Office Hours: I’m a Senior Reporter at TechCrunch, author of the TechCrunch Daily morning newsletter, and the co-host of Equity podcast. I’m Rebecca Bellan. AMA!Featured

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Hi Elphas!

I’m Rebecca Bellan, a Senior Reporter at TechCrunch where I cover the intersection of startups, business and technology. I’m on the transportation desk, where I focus on self-driving cars, electric aircraft, sustainable mobility, micromobility and more. TechCrunch has also given me rope to explore other areas of interest, so lately, I’ve been covering more AI, social media, and antitrust. I’m interested in how technology and business affect the world around us.

Before TechCrunch, I was a contributor at Forbes.com, covering social media, which became increasingly political when I was there. I was a freelance writer for years as I backpacked, worked, and lived around the world. My writing focused on cities and culture, with bylines in Bloomberg CityLab, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Wired, and more. I also worked at The Atlantic as a branded content writer and publisher’s assistant.

During my downtime, I enjoy creative writing, reading excellent prose, hosting dinner parties with friends, exploring New York City like a tourist even though I was born here, exercising, traveling, and engaging in lively debates with my husband.

Ask me anything about breaking into journalism, what it’s like to write about technology, the rise of the techno-elite, the challenges of bringing transportation technology to market, what journalists hate to see in startup pitches, why I’m obsessed with Japan, trends in venture capital, and more.

ElphaStaff·Sep 09

Thanks so much for joining us @rebeccabellan!Elphas – please ask @rebeccabellan your questions before Friday, September 13th. @rebeccabellan may not have time to answer every questions, so emoji upvote your favorites 🔥👍🏾➕

Anh153·Sep 12

Hii Rebecca! How did you discover your niche (transportation)? Was it a process or just something that you've always been interested in? I'm trying to figure out my niche of interest career-wise, but I have too many! Thanks for being here :)

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

Hi @anh153! I've always been passionate about transportation coming from NYC. I love trains and bikes and the ways people move, and I've traveled all over the world, so maybe there's something to that. I also believe that more sustainable ways of moving people and goods is essential to combating climate change and creating thriving cities/economies. I had been doing some freelance reporting for a couple of years prior to joining TC. I was a generalist, but found myself moving both towards tech reporting (about social media for Forbes.com) and transpo/anything city-related for a range of outlets like Bloomberg's CityLab. So I'd say that while transportation is a passion of mine, I sort of fell into this beat. I hear that happens to a lot of people, actually. So I would say you don't necessarily have to set out to find your niche, but rather you can just be open to different possibilities. If something comes along that seems promising, pursue it. And if it sticks, then dig in. I say this as someone who dabbled in marketing, in film/production, in hospitality etc etc. Eventually, something will stick. And if you really do want to double down on something (depending on your industry), you can do some research about what niche will be in higher demand in the coming years, and go for that. Alternatively, if there's something you feel passionate about in your gut, go with that. If there's something you can't stop thinking about, it's time to explore it. Hope that helps!

brona·Sep 10

What is one question that tech company founders / leaders don't ask themselves enough?

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

What a great question @brona! I think probably something along the lines of, what are the broader implications of my technology? How will this technology affect society? Or other industries? Tech has a move fast break things mentality, an ethos of being disruptive. And while a lot of good comes from that, a lot of bad has come from it, as well. The difference between medicine and poison is in the dose, and Big Tech walks that line hard. There are many unintended consequences to good ideas, from data security concerns all the way to election interference! Deepfakes, for example, are (I hope) an unintended consequence of generative AI technology -- the companies that allow people to clone others' likenesses and voices should be building in safeguards to ensure safety from the get-go, but they rarely, if ever, do so. Also, I think for some types of companies (particularly ones with a SaaS element but that deal with real world operations -- think shared vehicles of any kind -- they forget to ask themselves what are all the variables that could go wrong in the real world? Often they focus too much on the software layer.

brona·Sep 15

Thank you for your very interesting answer (and all the rest are great to read too)! Best of luck in your carrer!

Shenna20·Sep 13

Hello Rebecca! What does the day-to-day (or week-to-week?) of juggling being a reporter, a newsletter writer, and a podcast host look like? Thanks!

marlasofer·Sep 12

Great you're here @rebeccabellan! What's the best way to draw attention to startup innovations in an authentic way - i.e. not costing $thousands through PR relationships?

