In a post which has seemingly come out of the blue (and makes you wonder, maybe registrations just aren’t there), DEMO Executive Producer Chris Shipley is urging start-ups to understand that her conference gives them “value in a tough economy.” Color me skeptical, but isn’t $18,500 even tough these days?
Lets think about it here. Venture capital is drying up at an alarming rate. Even companies who aren’t start-ups are struggling to make ends meet. The expense to show at DEMO, when you can show your product for nothing at competitor TechCrunch50, seems almost foolish.
But that doesn’t stop Ms. Shipley. Just look at those benefits.
- A booth with all the trimmings;
- 3 complementary passes (but you’ll pay $995 each for more);
- A page in the DEMO program guide;
- A invitation to the “CEO/DealMakers Dinner,” whatever that is;
And oh so much more. But enough of me being facetious. Really, why does it have to cost that much. I know DEMO claims the cost is due to the amount of production and organization that goes into an event like this, but isn’t there a different way that isn’t going to strain companies who probably don’t have a lot of money to begin with?
Ms. Shipley seems to also give a reason which I somehow am slightly taken aback by: that the $18,500 ticket to ride is a barrier. That’s not my words, that’s hers. So essentially, we’re charging a significant price to prevent people from even getting through the door? That’s what it certainly sounds like.
Eeek. I think that’s why so many people are beginning to question DEMO’s price and value. The price doesn’t need to be that high, but we’ll artificially and possibly arbitrarily set it there to keep people out.
Yes, Shipley tries to angle it as if a company that cannot afford to pay up may not be able to afford a national launch, but come on. Many good ideas have started with far less.
So how about this. Why not either a) acknowledge the economy is bad, and lower the registration price, or b) make it free altogether. Even though the ad market may be iffy, I’m sure you’d be able to find outside advertisers that would help supplement the cost overall.
