TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is scheduled for October 13–15 in San Francisco and focuses on practical questions faced by founders and organizations building in AI. Leaders from companies such as OpenAI, Nvidia, Anthropic and Microsoft will appear on stage, while thousands of members of the startup community attend to network and learn.
Program and participants
Organizers advertise more than 200 sessions and over 250 speakers covering AI as well as fintech, biotech, robotics, climate tech and cybersecurity. Named participants and presenters include Replit CEO Amjad Masad, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices and Services Panos Panay, and Mark Wahlberg.
Programming is spread across six industry stages, roundtables and breakout sessions. Dedicated AI programming appears on multiple stages: the AI Stage will host utility-focused discussions; Cat de Jong, Head of Applied AI at Anthropic, will present on AI in the enterprise; Okta and NanoCo will lead a session on AI security. The Real World AI and Smart Systems stages provide additional AI-focused sessions.
Startup Battlefield and the event’s stakes
A highlight of Disrupt is the live final of Startup Battlefield 200, where selected early-stage companies pitch live and the winner receives a $100,000 equity-free prize. Past Startup Battlefield alumni include Dropbox, Trello, Cloudflare and Discord.
Organizers position the conference as particularly valuable to founders looking to build products that endure beyond initial demos, and as an opportunity for investors to identify promising teams early in the ecosystem.
Registration and discount
Tickets are available now. For a limited time, organizers offer a 25% discount using code DISRUPT25 at checkout. According to the event information, prices increase on October 12, so early registration will secure the discounted rate.
Why it matters
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 gathers leaders and practitioners wrestling with practical challenges in the accelerating AI race. Beyond panels and talks, the conference provides demonstrations, investor meetings and networking opportunities that can help startups, operators and investors assess emerging technologies and business models.