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

@marlasofer happy to be here, and thanks for your question. If a startup doesn't have a lot of money to play with for marketing, I think just keeping their head down and focusing on the product is great. Building something real that has value and getting people in that community to test it out will provide excellent word of mouth. Depending on the startup, they can find sites/communities to test and provide feedback, as well. I had a startup founder tell me that he put his app on software review sites like G2 and Capterra early on, which helped them with a lot of inbound right from the start! Particularly because he had a somewhat niche offering. Product-led growth is important -- startups often offer freemium models, free trials, viral features etc. If founders can afford it, traveling to meet with as many other startups and VCs, getting face to face with people, is another great way to spread the word.Social media advertising can also be affordable. Companies that talk about the process to people online and are active in their online communities. Finally, pitching to outlets like TechCrunch or finding those IG/TikTok pages that post cool/weird/innovative tech can be great free PR.

Shanda49·Sep 12

What are some trends you’ve seen post COVID that are rarely discussed but major for the industry?

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

Hard to say since EVERYTHING feels like it's up for discussion...but a VC told me yesterday a trend she has noticed. that there was a period 2020-2021 where we all magically had a ton of money and could spend it on stuff and travel, and then the last couple years it's dried up a bit and people are being more reserved with money, but they are still itching to spend. which leads us to find creative new ways to get out and about or buy things, like rewards programs or housing swaps.Another thing that's just occurring to me is how the tech layoffs are affecting people who remain at companies. A lot of these layoffs were done to "boost productivity" and "go lean" but the end result for a lot of workers is theyre less productive bc theyre in a state of fear and competition. And managers are taking credit for their work bc they are just as scared as the workers.

Shoptalk23·Sep 11

You've built the definition of a dream career in writing @rebeccabellan! What tools do you use to guage interest and key topics for your next piece, before pitching the idea to a new publication you're attempting to feature in?

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

hey @Shoptalk23! So I no longer really pitch to other outlets as I'm an employee of TechCrunch and that takes up a lot of time. However, the best tool you have is your gut. What do YOU find interesting? What can't you stop talking about or thinking about? Chances are, there's a story there somewhere. Now it's about finding the right angle. I'd say pitching outlets as a freelancer, you don't want to pitch anything that resembles breaking news, but rather features, deep dives, scoops, evergreens. So I always read the publication I'm pitching to so I understand what they cover (for example, TC is more founder/investor focused and looks into the intersection of business and tech, whereas The Verge by comparison has more of a consumer focused bent). I also check to see how or if they have covered the topic I'm pitching them on in the past. When pitching other outlets, I try to make sure the topic is timely and remember that news is a surprise, and that the reader should come away smarter from reading your piece. Also there are forums like Study Hall that post regular calls for pitches from editors at different outlets, plus pay. Abigail Bassett also runs a newsletter for pitches. In those cases, the editors will tell you what they're looking for, so that could help provide some structure.

Filomena21·Sep 09

I'll bite: what do journalists hate to see in startup pitches?

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

Do you want the first 10 or the last 20? Haha there are SO MANY THINGS. Here's a few to rattle off: - Subjects that say my name or my outlet, or are nonspecific. Ex: "Interview for TechCrunch!" or "Company raises money to expand their technology." I'm not joking. I get pitches like this everyday, and I don't click on them. Subject should say Company name + type of company + THE NEWS.- Also I hate subjects that say "Trying to reach Rebecca" -- feels manipulative and creepy- Subjects that say "Interview opportunity" or "briefing opportunity" before getting to the meat. It takes up space and unnecessary. - Forgetting to let me know when the embargo is for/when they plan to announce.- Pitching me for coverage today when you're not announcing for a month. - Writing "world leading" or "industry leading" or any other obviously untrue superlative for a startup I've never even heard of. - Unspecific jargon that doesn't tell me what the company/their tech actually does. If your great aunt Myrtle doesn't understand it, then why should I? We go through dozens of pitches a day on top of our stacked work loads. Please don't make me work harder to parse through the crappy jargon. - Pitches for stuff we don't cover. Like random small-fry software/product updates, or obvious attempts to get us to write about your tech when there isn't any actual news. READ THE SITE to determine what kinds of stories we cover! - Pitching me that something is "on background" and then diving in. We both have to agree for any info to be on background, and if you're a PR person, you should be able to represent the company on the record. That's your job. - Pitches for stuff I don't personally cover. Don't pollute my inbox with fintech startup news. I don't cover that topic. - Pitches that attempt to ride holidays, like Earth Day, just to appear timely. Earth Day doesn't make the fact that your startup has no news worth covering. - Sending more than 3 replies with no response from me. - Cold calls.- I actually have a thread on pitches I hate and why I hate them lol (https://x.com/RebeccaBellan/status/1507145233498533889)

