TechCrunch

TechCrunch was founded in 2005 by Michael Arrington and Keith Teare, mainly covers technology companies and startups, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. Its readers include entrepreneurs, business operators, investors, and members of the public interested in technology developments.⁠[1][2]

CrunchBaseCrunchbaseCrunchbase is a private-company data and intelligence platform headquartered in San Francisco. It launched in 2007 as TechCrunch’s startup database, and its own company profile lists Michael Arrington as founder. It passed to AOL with TechCrunch in 2010 and was spun out of AOL/Verizon in 2015 with backing from Emergence Capital, with Jager McConnell as CEO; it has since raised more than $100 million and launched Pro, Enterprise, API and Crunchbase News products. Since 2025 it has focused on using AI to forecast private companies’ funding, growth and exits, delivering its data through MCP, APIs and third-party AI platforms.Open the full entry first appeared in 2007 as a project to organize information on startups covered in TechCrunch’s reporting, and gradually developed into a database of companies, investors, and entrepreneurs. The database shares a common origin with the news outlet but later became an independent company.⁠[3]

AOL’s 2010 annual report records that the company completed its acquisition of TechCrunch, Inc. on September 29, 2010, bringing its network of technology news, information, and analysis websites into the business. The annual report disclosed some financial information for it combined with several other acquisitions, so the combined purchase price cannot be treated as TechCrunch’s standalone transaction amount.⁠[4]

TechNodeTechNodeTechNode is a technology media and innovation-services organization originating from a blog started in 2007. It publishes in Chinese and English and previously partnered with TechCrunch on events in China.Open the full entry’s official partnership record states that it exclusively operated TechCrunch China from 2012 to 2019. This arrangement constitutes a historical TechCrunch partnership in Chinese-language technology and startup media and does not mean that TechNode and TechCrunch are the same organization.⁠[5]

On June 23, 2015, Verizon completed its acquisition of AOL, which became a wholly owned subsidiary. TechCrunch entered the Verizon group along with its parent business, and the media business later operated under the Verizon Media name.⁠[6][7][8]

On September 22, 2015, CrunchBase announced at the Disrupt event that it was spinning off from AOL/Verizon as an independent company. An official newsletter the next day confirmed that Jager McConnellJager McConnellJager McConnell is an American technology executive who spent 11 years at Salesforce and has been CEO of Crunchbase since its 2015 spinout from AOL/Verizon, leading its shift to subscriptions and an AI predictions platform.Open the full entry would become CEO and that 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 was investing to support its expansion, and said it would continue working with TechCrunch. From then on, Crunchbase’s financing or data business cannot be counted directly as TechCrunch’s business.⁠[3]

In 2019, TechCrunch launched the paid product Extra CrunchTechCrunch+ (subscription service)TechCrunch+ was TechCrunch’s paid startup-content service, launched as Extra Crunch in 2019, renamed in 2021 and discontinued in 2024.Open the full entry, which was renamed TechCrunch+ (subscription service) in 2021. Founding editor Danny CrichtonDanny CrichtonDanny Crichton is a technology journalist and researcher, a research partner at Lux Capital and editor of Securities and Riskgaming. He previously served as TechCrunch managing editor and launched Extra Crunch.Open the full entry recalled that the subscription service aimed to build a third revenue stream beyond advertising and events, serving startup readers with in-depth company research and business model and product analysis; its EC-1 series borrowed its naming from the S-1, the filing companies use to go public.⁠[8][9]

On September 1, 2021, ApolloApolloApollo (Apollo Global Management, Inc.) is an asset management and retirement services group founded in 1990 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker APO. Its investment business spans credit, equity, and real assets; after its 2022 merger with Athene, asset management and retirement services were brought under the same listed parent company. At the end of June 2026, the group reported assets under management of about $1.047 trillion.Open the full entry announced that funds it manages had completed the acquisition of Yahoo (formerly Verizon Media), with YahooYahooYahoo is an internet brand founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in 1994, with email, search, news, finance, sports, and advertising businesses. It developed from a web directory into a portal, underwent major acquisitions and security incidents, and sold its operating business in 2017, when the original listed company became Altaba. Apollo-managed funds acquired the brand’s operating business in 2021. Yahoo launched the AI answer service Scout in 2026.Open the full entry becoming an independently operated company and Verizon retaining a 10% stake. TechCrunch was part of Yahoo’s media portfolio during this period; the percentage refers to Verizon’s stake in Yahoo and cannot be taken as a direct stake in TechCrunch.⁠[7][10]

On August 29, 2023, Yahoo announced the appointment of Connie LoizosConnie LoizosConnie Loizos is a technology journalist, founder of StrictlyVC and TechCrunch’s general manager and editor-in-chief since 2023.Open the full entry as general manager and editor-in-chief of TechCrunch, succeeding Matthew PanzarinoMatthew PanzarinoMatthew Panzarino is a technology journalist and content executive, a former TechCrunch editor-in-chief who announced his appointment as GrowthX chief content officer in 2025.Open the full entry, who remained as an adviser. Loizos had been TechCrunch’s Silicon Valley editor since 2015. Yahoo also announced the acquisition of StrictlyVCStrictlyVCStrictlyVC is a venture-capital news brand founded by Connie Loizos in 2013, combining newsletters, live interviews and podcasting. It became a TechCrunch sub-brand in 2023.Open the full entry, which she founded in 2013, bringing the newsletter and industry events brand into TechCrunch to operate as a sub-brand.⁠[10]

