SAN FRANCISCO – September 18, 2017 – TechCrunch, a leading technology media platform, announced today at TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco that it has joined Pledge 1%, a global movement to make giving back part of every company’s DNA. TechCrunch’s Pledge 1% commitment underlines the company’s ongoing efforts to support local communities and the next generation of entrepreneurs.
“TechCrunch is proud to join Pledge 1% and further our commitment to helping entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders,” explains Ned Desmond, COO of TechCrunch. “We are especially excited to announce our pledge at TechCrunch Disrupt with so many emerging and established companies present. We encourage those at the conference and in our wider community to join us in making giving back a key aspect of your business.”
By announcing their commitment at TechCrunch Disrupt, the company’s flagship event, TechCrunch is creating a new benchmark for Pledge 1% member companies to “pledge it forward,” or encourage other companies to join them in taking the pledge. From the pre-event announcements to the Startup Alley floor, TechCrunch is integrating Pledge 1% into its core messaging, inviting both startups and attendees to join them in giving back through their businesses.
“TechCrunch’s commitment to not just pledging 1% themselves, but to leveraging their platform and events to encourage other companies to do so is setting a new standard for companies to be leaders of the broader Pledge 1% movement,” says Amy Lesnick, Chief Executive and President at Pledge 1%. “They are integrating Pledge 1%’s values and the ‘pledge it forward’ ethos into every level of their business. By doing so, TechCrunch is having a tremendous impact on changing the philanthropic culture within the tech industry.”
In addition to this week’s TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, TechCrunch will pledge it forward at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin this December and at all future Disrupt events.
TechCrunch has also been actively promoting diversity by applying resources uniquely available to TechCrunch, including our editorial and events platforms, and by exemplifying the diversity mission in TechCrunch’s own staffing and culture.
About TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a leading technology media property, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news. Founded in June 2005, TechCrunch and its network of websites now reach over 14 million unique visitors and draw more than 42 million page views per month. The TechCrunch community includes more than 9 million friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and other social media. Crunchbase, TechCrunch’s open database about start-up companies, people and investors, has become the leading statistical resource for technology companies and transactions. The company hosts major conferences and events, including the Disrupt series, TechCrunch Sessions, and various meet-ups worldwide serving as community platforms for industry conversation and collaboration.
About Pledge 1%
Pledge 1% is an effort spearheaded by Atlassian, Rally, Salesforce and Tides to accelerate their shared vision around integrating philanthropy into businesses around the world. Pledge 1% encourages and challenges individuals and companies to pledge 1% of equity, product and employee time for their communities, because pledging a small portion of future success can have a huge impact on tomorrow. Pledge 1% offers companies turnkey tools and best practices, making it accessible for any company to incorporate philanthropy into their business model. To learn more or to take the pledge, please visit www.pledge1percent.org.