Filomena21·Sep 14

Hmmm... I'm a founder, but I'm more on the technical side so a lot of the stuff you are saying sounds like a foreign language to me. What is "embargo," what is "on background" (vs. diving in?), and how would I figure out which reporter to approach at a particular news outlet? Totally understand your first few bullets (which seem like basic email etiquette), and I certainly wouldn't want to be one of those annoying people spamming the wrong journalist.I've been approached by news outlets before by the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and by people writing books, but I have no idea how to approach a news outlet personally. I definitely see the value of getting great press, but it would be hard for me to understand how a small startup could justify hiring a dedicated PR person. Maybe it's naive, but I would have thought journalists are trying to find the stories themselves in the wild instead of writing about things people are pitching them.Would you say that Tech Crunch is only interested in stories about startups that have grown large enough to have a dedicated PR employee? Or do you have tips on how I could teach someone on my team to do PR? (since we have to wear multiple hats anyway)

rebeccabellan·Sep 15

Thanks and apologies. Based on the nature of your question, I assumed you were a PR person. But I think, jargon aside, there are plenty of bullet points here that are important for pitching journalists. And no, we don't only write about companies that have a dedicated PR team. In fact, I'd prefer not to talk to PR whenever possible! But a lot of what we report on when it comes to learning about new startups comes from inbound pitches, so it is important to get that right if you want us to learn about you. Of course we find stories ourselves out in the wild -- for example, I just went to a big startup/VC event to try to meet interesting startups to write about and I regularly take VC calls to hear about their portcos. And of course, we might see something interesting just out in the wild, as you say, or through word of mouth, but generally most of my intros to new startups have been through pitches. I do lots of other investigative work, and those stories are almost never based on pitches, although I might use a founder who pitched me to be a potential source to learn more about a topic (more on that below).A few definitions for you that maybe will help clear up some of the above. An "embargo" is a hold for when you're planning to announce the news. So let's say it's a funding round, and you are working with investors on a date that is okay to share the news (this could be via a press release or even just on social media). Usually you might send journalist news in advance so they can prepare to write about it/interview founders and investors etc, but ask them to agree not to share the news before a set time or an "embargoed" time. Now, when it comes to talking to a journalist, you can assume you're talking "on the record" -- which means anything you say or send in an email can be quoted and attributed to you. Oftentimes we get information "on background" from people which means we can use the information, but can't quote or directly attribute. Technically, journalists have to agree for something to be on background, but PR people often try to send us on background info about the company, which is frustrating bc we are trying to maintain accuracy, and attribution is important for that. (Also, if you do get on the phone with a journalist, you can let them know you're not used to talking to the press etc so they know to be a bit more gentle with you and explain some of this stuff.)Hopefully that helps you understand some of my notes on pitching. Basically, you want to get to the point fast. Tell me what your startup does, how its tech/offering is different and what problem it solves, and what the news is. Ex: MyStartup, a SaaS platform that connects new mothers and parents with certified doolas in their area, has come out of stealth with $XX million seed. The startup, led by a former Amazon engineer and a nurse practitioner, helps parents get the support they need through a network of BLAH BLAH and connects to insurance in BLAH BLAH.... Again, reading the outlet you're pitching to see what kinds of news they cover is essential.As a founder, you can also offer yourself up as an expert on a topic to create a connection with a writer. Like, if you notice a trend that is timely, you can offer yourself to speak on the matter. Make sure to include not just what your startup does in that pitch, but also what else makes you qualified to speak on the subject. In terms of finding the right people to pitch, again, read articles to see which journalists cover topics that your startup would fall under. I cover transportation mainly, but my colleague Devin covers AI, and Sarah consumer news/social media, and Brian does robotics... Once you find journalists who align with what your startup does, look out for their email -- often in our social media bios. If you can't find their email specifically, you can search an outlet for an email that goes to all writers, and you can put ATTN: WHOEVER in the subject line. I haven't been on the PR side of things so I don't know what the workflow would be like to teach someone on your team to do this, although I'm sure there are plenty of guides already out there. Pitching can be a numbers game, and the most important thing is to READ so you know what kinds of stories different outlets find newsworthy. And if you have a really interesting founder story, definitely use that, too! I put this in here somewhere, but TechCrunch is more founder/tech/business focused whereas the Verge often has a more consumer-focused bent. Hope that helps! Feel free to reach out if you have other questions. Happy to take a call. See if you can find my email online ;)

