included management roles at Disney and launching Infoseek Japan with Joi Ito.⁠[1][2]

Desmond founded eCompany Now and served as its president and editor. The magazine launched in June 2000. In 2001, Time Inc.’s Fortune Group announced plans to acquire Business 2.0 and combine the titles, with Desmond leading the merged publication.⁠[2][3]

He led Time Inc.’s digital operations for six years. IAB’s June 2008 board roster identified him as president of Time Inc. Interactive and an IAB director.⁠[2][4]

Before joining TechCrunch, he founded and served as president of enthusiast media company GoSportn, which launched GoFISHn.com and GoHUNTn.com.⁠[2]

He took charge of business operations at TechCrunch and Crunchbase and also served as Engadget’s COO. His responsibility for Crunchbase continued until its 2015 spinout.⁠[5][2]

TechCrunch partnered with TechNode on its Chinese operation. Desmond and TechNode founder Gang Lu opened the Shanghai conference held on November 19–20. He held the titles of TechCrunch COO and AOLAOLAOL is an American internet brand offering a news portal, email, and membership services. Its history dates to an online-services company founded in 1985.Open the full entry Tech general manager.⁠[6][7]

Desmond led Crunchbase’s spinout from AOL / VerizonVerizonVerizon (Verizon Communications Inc.) is one of the largest telecommunications carriers in the United States, formed in 2000 through the merger of Bell Atlantic, one of the “Baby Bells,” and GTE. Headquartered in New York City, it operates a nationwide wireless network, Fios fiber broadband and communications services for businesses and government, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.Open the full entry into an independent venture-backed company, working with Emergence CapitalEmergence CapitalEmergence Capital is a US venture capital firm founded in 2003 by Gordon Ritter, Jason Green and Brian Jacobs. It focuses on early-stage enterprise software and cloud services, with investments including Salesforce, Veeva, Zoom and Crunchbase, and has expanded its focus to AI software and services.Open the full entry.⁠[2]

He launched TechCrunch’s Extra Crunch membership business, having also expanded its Disrupt conferences and Startup Battlefield competition.⁠[5]

Around his departure from TechCrunch, he founded Sight Tech Global, focused on how AI and related technologies affect accessibility for blind and visually impaired people. Announced on August 3, its first virtual event took place on December 2–3. Vista Center owns the event and receives its proceeds.⁠[8][9]

SOSV announced his appointment as senior operating partner in December 2020, with a January start. His remit covered accelerator alumni programs, marketing and communications, reporting to Sean O’Sullivan.⁠[5]

Jonathan Mosen criticized the Sight Tech Global name as centering sight rather than blind identity. In an earlier interview replayed on his show, Desmond acknowledged that he had not understood the community’s discussion of such language and might have chosen differently. Mosen also praised the event’s accessibility arrangements.⁠[10]

First Things launched The Widening Gyre, Desmond’s fortnightly newsletter on AI, technology and the human future, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. Its first issue appeared on August 27.⁠[11][12]

His journalism career also included covering Silicon Valley for Fortune. He holds a BA from Amherst College. As of November 2026, SOSV’s biography describes him as an adviser on communications and marketing, while his LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry lists advisory roles at SOSV and Molecule.one and a location in Menlo Park, California. Sight Tech Global session materials identify him as founder and former executive producer.⁠[13][1][14][15]

His associated organizations include TechCrunch, Engadget, Crunchbase, SOSV, Sight Tech Global and First Things. Official websites: https://sosv.com/ (opens in a new window) and https://sighttechglobal.com/ (opens in a new window). Newsletter: https://www.wideninggyrenewsletter.com/ (opens in a new window). His public accounts are @neddesmond on X and neddesmond on LinkedIn; he also publishes at https://neddesmond.substack.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[1][2][9][11][16]