The Builders Stage Reveals Practical Strategies for Scaling Startups at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

The Builders Stage is poised to return at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, bringing together founders, leaders of startups, and investors for enlightening discussions on the fundamentals of creating and expanding successful companies.

Hear from prominent figures within the startup and venture capital landscape, including Grant Lee, CEO and co-founder of Gamma; Leah Solivan, founder and general partner at Precedent.vc; Robby Stein, VP of Product at Google; along with many others. Our speakers will share invaluable insights on fundraising, talent acquisition, go-to-market tactics, advancements in AI, and the operational decisions that contribute to startup success through casual conversations and practical examples.

Join over 10,000 founders, investors, startup operators, and tech visionaries at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from October 13-15. Register now to take advantage of the current pricing before the next ticket price increase.

Created for Founders Aiming to Scale

Launching a startup is challenging. However, scaling it presents an entirely different set of hurdles. The Builders Stage is one of six specialized industry stages at Disrupt 2026, designed to support founders in tackling growth obstacles such as raising capital, attracting top talent, developing effective go-to-market strategies, and moving from seed funding to Series A.

Every session will offer actionable strategies that are ready for immediate application, with opportunities for direct interaction with speakers during live Q&A sessions. Grab your pass for Disrupt 2026 now to save up to $330 before ticket prices increase.

Here’s your first look at the Builders Stage agenda, featuring more speakers and sessions forthcoming as the event date nears.

Builders Stage Agenda

How to Thrive When You’re Not Centered on AI

Featuring Shan Shan, Investment Manager, Baillie Gifford; and Yuri Sagalov, Managing Director at General Catalyst

While AI may take center stage in venture discussions, numerous thriving companies won’t be those marketing AI models or agents. This session is tailored for founders seeking visibility in an AI-centric market. The panelists will explore critical components today, such as effective growth, customer loyalty, revenue integrity, and disciplined execution—showcasing why solid fundamentals, rather than hype, still cultivate outstanding businesses.

The Consequences of OpenAI Launching Your Competitor

Featuring Michel Tricot, CEO and Co-founder, Airbyte; Rob Toews, Partner, Radical Ventures; and Linda Tong, CEO, Webflo

Many AI founders today share a common concern: What if OpenAI or Anthropic introduces a product that rivals mine? Even strong products can quickly become features of larger competitors. This session will investigate where defensibility lies and the tactics founders can adopt when facing competition from rapidly evolving AI giants.

Cultivating the Next Generation of AI Titans

With Jas Khaira, Global Head, Blackstone N1

AI startups are scaling at an unprecedented speed, requiring more capital than ever. Jas Khaira, Global Head of Blackstone N1, will discuss the characteristics that distinguish enduring companies from fleeting victories, how founders should approach funding as they grow, and what elements Blackstone considers when investing in the upcoming wave of category-defining businesses.

Attracting AI Talent: Pay, Equity, and Retention Tactics

Featuring Matt Birnbaum, Founder, Wylder.co, Ioana Hreninciuc, Runware, Atli Thorkelsson, VP, Talent Network, Redpoint Ventures

The boom of AI startups has exacerbated hiring and retention challenges across all tech firms. Founders are rethinking their organizational frameworks as they vie for AI talent and manage secondary sales. As pay structures and employee expectations shift, this session will delve into how companies are adjusting their strategies to attract and retain top talent in a rapidly changing market.

Landing Pre-Seed Funding Before Product Launch

Featuring Puneet Agarwal, Managing Partner, True Ventures; Austin Clements, Managing Partner, Slauson and Co; and Sandhya Venkatachalam, Founder and Managing Partner, Axiom Partners

Increasingly, founders must compete for funding even before their product is viable. At the pre-seed level, investors rely on narrative, conviction, and founder-market fit. This session will explore ways to establish credibility ahead of revenue generation, encouraging investors to provide that essential first check.

From MVP to Millions of Users: Evolving Product Decisions for Scalability

Featuring Robby Stein, VP, Product, Google

The instincts that lead to success when crafting your initial minimum viable product can become obstacles as you scale to billions of users. In this fireside chat, Robby Stein will share how product decision-making transforms when each update has an impact on a massive user base. Learn how teams strike a balance between speed, trust, innovation, and reliability within one of the world’s largest product organizations.

