AI NewsIntroducing the 6 stages at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — built for today’s tougher startup market

Introducing the 6 stages at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — built for today’s tougher startup market

10:42 PM IST · May 13, 2026

The biggest risk for founders and investors right now isn’t moving too slowly. It’s reacting too late to where the market already shifted. The new stages atTechCrunch Disrupt 2026help founders and investors make faster, more informed decisions in today’s highly complex, volatile markets. FromOctober 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, Disrupt brings together 10,000+ founders, investors, and operators for 250+ sessionsacross six stagesfocused on the operational pressures reshaping startup innovation, from AI-native competition and infrastructure bottlenecks to changing venture dynamics and enterprise adoption. Explore the six stages planned for 2026 andsecure your pass before prices increase. Right now, save up to $410 with Early Bird rates, plus 50% on a second ticket. Without further ado, get to know thesix stages at Disrupt, designed for a hands-on approach to launching, building, and selling in today’s tech industry. TheDisrupt Stageremains the center of gravity forTechCrunch Disrupt,bringing together headline founders, major technology leaders, and top-tier investors to discuss the broader shifts reshaping the market. Startup Battlefield 200also takes place here, giving attendees direct visibility into which startups investors and media believe have breakout potential before the rest of the market catches up. Think your startup has what it takes to compete?Nominate and apply by May 29. Conversations focus on: For founders, investors, and operators alike, it brings to light the signals shaping opportunity: where attention is concentrating, which categories are accelerating, and how successful companies are positioning themselves in a much tougher market. For a limited time, bring your community to Disrupt and save up to 30% on tickets.Register here. TheBuilders StageatDisruptfocuses on the operational realities of building a company right now: fundraising, hiring, product-market fit, go-to-market execution, and scaling in a more demanding environment. Unlike traditional founder content, these sessions are built around current pressure points having a real impact. Sessions like “How to Win When You’re Not Building AI” tackle one of the defining challenges in today’s market: how non-AI startups compete for attention and capital while investors chase AI-first companies. Other programming explores: Speakers includeNina Achadjian, partner atIndex Ventures;Rajeev Dham, managing partner atSapphire Ventures;Josh Reeves, CEO and co-founder ofGusto;Grant Lee,CEO and co-founder ofGamma;Robby Stein, head of product atGoogle; andMo Jomaa, partner atCapitalG. For founders trying to move faster with fewer mistakes, this is one of the most tactical environments at Disrupt. Lock in your Disrupt ticketso you can tackle your biggest growth challenges. As fintech markets mature and investor scrutiny increases, startup success hinges on knowing which financial technologies are still creating durable growth and which models are losing momentum. TheSmart Money StageatDisruptfocuses on how financial infrastructure is evolving beyond the hype cycle and toward digital financial systems. Sessions examine where real-time payments are gaining traction, why some embedded finance models struggled, and where founders are still building durable fintech businesses despite tighter investor scrutiny. Programming centers on: These conversations are grounded in what’s actually surviving in a more skeptical market, not speculation. Speakers on this stage includeJack Zhang, founder and CEO ofAirwallex, andLotti Siniscalco, general partner atEmergence Capital. For fintech founders and investors, the value is understanding where capital still sees long-term opportunity and where market enthusiasm is starting to disappear. Register for Disruptand get direct access to the investors, founders, and operators shaping the next generation of financial infrastructure. As AI expansion accelerates, demand for data center capacity, energy, grid connectivity, and industrial systems is increasing just as quickly. TheSmart Systems StageatDisruptfocuses on one of the biggest constraints facing the technology industry: physical infrastructure needed for energy, climate, and industrial systems. This stage focuses on the operational systems that modern software companies increasingly depend on but often overlook. Sessions explore: A couple of leaders in this sector to take center stage includeJeff Lawson, co-founder and CEO ofInertia, andDavid Kirtley, CEO ofHelion. For founders and investors building in energy, robotics, logistics, infrastructure, or climate tech, this stage offers a clearer understanding of where physical-world constraints could create the next major opportunities — or new barriers. Get your Disrupt ticketto see where infrastructure innovations are becoming the next competitive advantage. Once AI enters physical systems, reliability becomes a business issue, not just a technical one. TheAI in the Real World StageatDisrupttackles what happens when AI systems move beyond demos and into environments where reliability matters, from robotics and autonomous systems to manufacturing and drug discovery. Programming explores how AI is being deployed across: The focus on this stage shifts away from AI hype and toward operational reality, including how trustworthy systems are built, what happens when cloud access is limited, how physical AI products scale, and where deployment failures create real financial and operational risk. For founders and investors evaluating the next generation of AI companies, this stage offers a clearer picture of which businesses can actually survive the transition from prototype to production. Explore the Disrupt ticket optionsfor founders, investors, operators, and startup teams. TheAI StageatDisrupt,presented byGoogle Cloud, focuses on how generative AI and AI agents are changing software companies at every level. Programming on this stage, like “Rewriting SaaS: Why AI Breaks the Old Business Model,” reflects a growing reality across the software industry: Traditional SaaS advantages are eroding quickly as AI changes user expectations and product economics. Sessions explore: For founders and operators, the value is understanding how software companies are adapting right now — and where competitive advantages are likely to disappear next. Find your ticket matchand experience Disrupt in person before prices increase. Three jam-packed days featuring200+ sessions across six stages, led by250+ tech leadersshaping the industry today, only atTechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Save up to $410 on your pass and get 50% off a second ticket so you can bring a plus-one and experience Disrupt together.Register now.