Builders Stage at Disrupt 2026: Practical Strategies for Scaling Startups

When Building Alone Isn't Enough

There is a fundamental difference between building a startup and building one that is truly scalable and sustainably growing. The former is a skill; the latter is an art that requires experience, mentorship, and honest conversations with those who have walked the same path. That is precisely what the Builders Stage aims to deliver at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from October 13–15, 2026.

One of six specialized stages at the conference, Builders Stage is designed specifically for founders, startup operators, and investors seeking immediately actionable insights—not abstract theories or distant predictions.

Featured Speakers and Tech Leaders

The stage's program brings together an elite group of technology and venture capital leaders, including:

• Grant Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Gamma
• Lea Sullivan, Founder and Managing Partner at Precedent.vc
• Robby Stein, VP of Product at Google
• A roster of investors and founders from leading venture capital firms including Index Ventures, General Catalyst, and Bessemer Venture Partners

Session Topics: From Idea to Billions of Users

Sessions span the full arc of a startup's journey, covering a wide range of critical themes:

Competing in an AI-Obsessed Market

Not every successful company will necessarily be an AI company. This session is designed for founders competing for attention in a market saturated with AI narratives. The focus is on the fundamentals—revenue quality, customer retention, and operational discipline—rather than chasing the hype.

Building Credibility Before You Have a Product

At the pre-seed stage, investors are betting on the story, the pitch, and the founder-market fit. This session explores how founders can establish credibility and attract initial funding even before generating any revenue.

Product Decisions at One Billion Users

What works for an early-stage product can be catastrophic once it reaches a billion people. Robby Stein discusses how product decision-making frameworks have evolved at Google, and how teams strike the right balance between speed and trust, and between innovation and reliability.

The Hybrid Team: Humans and AI Side by Side

Startups are no longer just building with AI—they are effectively "hiring" it. As AI agents take on engineering, support, and operations tasks, the nature of the early-stage team is changing fundamentally. This session examines how founders determine what stays in human hands and what gets delegated to machines, all while preserving speed, accountability, and company culture.

Acquisition as a Deliberate Exit Strategy

The smartest founders don't build exclusively for an IPO—they factor in acquisition scenarios from day one. This session explains how to architect product strategy and partnerships so your company becomes an attractive acquisition target, drawing on lessons from some of the biggest exit deals in recent memory.

What Does "Fundable" Mean in 2027?

The Series A round has never been more competitive. In this session, top investors reveal the new criteria they use to evaluate companies, which traditional fundraising playbooks no longer hold up, and how startups can stand out in the next funding cycle.

Reaching $10 Million in Revenue in 90 Days

The definition of market traction has shifted. What once took years is now expected in months. This session explores how AI technologies and accelerated distribution are compressing go-to-market timelines, and what tactical tools you need in your first ninety days to generate meaningful revenue.

Navigating Multiple AI Models

The technical frontier is moving faster than any single model can keep up with. This session discusses how the most successful companies build their products with enough flexibility to leverage multiple models without locking themselves into a single provider.

An Unmissable Opportunity for Founders and Investors

The conference brings together more than 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders for direct engagement with speakers during live Q&A sessions, transforming theoretical knowledge into real, actionable dialogue. Whether you are just starting out or looking to scale your company to the next level, Builders Stage offers a practical roadmap built on real-world experience—not hypothetical forecasts.

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