The Builders Stage will return at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, bringing founders, investors and startup operators together in San Francisco for practical advice on raising finance, hiring, product development and scaling young companies.
The stage is one of six focused areas at the technology event, which will take place at the Moscone Center from October 13 to 15. Organisers expect more than 10,000 founders, investors, technology leaders and startup employees to attend.
Among the speakers announced are Grant Lee, chief executive and co-founder of Gamma; Leah Solivan, founder and general partner at Precedent.vc; Robby Stein, Google’s vice-president of product; and Josh Reeves, chief executive and co-founder of Gusto.
The programme will examine the operational choices that can determine whether a startup moves beyond an early product and becomes a sustainable business. Topics include pre-seed fundraising, the path to a Series A, go-to-market strategy, artificial intelligence, talent and potential acquisitions.
Builders Stage to focus on startup growth and survival
Several sessions will address the pressure AI is placing on companies that are not themselves developing models or agents. One panel, titled “How to Win When You’re Not Building AI”, will feature Shan Shan of Baillie Gifford and Yuri Sagalov of General Catalyst.
The discussion will focus on measures such as efficient growth, customer retention, revenue quality and disciplined execution, rather than relying on enthusiasm around the latest technology.
Another session will ask what happens when a major AI company launches a product that overlaps with a smaller startup’s plans. Michel Tricot, chief executive and co-founder of Airbyte, Radical Ventures partner Rob Toews and Webflow chief executive Linda Tong will consider where defensibility can be found as the largest technology firms expand their products.
Jas Khaira, global head of Blackstone N1, will discuss the scale and capital requirements of the latest generation of AI businesses, including what distinguishes lasting companies from those showing only early momentum.
The impact of AI on recruitment will also feature prominently. Matt Birnbaum of Wylder.co, Ioana Hreninciuc of Runware and Atli Thorkelsson of Redpoint Ventures will examine pay, equity, secondary share sales, culture and retention in a market where specialist talent is increasingly sought after.
A separate session will explore how founders are using AI systems alongside employees in engineering, customer support and operations. Gusto’s Josh Reeves will lead a conversation on how early-stage companies can build hybrid teams while maintaining accountability and company culture.
Google product chief Robby Stein will take part in a fireside discussion on how product decisions must change as a service expands from a minimum viable product to a platform used by billions of people, including the balance between rapid innovation, reliability and user trust.
Maria Angelidou-Smith, chief product officer at Reddit, will look at the redesign of consumer services in response to AI. The session will consider how products used by millions of people are changing in areas including search, discovery and communication, and where automation may not be the right answer.
Fundraising, customers and the next stage of growth
For founders seeking their first institutional backing, Puneet Agarwal of True Ventures, Austin Clements of Slauson & Co and Sandhya Venkatachalam of Axiom Partners will discuss how to raise money before a product or revenue exists.
The panel will focus on the role of a founder’s story, conviction and experience in a pre-seed pitch, as well as ways to establish credibility before an investor can assess customer traction.
Venture capital investors from Index Ventures, Peak XV and Bessemer Venture Partners will turn to the outlook for Series A funding in 2027. Jahanvi Sardana, Shailendra Singh and Janelle Teng Wade are expected to address the metrics, teams and evidence of demand likely to matter as investors become more selective.
Customer acquisition will be the subject of “The Zero-to-1K Playbook”, featuring Gamma’s Grant Lee, Precedent.vc’s Leah Solivan and Elia Wallen of Engine. The session will cover founder-led sales, community building, product-led growth, outbound approaches and word-of-mouth techniques for companies without substantial marketing budgets.
Ryan Meadows, chief revenue officer at Lovable, Theory Ventures founder Tomasz Tunguz and Polsia founder Ben Broca will discuss the first 90 days of a company’s go-to-market operation, including the growing expectation that startups should move from zero to substantial recurring revenue more quickly.
The agenda will also consider how founders can identify genuine product-market fit. Rajeev Dham of Sapphire Ventures and Superhuman Mail founder Rahul Vohra will examine the difference between durable retention and temporary spikes in usage, pilot wins or online attention.
Other sessions will look at building a second major product after an initial success, creating the conditions for a possible acquisition and converting sudden viral growth into sustained customer loyalty. Speakers include Verkada chief executive Filip Kaliszan, Cal AI founder Zach Yadegari, M13 managing partner Karl Alomar and Mignano Law Group founder Lindsey Mignano.
The programme will not be limited to commercial strategy. Nell Daly of Revenge Capital, Harvard Medical School associate professor David H. Rosmarin and Airspeeder co-founder Jack Withinshaw will discuss burnout, decision fatigue and the psychological strain associated with leading a high-growth company.
There will also be audience-led sessions with investors, including Stacy Brown-Philpot of Cherryrock Capital, Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital, Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital, Carter Reum of M13 and Alexa von Tobel of Inspired Capital.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 attendees will be able to question the panel about investment decisions, pitch delivery, team-building, market opportunities and warning signs that can cause a startup to be overlooked. Further speakers and sessions for the Builders Stage are due to be announced before the October event.
