TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to Convene 10,000 Tech Leaders in San Francisco Around AI and Deal Sourcing
The three-day Moscone West event features Startup Battlefield 200, specialized AI infrastructure tracks, and structured venture networking.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will run from October 13 to October 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, gathering more than 10,000 founders, investors, and technology operators. The event programming focuses on early-stage venture sourcing, market intelligence, and sustainable growth strategies during the current era of artificial intelligence deployment, according to an investor guide released by TechCrunch Venture (https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/11/the-investors-guide-to-techcrunch-disrupt-2026-everything-you-need-to-know/).
A cornerstone of the three-day gathering is the Startup Battlefield 200 competition. Selected from thousands of global applications by TechCrunch editorial and vetting teams, 200 early-stage startups will present pitches across the event, with a small cohort of finalists competing live before venture capital audiences and judges.
To facilitate deal discovery, Disrupt has structured its programming to host more than 20,000 curated meetings. Attending investors receive advance access to founder directories, access to dedicated networking environments like the Deal Flow Café, and algorithmic 1:1 and small-group meeting scheduling through the conference application.
Confirmed speakers for the 2026 lineup include Rivian chief executive RJ Scaringe, Amazon devices and services leader Panos Panay, Replit chief executive Amjad Masad, and Cerebras chief executive Andrew Feldman.
Programming across six stages covers specialized market segments. The Smart Money Stage focuses on financial technology, embedded finance, and stablecoins in relation to AI; the Smart Systems Stage targets compute infrastructure, energy economics, and data center underwriting; and dedicated AI stages address real-world deployment benchmarks alongside broader keynote sessions on the Disrupt Stage.
The conference will also host an investor-exclusive session presented by StrictlyVC alongside tailored networking receptions. Tiered ticket pricing with discounts of up to $100 off walk-up rates remains open through October 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, including bulk packages and a $75 Expo+ pass designated for tech professionals affected by layoffs.
Sources
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