Builders Stage returns with a growth-focused roadmap
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will bring back its Builders Stage, a program designed for founders, operators, and investors who want practical guidance on how startups move from early momentum to durable scale. The event will take place at Moscone Center in San Francisco on October 13-15.
The agenda features leaders from across the startup and tech ecosystem, including Grant Lee of Gamma, Leah Solivan of Precedent.vc, and Robby Stein of Google. Sessions will focus on fundraising, hiring, go-to-market strategy, AI, product decisions, and the operating choices that shape long-term growth.
Among the highlighted discussions are topics such as building outside the AI spotlight, defending a startup when larger AI players move into your space, winning pre-seed funding before a product exists, and adapting product strategy as companies scale from MVP to massive user bases.
Other sessions will explore how AI is changing hiring, why M&A is becoming part of early-stage planning, what Series A may look like in 2027, and how founders can reach their first customers without a large marketing budget. The program also includes conversations on viral growth, product-market fit signals, culture, and the challenge of building repeatable second products.
More speakers and sessions will be announced closer to the event. With its mix of tactical advice and future-facing insight, the Builders Stage is positioned as a key meeting point for startup teams aiming to build smarter and scale with clarity. Its influence may help define how the next generation of companies grows in a faster, more AI-shaped market.