It was disclosed on January 30, 2024, that TechCrunch had cut eight employees and planned to shut down TechCrunch+ (subscription service), refocusing on original reporting about founders, investors, and startups. Its spokesperson explained the changes as aligning the team’s structure with future business needs and said they were not aimed at cutting costs.⁠[9]

On February 29, 2024, TechCrunch+ (subscription service) ended its subscription service, and its content moved to the public website.⁠[11]

In a personal retrospective, Crichton argued that the subscription product faced limits on growth, user churn, and the supply of talent for in-depth reporting. He also noted that advertising and events supported the media business, but both are affected by macroeconomic conditions and the conditions for scaling. These are a former editor’s analysis of the business model.⁠[8]

On March 21, 2025, Regent (investment firm)Regent (investment firm)Regent is a private investment firm founded in 2013, with interests in media, technology, consumer brands and industrial businesses. It acquired Foundry and announced the acquisition of TechCrunch in 2025.Open the full entry announced its acquisition of TechCrunch from Yahoo; the terms were not disclosed, and at the time of the announcement closing was expected within the coming weeks. Regent (investment firm) had just acquired Foundry (technology media)Foundry (technology media)Foundry is the technology media and marketing-services business formerly known as IDG Communications. Its brands include PCWorld, Macworld, InfoWorld and CIO; Regent acquired it in 2025.Open the full entry, owner of brands including PCWorldPCWorldPCWorld is a PC and consumer-technology publication launched in 1983, providing news, reviews and practical guides within Foundry’s media portfolio.Open the full entry, MacworldMacworldMacworld is an Apple-focused technology publication launched in 1984, offering news, reviews and practical advice as part of Foundry.Open the full entry, InfoWorldInfoWorldInfoWorld is a technology publication originating in 1978, serving enterprise developers, software architects and technology decision-makers as part of Foundry.Open the full entry, and CIO (publication)CIO (publication)CIO is a professional publication launched in 1987 for chief information officers and enterprise technology leaders, covering technology strategy, management and digital transformation within Foundry.Open the full entry, so TechCrunch joined its expanding technology media portfolio. As of September 2026, Regent (investment firm)’s official portfolio page lists TechCrunch.⁠[12][2]

On October 21, 2026, TechCrunch announced plans for TechCrunch Founder SummitTechCrunch Founder SummitTechCrunch Founder Summit is an in-person event for founders and investors, continuing TechCrunch’s Early Stage and All Stage event series with a focus on company building, fundraising and growth.Open the full entry, an event previously known as Early Stage and All Stage. Scheduled for November 4 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station, it was designed for founders, investors and operators, with discussions on fundraising, hiring, product-market fit, leadership and AI.⁠[13]

TechCrunch centers on technology and startup news, analysis, and interviews, and also hosts the annual TechCrunch Disrupt, connecting startups, investors, and industry participants. StrictlyVC, as a sub-brand, provides a venture capital newsletter and live conversations.⁠[2][10]

Startup Battlefield 200Startup Battlefield 200Startup Battlefield 200 is TechCrunch’s selection, training and pitching program for early-stage startups, held at TechCrunch Disrupt.Open the full entry selects 200 startups for TechCrunch Disrupt; 20 advance to the main-stage competition, whose winner receives a US$100,000 equity-free prize.⁠[14]

TechCrunch’s podcasts include Build Mode (TechCrunch podcast)Build Mode (TechCrunch podcast)Build Mode is TechCrunch’s founder-interview podcast, exploring go-to-market decisions, fundraising, team building and practical challenges faced by entrepreneurs.Open the full entry, focused on practical questions of early-stage company building; Equity (TechCrunch podcast)Equity (TechCrunch podcast)Equity is a TechCrunch podcast launched in 2017, covering startups, venture capital and the business of technology through reporter discussions and guest interviews.Open the full entry, its flagship program on the business of startups; and StrictlyVC DownloadStrictlyVC DownloadStrictlyVC Download is a technology-interview podcast hosted by Connie Loizos and Alex Gove, publishing since 2020 on startups, venture capital and changes in the technology industry.Open the full entry, combining technology news with interviews. These programs provide an audio format alongside its written reporting and live events.⁠[15]

TechCrunch (X @TechCrunch): Official account: https://x.com/TechCrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (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 techcrunch): Official account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techcrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry @TechCrunch): Official account: https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (Facebook techcrunch): Official account: https://www.facebook.com/techcrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (Instagram @techcrunch): Official account: https://www.instagram.com/techcrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (MastodonMastodonMastodon is free and open-source decentralized social networking software created by Eugen Rochko in 2016; based on the ActivityPub protocol, it forms a federated network of independently run servers. Its user base grew sharply in 2022, and Rochko stepped down as CEO in November 2025.Open the full entry @TechCrunch@mstdn.social): Official account: https://mstdn.social/@TechCrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (ThreadsThreadsThreads is a text-sharing social app from Meta built by the Instagram team; launched on July 5, 2023, it lets users log in with their Instagram account and has gradually connected to the fediverse through the ActivityPub protocol, and in June 2026 Meta announced it had reached 500 million monthly active users.Open the full entry @techcrunch): Official account: https://www.threads.com/@techcrunch (opens in a new window).⁠[16]

TechCrunch (BlueskyBlueskyBluesky is a decentralized social platform built on the AT Protocol; it grew out of an open-protocol project funded by Twitter in 2019 and is now developed and operated by the public benefit corporation Bluesky Social, PBC. It dropped invite-only access and opened to the public in February 2024, and by 2026 had more than 40 million users.Open the full entry @techcrunch.com): Official account: https://bsky.app/profile/techcrunch.com (opens in a new window).⁠[16]