Unveiling AI Trailblazers: Join the AI Showcase at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the AI Stage will feature prominent figures steering the future of technology, innovation, and security. Leading venture capitalists will share essential insights on navigating funding in this dynamic landscape, detailing their investments in up-and-coming AI entrepreneurs. Learn from trailblazers at top companies like Apptronik, ElevenLabs, Hugging Face, Runway, Wonder Dynamics, Writer, and Wayve—visionaries reshaping the technology sector.

These influential voices, along with many others mentioned below, represent the cutting edge of AI’s growing impact. Enhance your understanding at the AI Stage during Disrupt, as you discover how technological advancements are reshaping industries, improving user experiences, and what startups and investors need to know in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Stay tuned for more sessions and speakers to be announced shortly. In the meantime, secure your attendance at Disrupt 2025—dive into stimulating conversations on the AI Stage, alongside four additional specialized stages: Space, Builders, Going Public, and Disrupt—taking place from October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Enjoy discounts of up to $675 before prices rise after July. Register now to secure your savings.

Meet the AI Stage Lineup

Investing in the Future: VC Insights on AI Startups

Speakers to be announced shortly.

From foundational AI models to specialized applications, the industry is ushering in a new era of entrepreneurs and elevating investor expectations. Top venture capitalists will openly share their interests, how they evaluate defensibility in a market filled with AI giants, and what startups need to present for securing essential term sheets.

Creative Machines: The Intersection of AI and Imagination

Nikola Todorovic, co-founder and CEO of Wonder Dynamics; additional speakers will be confirmed soon.

AI is not just for workflow enhancement—it is also co-creating art, media, and experiences in groundbreaking ways yet to be fully realized. CEO Nikola Todorovic will join other leading technologists to discuss how AI is revolutionizing the creative realm, blending the roles of artist and algorithm, and creating new possibilities for storytellers, designers, and innovators.

Shaping Tomorrow with AI

May Habib, co-founder and CEO of Writer

What happens when AI communicates with intention, character, and persuasion? Writer’s CEO May Habib will explore the dynamic interaction between language and technology, pondering the impact of generative content on brands, businesses, and beyond.

The Future of Search is Here

Edo Liberty, founder and CEO of Pinecone

In a world saturated with data, identifying what matters is imperative. Pinecone’s founder Edo Liberty will delineate why infrastructure—and not merely algorithms—could be pivotal to unlocking AI’s future, along with emerging trends in smarter, scalable applications.

Intelligence in Motion: The Future of Physical AI

Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik; featuring Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi

Physical AI is on the verge of significant breakthroughs. Raquel Urtasun, CEO of Waabi, and Jeff Cardenas, CEO of Apptronik, will discuss the necessary elements for embedding intelligence into motion, whether in vehicles or bipedal movement, covering simulations, sensors, and the safe scaling of next-gen physical machines.

Creating Intelligence for Next-Gen Defense

Ethan Thornton, founder and CEO of Mach Industries

Mach Industries is pioneering AI solutions in one of the most complex and debated sectors: defense. CEO Ethan Thornton will discuss the challenges of developing technologies in high-stakes environments where speed and autonomy are crucial, and the importance of re-evaluating foundational principles for the next generation of infrastructure.

Advancing the Limits of Intelligence

Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve

From autonomous vehicles to adaptive systems, Alex Kendall is changing how machines perceive and act within society. The Wayve CEO will discuss how real-world autonomy is reshaping AI’s trajectory, the potential advancements in transportation, and their implications for the future.

From Ads to Film: Creatively Using Code

Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, co-founder and chief design officer of Runway

Rather than replacing creatives, AI is empowering them. Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, co-founder of Runway, will explore how machine learning is revolutionizing creative tasks, the significance of AI-native tools for visual storytelling, and the dawn of a new creative era.

Constructing the AI Stack

Thomas Wolf, co-founder and CSO of Hugging Face

Focusing on models, datasets, ethics, and infrastructure, Hugging Face is leading the way in responsible AI development. Co-founder and CSO Thomas Wolf will discuss the shifting power dynamics in AI, the rise of community-driven innovation, and the pressing need for transparency as advancements continue to accelerate.

Synthetic Voices: Tangible Influence

Mati Staniszewski, co-founder and CEO of ElevenLabs

From audiobooks to avatars, synthetic speech is making a significant impact. ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski will examine the nuances of developing AI that mimics human speech and how voice technology is revolutionizing creative fields, accessibility, and entertainment.

Love, Lies, & Algorithms: AI’s Influence on Relationships

Mark Kantor, head of product and innovation at Match Group; Eugenia Kuyda, CEO of Replika; with more speakers to be confirmed.

AI is reshaping how we connect and experience love, often in intricate ways. This panel will discuss technology’s impact on contemporary relationships, from dating apps to digital companions, and its effects on emotional bonds.

AI in National Security: A Call for Innovation

Sri Chandrasekar, managing partner at Point72; Justin Fanelli, CTO of The Navy; Kathleen Fisher, director at DARPA

In areas from defense research to economic strategy, AI is transforming how nations safeguard and project influence. DARPA’s Kathleen Fisher, Point72’s Sri Chandrasekar, and Navy CTO Justin Fanelli will discuss the innovative AI solutions that are advancing security and their implications for entrepreneurs, investors, and global stability.

Step into the Future of AI at Disrupt 2025

Join discussions shaping the future of AI at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Over two dynamic days, the AI Stage will host a diverse agenda featuring influential founders, respected VCs, and leading thinkers—along with four other groundbreaking stages: Space, Builders, Going Public, and Disrupt—taking place from October 27 to 29 at Moscone West in San Francisco.

Get your ticket today to benefit from discounts of up to $675 before prices increase after July, and get ready to explore the next frontier of AI innovations transforming technology, creativity, security, and more.