Every founder developing AI today is asking the same question. “Are we going fast enough and effective enough?” TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 puts you in the same room as those grappling with existential questions at the highest levels.
From October 13th to 15th in San Francisco, leaders from OpenAI, Nvidia, Anthropic, Microsoft, and more will share their insights as a network of thousands of startup community members. For a limited time, get 25% off passes when you use code DISRUPT25 at checkout. Prices will increase as the event approaches, so now is the time to finalize your registration.
Why TechCrunch Disrupt is essential for AI innovators
The AI race isn’t slowing down, but the founders who win the AI race are often not the loudest. These are the people who are building things that last beyond their initial ideas and demos. At Disrupt, we can find these breakthroughs before anyone else and understand what sustainable buildings really look like as the underlying technology changes every quarter.
For founders, this means great learning and networking opportunities. For investors, this is an opportunity to gain an edge in the technology ecosystem. And for startup managers and budding entrepreneurs, connections that create the next opportunity await.
Programming will span six industry stages, roundtables, and breakout sessions, with more than 250 featured Disrupt speakers, including Replit CEO Amjad Massad, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, Amazon SVP of Devices and Services Panos Panay, and Mark Wahlberg, providing insights and reveals you won’t find anywhere else at this year’s Disrupt.
In the AI stage, there are a lot of conversations that are more focused on practicalities. Cat de Jong, Head of Applied AI at Anthropic, will dive into AI in the enterprise, while Okta and NanoCo will lead sessions on AI security and more. This is on top of the Real World AI and Smart Systems Stages for additional AI expertise.
Over three days, there will be over 200 sessions and 250 speakers across AI, fintech, biotech, robotics, climate technology and cybersecurity. Hand-picked by TechCrunch’s editorial team, we focus on substance over hype.
The culmination of Disrupt is the crowning of the Startup Battlefield 200 winner, following a live competition where the most promising early-stage companies pitch live for $100,000 in equity-free prize money, investor attention, and real exposure. Dropbox, Trello, Cloudflare, and Discord are all Startup Battlefield alumni, and you can see the latest winners live.
If you’re building or investing in AI or want to stay ahead of your startup competitors, this is the event to attend. Use code DISRUPT25 for 25% off and get your tickets before the price increase on October 12th.
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