TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is where the startup world collides: 10,000 founders, VCs, and operators all chasing the next big thing. It’s the kind of event where a single conversation can change your company’s trajectory.

What is the purpose of TechCrunch Disrupt?

At its core, TechCrunch Disrupt is designed to accelerate innovation. It’s where early-stage startups meet investors, industry leaders share hard-won lessons, and new technologies find their first audience. Whether you’re pitching on the Startup Battlefield stage or walking the expo floor, the goal is the same: to grow faster, smarter, and more globally.

Where is TechCrunch Disrupt held?

TechCrunch Disrupt is held in various cities around the world, including San Francisco, New York City, and Berlin. The event rotates locations each year to reach a broader audience and showcase different tech ecosystems. This 2025, it’ll be held in San Francisco.

Why 90% of Startups Fade, and How Swag Can Help You Be the Exception

Here’s the truth: about 90% of startups fail, not just because their ideas aren’t strong, but because they struggle to stay visible and build lasting relationships. At events like Disrupt, visibility is everything. Your brand story competes with hundreds of others.

The question then becomes: in a sea of competitive startups and bright minds, how do you make sure people remember you after the pitch?

The answer? Swag. Yes, swag. But not the dusty, generic t-shirt nobody wears or the generic tote bag that ends up collecting dust in a drawer, or worse, in the trash. When we say swag, we mean strategic and personalized experiences that make your brand memorable even after the conversations and the conference. But just like any other startup, utilizing swag also comes with its own challenges.

That’s why we’re heading to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where we aim to spotlight the three biggest swag challenges that startups face and the ways that PerkUp can turn them into growth opportunities instead.

What are the three swag challenges that startups face, and how does PerkUp address them?

Challenge 1: Startup swag costs & ROI

For a startup, every dollar matters. Too many founders may only see swag as an expense line item. A “nice to have” item that eats into budgets and isn’t really relevant, especially for a startup company.

But here’s the truth: when done strategically, swag is a measurable marketing tool. Branded onboarding kits can turn your new hires into instant brand advocates and loyal employees. Premium gifts at investor meetings spark LinkedIn posts and a broader audience reach. Memorable conference giveaways (not just pens) can drive booth traffic and turn them into qualified leads. All of these are ROI you can track.

At TechCrunch, we’ll show how PerkUp helps startups maximize ROI with premium, useful swag, transparent pricing, and data-driven reporting. It’s not about spending more, but rather, it’s about making every dollar spent on swag count.

Challenge 2: Global swag shipping & reach

Your startup doesn’t stop at borders, so why should your swag? But for a startup, scaling swag globally can easily become a headache without a suitable swag platform partner. 

Customs delays, surprise duties, lost packages in the sea—all of these are nightmares that kill momentum and disappoint recipients.

Such issues make a global warehousing network crucial for global swag campaigns. During TechCrunch 2025, PerkUp will be highlighting its warehouse locations in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, and Australia. We’ll discuss how this global warehousing network allows us to ship to 65+ countries with delivery duty paid (DDP) whenever possible, and how startups can also benefit from such a global infrastructure.

Challenge 3: Swag engagement & relevance

Let’s be real: nobody is impressed by another stress ball. Or pen. Forgettable swag doesn’t just waste money, but it also wastes the opportunity for you to stand out and be remembered in a crowd of startups.

Today’s recipients are no longer excited about another notebook that they won’t ever use. Nowadays, they expect personalized, premium, and/or sustainable swag that they can integrate into their day-to-day lives. A few examples of this are branded, reusable tumblers and high-quality laptop bags.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, we’ll share how startups are moving past generic, forgettable freebies and turning swag into a growth accelerator for investor relations and company culture.

Why are we talking about swag at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025?

Disrupt is about growth, and swag is a part of that story as an underrated growth accelerator. If used correctly, swag can help you as a startup to:

1. Stand out to investors in a crowded expo hall: In a space filled with thousands of founders competing for attention, the swag creates a memory associated with you. It reinforces your story long after your five-minute pitch has ended.

2. Strengthen customer relationships across borders: Premium, sustainably sourced swag, which are delivered to your partners and clients worldwide, can help you nurture trust and signal professionalism at every stage of your startup expansion.

3. Build team pride and engagement as you grow: Scaling isn’t just about customers and investors; it’s also about keeping your team motivated. Thoughtful swag kits and milestone gifting give your employees a tangible connection to the vision they’re helping you realize.

That’s why we’ll be at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, showing you how startups can utilize swag in more ways than one.

Meet Us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

If you’re a founder, marketer, or investor curious about swag innovation, we’d love to connect. Stop by our TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 booth and see how smart swag management and gifting can fuel your startup’s growth!