The Builders Stage returns to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 with founders, operators and investors discussing how startups can build and scale. Speakers include Grant Lee of Gamma, Leah Solivan of Precedent.vc and Robby Stein of Google. Sessions will cover fundraising, hiring, go-to-market strategy, AI and operational decisions. More than 10,000 technology leaders are expected at Moscone Center in San Francisco from October 13–15.
Practical guidance for scaling companies
The Builders Stage is one of six industry-focused stages at Disrupt 2026. Its programming addresses capital raising, talent, go-to-market execution and the transition from seed to Series A, with practical advice and live audience Q&A.
Builders Stage agenda
AI, competition and company building
- How to Win When You’re Not Building AI: Shan Shan of Baillie Gifford and Yuri Sagalov of General Catalyst will discuss efficient growth, retention, revenue quality and disciplined execution.
- What Happens When OpenAI Ships Your Roadmap: Michel Tricot of Airbyte, Rob Toews of Radical Ventures and Linda Tong of Webflow will examine defensibility when AI giants enter a startup’s market.
- Building the Next Generation of AI Giants: Jas Khaira of Blackstone N1 will discuss scaling, capital and category-defining AI companies.
- The Real Tokenmaxxing: Mo Jomaa of Capital G and Zuzanna Stamirowska of Pathway will explore multi-model product architecture, cost, reliability and adaptability.
- Revealing AI Disruptors 60: What Can AI Do Next? Shay Grinfeld of Greenfield Partners will examine agents, research systems, intelligent machines and emerging infrastructure before revealing the 2026 AI Disruptors 60.
- Hiring When AI Is a Co-Founder: Josh Reeves of Gusto and additional speakers will consider hybrid teams in which AI agents handle engineering, support and operations.
- Rebuilding Consumer Products for the AI Era: Maria Angelidou-Smith of Reddit and leaders from Square and Uber will discuss redesigning search, discovery, communication, travel and decision-making products.
Funding, talent and growth
- Competing for AI Talent: Pay, Equity, and Retention and Hiring, Compensation and Culture in the Most Competitive Market Ever will feature Matt Birnbaum of Wylder.co and Atli Thorkelsson of Redpoint Ventures, with Ioana Hreninciuc of Runware and additional speakers in the first session. Topics include compensation, secondary sales, culture and retention.
- Winning Pre-Seed Without a Product: Puneet Agarwal of True Ventures, Austin Clements of Slauson and Co, and Sandhya Venkatachalam of Axiom Partners will discuss story, conviction and founder-market fit.
- The Series A in 2027: Jahanvi Sardana of Index Ventures, Shailendra Singh of Peak XV and Janelle Teng Wade of Bessemer Venture Partners will address future funding metrics, teams and traction.
- The 90-Day GTM: Ryan Meadows of Lovable, Tomasz Tunguz of Theory Ventures and Ben Broca of Polsia will examine how AI-enabled execution and faster distribution can move companies from $0 to $10M ARR.
- The Zero-to-1K Playbook: Grant Lee, Leah Solivan and Elia Wallen of Engine will share approaches to acquiring early customers through community, product-led growth, founder-led sales, outbound and word of mouth.
Products, exits and leadership
- From MVP to Billions of Users: Robby Stein of Google will explain how product decisions change at billion-user scale.
- M&A Is Now an Early-Stage Strategy: Karl Alomar of M13 and Lindsey Mignano of Mignano Law Group will discuss designing products and partnerships with acquisitions in mind.
- PMF Red Flags: Rajeev Dham of Sapphire Ventures and Rahul Vohra of Superhuman Mail will distinguish durable product-market fit from temporary excitement, pilots and usage spikes.
- So You’ve Got a Hit Product. How Does Your Company Do It Again? Filip Kaliszan of Verkada, Aaron Jacobson of New Enterprise Associates and Maddi Holman of Daring Ventures will discuss multi-product growth and a repeatable “Second Act.”
- How to Create Viral Growth and Capitalize on It: Zach Yadegari of Cal AI will discuss sustaining viral attention through retention and long-term company building.
- Yes, It’s Hard to Be a Founder: Nell Daly of Revenge Capital, David H. Rosmarin of Harvard Medical School and Jack Withinshaw of Airspeeder Company will address burnout, decision fatigue, identity strain and mental-performance practices.
- The High-Conviction Filter: Alexa von Tobel of Inspired Capital and Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital, joined by additional speakers, will review Startup Battlefield trends, founder qualities and the critical 12 months after a major launch or funding event.
- Ask the Investors: Stacy Brown-Philpot, Chi-Hua Chien, Dayna Grayson, Carter Reum and Alexa von Tobel will answer audience questions about teams, traction, markets, pitches and red flags.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place October 13–15 in San Francisco and will cover AI, biotech and health, climate, crypto, fintech, fundraising, media and entertainment, robotics, startups and transportation.
