Last night at the Crunchies, the Herbst theater in San Francisco was packed to capacity (see photos below). In attendance to collect awards were Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft chief software architect Ray Ozzie, Amazon CTO Werner Vogels, Google product chief Marissa Mayer, Twitter founders Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Jack Dorsey, imeem founder Dalton Caldwell, and many more. (Read who won here). FriendFeed founder Paul Buchheit was so excited about winning Best Startup of 2008 that he videotaped the award from his seat (embedded below, go to the 2:20 mark to see what it was like to win from his vantage point).
In adition to the winners, Y Combinator’s Paul Graham, Seesmic CEO Loic Le Meur, and Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis also made appearances on stage. The slideshow above gives a feel for the event and the party afterward, which was in the stunning Rotunda of City Hall (thank you, MySpace). Or you can check out people’s reactions on Twitter.
Facebook once again won the overall prize for the second year in a row, and Mark Zuckerberg also picked up the best CEO prize. During his acceptance speech, Zuckerberg’s message to all the other entrepreneurs in the audience was that even during an economic downturn they can build something great and become a beacon of light for the rest of the industry. Microsoft’s Ray Ozzie, who was on hand to accept the prize for Best Technology Achievement, struck a similar chord:
When we are in an environment with technological and environmental change, you have to focus on these new huge constraints, but also new opportunities for destruction or rebirth.
The easy VC money might have stopped flowing to startups, but that doesn’t mean the world has stopped. I was acutely reminded of that fact simply by watching the hardened optimism of everyone in the theater. Some people compare the Crunchies to the Oscars of Tech, but we like to think of it more as a large family gathering. For all the blogs involved—Gigaom, VentureBeat, Silicon Alley Insider, TechCrunch—it’s our way of saying, “Thank You” to all the startups and tech companies out there. If they didn’t keep striving to become that beacon of light, we’d have nothing to write about.
ya, got why u put crunchies.. but, couldn’t get one thing.. why one video with animoto, and other with youtube!!
And why the comments are on http://www.f2bbs.com ?
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retard
Congratulations to all the winners!
Thank you also for putting on the free live stream.
Congratulation to all the winners.But mostly for Facebood because
Facebook once again won the overall prize for the second year in a row.
Best wishes for all the crunchy.
When you started TechCrunch did you ever think you could command an audience like this, be a make/break to a tech startup, and cause major corporations to get preapisms after winning a crunchy?
Hilarious that Zuckerberg could win Best CEO even as his investors are desperate to get rid of him but can’t.
Good post. Inspiring almost, for some strange reason..
Why we put on the Crunchies: to give awards out to huge companies that aren’t startups, and ignore all the small guys who are actually doing interesting things.
also: because little companies can’t sponsor award ceremonies where vcs bring their trophy wives.
“why we put on the crunchies – to blow sunshine up the asses of people who add an element of credibility to our amateur journalism and lack of insight and comprehension of systems level innovations”
Feynman on honors:
http://www.yout...Iio8jZU#t=5m30s
Looks like deep linking is broken. Go to 5:30.
Out of interest what was the music used on the video?
The Crunchies were great, shame I couldn’t go there (interested in next year though!)
Great event, very motivating for my team and I. These are the types of things we need during this recession. 2 yrs in a row, I look forward to 2010.
“Some people compare the Crunchies to the Oscars of Tech, but we like to think of it more as a large family gathering. ”
Maybe for friends of TC, but certainly not for Cali startups. Twistup is more popular in LA I think.
The circle you have at the events is very small. Don’t fool yourself Schonfeld. You guys certainly corralled what you thought was the big money in the industry, so congratulations on that. They’re taking your awards now!
Hey New York Trust Fund Suck up:
Calm yourself. The Crunchies mean nothing except drinks.
Meanwhile, Americans suffer. People starve. Homes forclose. Arrington continues to gorge, like the piggy he is and always will be.
Real America nods its head at this New York/Valley elitism. Trust fund kids with technology crap funded by lazy VCs.
Shame on you.
Given that I thought the event was a success, here’s a suggestion for improvement. For the last two years, Mark Zuckerberg has been on hand to accept the Facebook award personally. I don’t know how long he’ll keep coming to these events since I think we can all agree that in the next few years he could possibly join that elite club that Larry Page and Sergey Brin belong to. I’m not saying he’s there yet, but if Facebook can monetize he could be. My point is simply that while I enjoyed your fireside chats, I think we would all have enjoyed a sit down interview with Zuckerberg. I mean if its good enough for 60 mins, its good enough for you. I’m sure this would be really good for the blog as well so make it happen if he’s there next year.
“I think we can all agree that in the next few years he could possibly join that elite club that Larry Page and Sergey Brin belong to.”
Maybe if he goes back to college and gets a computer science degree, and then some. LOL that was really funny, thanks for the chuckle!
He did hack Harvard house though. He’s a hacker!
(smiles)
It’s great to see an acceptance speech that says “you can too”. After all, if you can build something great during the bad times, just think how well it will do in the good.
Its sad that most of the awards went to companies that are not startups.
I may be biased here, but I believe that technology is the key to improving the economy. How often do you here politicians and political pundits talk about innovation? It seems that one of the reasons we’re in the situation we are is because we haven’t made it easy for companies to incorporate technology into their business plans. Putting on an awards show like this may highlight these facts to others, and show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
cool comment by the fb ceo.
Starting in bad times is great. TC keep up that Spirit!
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What a gracious post Erick. I was just thinking on a run today how weary you guys must get of startups on fire to do this or that. And then you aren’t. That’s what I like best about this site, that it is knowing, clever, sharp — and still somehow enthusiastic. I’ve noticed the same mix in your relationship with your audience, which can on both sides be feisty, snide, bombastic and then when you least expect it — adoring.
Why, oh why, do you have Loic Le Meur and Jason Calacanis, the Twin Douchebags of Silicon Valley, give business advice to budding entrepreneurs? When those retardfests known as Seesmic and Mahalo actually do anything besides serve as vehicles for their clownish CEOs to go to worthless conferences, their advice will finally mean something more than the brown residue that ends up on used toilet paper.
Nice spoof video.
Sunita
Nice spoof.
Hitesh
I think the crunchies are excellent. Just please stop referring to Facebook as a startup. Or maybe I should ask, how do you define a startup? A company that hasn’t made any money yet?
LOL, well compared to the investment that actually would count facebook as a startup
Errr, exactly why do you put them on though? I couldnt see the reason in the post.
thanks again for inviting me to present!
Well Arrington has invited you. Now are you inviting him to the next Le Web
The crunchier the better
So how many awards did Timothy Sykes win?
Erick:
Animoto’s piece is really a “promo” not a slideshow, as you imply. Their tagline on their site is “the end of slideshows”.
I am sure they appreciate being separated from Miscrosoft and the kajillion of slide companies like Sliderocket, et al.
nF
I like this one
http://amazonbe...eal-of-day.html
If someone can tell me what will win award after 2 years I will be forever grateful – And when say Forever mean forever
Why would anybody tell anybody about the thing that will win two years from now? I am sure that it’s already in existance right now anyhow.
Jon
http://Buzvia.com – Where’s Your Traffic Going?
The real reason: to make money off of a rigged voting system.
retarded