VIVEK WADHWA: The contenders in the 2014 TechCrunch Disrupt included a startup that seeks to change the way in which diseases are diagnosed, a medical-grade health scanner, a platform to connect innovators with scientists and a suite of business-intelligence tools for conservation and drought planning.

Sadly, the winner was a simple app for the elite: Alfred Club. This allows you to hire someone to do everyday chores such as laundry and grocery shopping. It's hardly a disruptive technology, and will appeal only to well-to-do...