Sexist Presentations at Startup Competition Prompt TechCrunch Apology

beaverdownunder writes: Silicon Valley technology conference organisers TechCrunch have been forced to apologise after two Australian men pitched a smartphone app called "Titstare" in front of a nine-year-old girl.

The Sydney duo's presentation had the mainly male audience laughing, but angered Twitter users and reignited a debate about sexism in the technology sector.

The two entrepreneurs — Jethro Batts, 28, and David Boulton, 24 — pitched their "tongue in cheek" idea at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco on Sunday after winning expenses for the trip to the US in a similar competition, AngelHack Sydney.

In their pitch, Boulton explained to an audience of hundreds (plus thousands online) that it would allow users to "take photos of yourself, looking at tits".

"It's science my good friend, science," Boulton said.

TechCrunch also apologised for another pitch for a product called Circle Shake, in which a man simulated masturbation.

Additional article: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/09/titstare-tech-worlds-latest-brogrammer-joke-techcrunch-disrupt/69171/