Morgan·Sep 09

Oh! I've loved TechCrunch for about 13 years at this point and subscribe to the daily!

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

@MorganLucas that's so amazing to read. Thank you so much for your support!

mandysteinhardt·Sep 12

What are the most useful pieces of tech for startup owner/operators beyond using a standard AI assistant? I'm specifically curious about AI tools and time-savers.

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

That's a great question, and one I unfortunately don't have a ready answer to. But I'd say that outsourcing certain jobs early on rather than doing it all yourself could be really helpful. For example, often founders will be building the tech, doing the marketing, finding investors, and looking for new employees. That last one you should outsource to a dedicated recruiter. It takes way too long to do all that outreach and your time is better spent elsewhere!

iceraluk·Sep 09

Please do tell us why you are obsessed with Japan and the top places to see/things to do. I'm planning to go for a couple of weeks next year!

rebeccabellan·Sep 13

Hey @iceraluk and @Josefina! Ah Japan. So many reasons why I love it, but I think one of the main ones is that it's such an ancient and beautiful country. Its civilization has been around and documented for centuries, which is appealing as an American since our history is so young. I wonder if Japan's age, plus centuries of Shogunate/feudal rule, are the reasons why the country is so well-run. There is a sort of collective obedience that works for them, which is something that Americans chafe against. For example, no one eats on the streets and there are no public trash cans. In America, people would likely just litter if they didn't have somewhere to throw stuff out, but in Tokyo, the streets are spotless. Same goes for the trains and stations. People just follow the rules, and it leads to a more cohesive society all round. Of course, that can be a slippery slope and there are downsides to that (being a woman, I hear, can still be difficult due to reinforced gender norms), but on a city level at least, it seems to work for Japan. They just seem to have a culture of excellence, of giving meditative attention to things, of doing something well and with pleasure. There's also a lot of respect and humility between individuals, as evidenced by all the bowing. Now, onto top things to do/see! Obviously Tokyo is AMAZING. Spend at least a week there if you can. I stayed in Asakusa, which was nice because it was a quieter place to land. Shibuya/Shinjuku are amazing, but busy and expensive. Shop at Book Off for cool thrifty kimonos and other second hand items. They have them all over, not just Tokyo. SKIP capybara cafes bc they're unethical and SKIP Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto as it's a tourist hell hole. DO stay in a Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) at least once.DO get in on that onsen life. It is MAGICAL. My highlights (aside from just eating my way through Tokyo) were walking the Nakasendo Trail and cycling the Shimanami Kaido. Nakasendo is an old samurai trail btwn Tokyo and Kyoto with adorable postal towns along the way. Book a hotel in advance bc there aren't many left and those that do fill up fast. Shimanami Kaido is a 2-day cycle across six islands in the Hiroshima prefecture. It was so lovely and such a nice way to travel that wasn't endlessly checking out museums, shops, nightlife, restaurants, parks on repeat. Also find the place (cant remember the name) that sells milk/salt ice cream. It will change your life. Also read/watch Japan content before you go to understand the culture, as it is quite different from ours. I read the Shogun books and watched Tokyo Vice and would highly recommend!

Josefina·Sep 16

Love these insights and the recs – I did the Shimanami Kaido this year and it was one of my top travel experiences ever! Thanks for sharing these <3

Josefina·Sep 10

Yes! I was going to ask the same thing :) Also obsessed with Japan here (moved to Tokyo 5 months ago) and love seeing it through others' eyes/obsessions :)

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