Recruiting in a World with AI as a Co-Founder

Featuring Josh Reeves, CEO and Co-founder, Gusto; along with additional speakers to be announced

Founders are now designing jobs around AI, not just incorporating it into their operations. As AI models take on roles in engineering, support, and management, the structure of early-stage teams is evolving. This session will analyze how founders determine which positions should be filled by humans versus those that can be automated, discussing how high-growth startups can develop hybrid teams without sacrificing speed, accountability, or culture.

Redesigning Consumer Products for the AI Age

Featuring Maria Angelidou-Smith, CPO, Reddit

AI is not just an accessory; it’s prompting product teams to reassess how users search, discover, interact, travel, and make decisions. Leaders from Reddit, Square, and Uber will share their strategies for redesigning products used by millions, insights into user desires from AI, and areas where product leaders should resist the urge to automate completely.

M&A as an Early-Stage Strategy

Featuring Karl Alomar, Managing Partner, M13 and Lindsey Mignano, Founder, Mignano Law Group

The savviest founders today are not just planning for IPOs; they’re also considering possible acquisitions from the outset. As exits evolve and funding becomes more challenging to secure, understanding early M&A strategies has become a strategic advantage. This session will explore how founders can pave the way for this option through product strategy and partnerships, highlighting how even smaller startups can achieve lucrative outcomes.

The Series A Landscape in 2027

Featuring Jahanvi Sardana, Partner, Index Ventures; Shailendra Singh, Managing Director, Peak XV; and Janelle Teng Wade, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners

Securing Series A funding is becoming more challenging, as VCs become increasingly discerning. For founders looking to raise capital in the next years, this discussed session will establish what “fundable” means in 2027. Leading investors will share the metrics, teams, and traction that matter now, identify outdated fundraising methods, and reveal how companies can stand out in the forthcoming funding landscape.

The 90-Day GTM: Why $0–$10M ARR Is the New Norm (and How to Achieve It)

Featuring Ryan Meadows, Chief Revenue Officer, Lovable; Tomasz Tunguz, General Partner and Founder, Theory Ventures; and Ben Broca, Founder, Polsia

The benchmarks for traction have shifted. What used to require years is now expected within months; achieving $0 to $10 million ARR has rapidly become the new early-stage standard. This session will explore how AI-driven operations, faster distribution, and shifting investor expectations are condensing GTM timelines, along with practical tactics founders need in their initial 90 days to accelerate revenue growth and ensure visibility.

True Tokenmaxxing: Navigating Multi-Model Landscapes for AI Success

Featuring Mo Jomaa, Partner, Capital G; and Zuzanna Stamirowska, CEO and Co-founder, Pathway; with more speakers to be announced

Today’s rapidly evolving landscape demands that successful AI product teams orchestrate across multiple models, moving beyond reliance on a single framework. This panel, consisting of founders and operators at the forefront of this change, will discuss their strategies for evaluating new models, cost management, reliability at scale, and designing adaptable products as technology evolves.

Introducing AI Disruptors 60: Future Prospects for AI

Featuring Shay Grinfield, Greenfield Partners

The narrative around AI is shifting from what models can achieve to their practical capabilities. Agents are now interacting with the open web, completing tasks, AI systems are undertaking ambitious research projects, intelligent machines are venturing beyond screens, and a new foundational infrastructure is emerging to support these developments at scale.

Shay Grinfeld of Greenfield Partners will engage with founders active in these evolving sectors to uncover what is currently achievable and what future potentials are being explored. The conversation will conclude with the unveiling of Greenfield Partners’ 2026 AI Disruptors 60, a showcase of the companies highlighted by Greenfield and TechCrunch as leaders in AI innovation.

Identifying PMF Red Flags: How to Confirm Genuine Product-Market Fit

Featuring Rajeev Dham, Managing Director, Sapphire Ventures; and Rahul Vohra, Founder and Head of Superhuman Mail; plus additional speakers to be announced

In a world driven by AI hype cycles, indicators of product-market fit can be misleading and challenging to verify. Founders might confuse early enthusiasm, usage spikes, and pilot successes with sustainable traction. This session will clarify the signs of deceptive PMF, how investors and operators discern true retention from temporary excitement, and the markers that indicate whether a business has real appeal or just fleeting interest.

