TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is set to take place from October 13 to 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, with a focus on how founders can build enduring companies in the AI era. Organisers say the event will feature more than 200 expert sessions across six stages, including dedicated AI and Real World AI stages, as well as networking opportunities and side events.
The Startup Battlefield pitch competition will see 200 startups selected on August 20 to compete for a $100,000 prize. According to TechCrunch, one past founder reported a 3x oversubscription rate after confirming for Startup Battlefield and received more than 100 investor inbounds, while another had nearly 30 back-to-back investor conversations after pitching onstage.
Confirmed speakers include RJ Scaringe of Rivian and Panos Panay of Amazon. Applications for the 2026 competition have closed, but organisers say the 2027 process will be similar and the programme is expanding to more international markets.