TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Founder Guide: Dates, Speakers, Startup Battlefield and Discounts
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 brings six stages, 200-plus sessions and Startup Battlefield to San Francisco, with founder networking and two ticket discounts.
Summary
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 runs October 13 to 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, bringing thousands of founders, investors, startup teams and technology leaders together to examine how enduring companies are built in the AI era. Six curated stages, more than 200 expert sessions, app-based networking, investor matchmaking, the Deal Flow Café, Expo Hall, roundtables and Side Events serve founders testing ideas, raising capital, recruiting or seeking partners. Previous results included one Startup Battlefield founder receiving more than 100 investor approaches and a 3x oversubscription rate, while another held nearly 30 consecutive investor conversations after an onstage pitch.
The Disrupt, Builders, AI, Real World AI, Smart Money and Smart Systems stages cover leadership, fundraising, hiring, go-to-market strategy, agents, models, robotics, autonomous systems, manufacturing, healthcare, defense, fintech, stablecoins, payments, chips, compute, energy, networking and data centers. Speakers include Rivian’s RJ Scaringe, Amazon’s Panos Panay, Tether’s Paolo Ardoino, Bluesky’s Toni Schneider and Rose Wang, Replit’s Amjad Masad and Cerebras’ Andrew Feldman, with more names coming. Startup Battlefield selected 200 companies on August 20 for preparation and pitches before leading VCs, culminating in a $100,000 prize and extensive exposure. Applications are closed for 2026, but international expansion is planned and the 2027 process should be similar. Prices rise closer to the event, although founders can get 50% off a second ticket, and a limited number of $75 Expo+ passes are available to people affected by layoffs this year.
Positives
- More than 200 expert sessions across six stages will address company building, AI, finance, physical systems and infrastructure.
- More than 100 investor approaches and a 3x oversubscription rate followed one founder’s Startup Battlefield confirmation.
- Nearly 30 consecutive investor conversations followed another founder’s onstage pitch and continued at the company’s booth.
- Startup Battlefield gives 200 selected companies preparation, VC exposure and a chance to win $100,000.
- A 50% discount on a second ticket lets founders bring a colleague, co-founder or partner.
- $75 Expo+ passes offer limited discounted access to people affected by layoffs during 2026.
Risks & concerns
- 2026 Startup Battlefield applications are already closed, preventing additional founders from entering this year’s competition.
- Ticket prices increase as October 13 approaches, raising costs for founders who delay purchasing.
- The $75 Expo+ offer is limited in volume and restricted to people affected by layoffs this year.
- The speaker roster remains incomplete, with additional names not arriving until closer to the event.