The Zero-to-1K Playbook: Acquiring Your First 1,000 Customers Without a Marketing Budget

Featuring Grant Lee, CEO and Co-founder, Gamma; Leah Solivan, Founder and General Partner, Precedent.vc; and Elia Wallen, Founder and CEO, Engine

Attracting early customers isn’t merely about marketing spend; it’s about founder-led distribution and tenacious execution. Many early-stage startups lack substantial resources, a recognizable brand, or large-scale operations; instead, they possess urgency and creativity. This session will explore how founders can secure their initial customers through community engagement, product-led efforts, founder-led sales tactics, strategic outreach, and organic word-of-mouth growth.

Indeed, It’s Challenging to Be a Founder: A Genuine Exchange

Featuring Nell Daly, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Revenge Capital; David H. Rosmarin, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School; and Jack Withinshaw, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Airspeeder

Starting a company is as much a psychological journey as it is a strategic one, yet prevailing narratives about founders often overlook this truth. In this candid discussion, founders and mental performance experts will delve into the unspoken challenges of thriving in high-growth environments, from burnout and decision fatigue to the identity struggles that accompany constant pressure, while sharing the systems, routines, and mental frameworks that enable leaders to withstand and excel.

You’ve Achieved a Successful Product. How Does Your Company Repeat that Success?

Featuring Filip Kaliszan, CEO and Co-founder, Verkada; Aaron Jacobson, Partner, New Enterprise Associates; and Maddi Holman, General Partner, Daring Ventures

Many startups experience stagnation by focusing on creating a successful single product rather than building a repeatable engine for multiple offerings. Join a venture capitalist and two founders as they share specific operational blueprints for capital allocation, systematizing internal innovation, and engineering a compounding “Second Act” in advance of the core product’s growth trend plateauing.

Hiring, Compensation, and Culture in Today’s Fiercely Competitive Market

Featuring Matt Birnbaum, Founder, Wylder.co; and Atli Thorkelsson, VP, Talent Network, Redpoint Ventures; with more speakers to be announced

Undoubtedly, the rise of AI startups has complicated hiring and talent retention across the tech ecosystem. Competing for AI talent, along with navigating secondary sales, has prompted founders to reassess their organizational structures. As hiring practices, incentives, and employee expectations rapidly change, this session will investigate how organizations are adapting their compensation frameworks, workplace cultures, and team formation strategies to attract and retain top talent in this newly transformed startup arena.

Techniques for Creating Viral Growth and Capitalizing on It

Featuring Zach Yadegari, Founder, Cal AI

Startups can become viral sensations overnight, yet sustaining that growth presents its challenges. In this fireside chat, Zach Yadegari will share how Cal AI managed rapid growth, product pressures, and the realities of operating in a distribution-centric environment. Discover the strategies involved in transforming momentary attention into lasting retention and sustainable growth for your organization.

The High-Conviction Filter: Learnings from the Frontlines

Featuring Alexa von Tobel, Inspired Capital; Chi-Hua Chien, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Goodwater Capital; and additional speakers to be announced

What differentiates successful companies from the crowd at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026? In this detailed analysis, judges from the Startup Battlefield will dissect key trends and founder characteristics that resonated this year, focusing on changing investor expectations and the narratives that left the most impact. The discussion will further explore how startup storytelling is evolving and the implications that follow, including how to maintain momentum and navigate the critical 12 months after a pivotal launch, funding round, or Startup Battlefield appearance.

Interact with Investors

Featuring Stacy Brown-Philpot, Founder & Managing Partner at Cherryrock Capital; Chi-Hua Chien, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Goodwater Capital; Dayna Grayson, Construct Capital; Carter Reum, Co-founder and Managing Partner, M13; and Alexa Von Tobel, Inspired Capital

What prompts an investor to say yes? In this audience-driven Q&A, judges from the Startup Battlefield finals will address your most pressing questions regarding what distinguishes a fundable startup from its peers: team quality, traction, market potential, presentation effectiveness, red flags, and more. Come ready to ask questions and receive candid answers directly from the investors making those crucial decisions.

Participate in the Discussions and Build Connections at Disrupt

If you’re ready to innovate efficiently, scale quickly, and glean insights from the pioneers defining the startup landscape’s future, secure your ticket for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 today.