Disrupt 2025: Day 1 | TechCrunch

Today, Day 1, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Go full throttle — 10,000 founders, investors, and manufacturers are flooding Moscone West for endless ideas, demos, and deals. The energy is electric, the conversation is everywhere, and the progress is only beginning.

from Startup battlefield from AI Disruptors 60From space entrepreneurs to founders redefining how and when startups go public, this is where the next decade of tech is being written — live. Every hallway conversation, every roundtable, every coffee chat can spark a new partnership or the next big company. View the list of speakers.

Not registered yet? You still can – but don’t wait. Grab your tickets now And jump right into the action: five powerhouse stages, hundreds of exhibiting startups, investor meetups, braindate networking and side events light up San Francisco all week long.

Expo Hall

Doors open 8:00am to 5:00pm Explore the 300+ exhibiting startups showcasing cutting-edge technology across industries. See who’s showing.

Stage session

The stages are set — and today’s speakers are tackling everything from space tech and startup growth to scaling strategies and going public. Here’s a look at what’s happening across the Disrupt stage today. View the full agenda.

The stage is disrupted

The spotlight is on Startup Battlefield 200, the “world series of pitch competitions.” TechCrunch has vetted the top 20 early-stage startups to pitch in front of the world’s most experienced VCs for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup.

Startup battlefield – Session 1: Judges include Alison Baum Gates (Sempervirence VC), Kathy Friedman (GV), Katelyn Holloway (Seven Seven Six), Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures), and Nicholas Savage (TDK Ventures).

Startup Battlefield – Session 2: Eric Dobrushkin (Index Ventures), Jane Hoskins (NVIDA), Thomas Crane (Insight Partners), John McNeill (DVX Ventures), and Katie Stanton (Moxy Ventures).

Self-driving reality check — Takedra Mawakana (Wemo)

See what Sequoia is coming up next — Roelof Botha (Sequoia Capital).

Moonshots, AI, and the Future of Alphabet — Astro Teller (Moonshot Factory).

space stage

At the intersection of technology and exploration, startups are reimagining the future of space.

Aerospace Startup Showcase: Solving the Toughest Problems in Space — Dr. Tom Quick (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Dr. Debra Emmons (The Aerospace Corporation), Katelyn Holloway (Seven Seven Six), and Mandy Vaughan (GXO, Inc.).

From Robinhood to Aetherflux: The Next Frontier by Baiju Bhatt – Baiju Bhatt (Etherflux)

Investing at the edge of space — Morgan Beller (NFX), Celeste Ford (Stellar Ventures), and Chris Morales (Point72 Ventures).

Built in space: Varda plans to build the next great supply chain — William Bruy (Varda Space Industries).

AI on the edge: Startups powering the future of space — Dr. Debra L. Emmons (The Aerospace Corporation), Dr. Lucy Hogue (Violet Labs), and Adam Maher (Ursa Space System).

Laying the groundwork for a new space economy — Max Howet (Huge), Kelly Hennig (Stoke Space), Brigitte Mendler (Northwood Space), and even Rogers (True Anomaly).

Going on the public stage

For founders at every stage, this track dives into frameworks and strategies for IPO preparation and post-exit success.

How long should a startup stay private? — David George (Andreesen Horowitz)

Rethinking the Exit: Kodiak AI Founder Going Public – Don Barnett, (Kodiak AI)

What comes after breakout success? — Santi Subotovsky (Emergence Capital) and Eric Yuan (Zoom).

How AI is forcing late-stage startups to rewire GTM — or be left behind — Jane Alexander (Capitalogy), Vanessa Larco (Premise), and Nirav Tolia (NextDoor).

What you need to know before you leave — Joy Das (Sapphire Ventures), Dan Springer (Ironclad), and Rosen Wincek (Renegade Partners).

Builders Stage

The raw, unvarnished realities of startup life — lessons on scaling, fundraising and thriving through chaos.

How to Raise a Series A in 2026 — Thomas Crane (Insight Partners), Katie Stanton (Moxy Ventures), and Sangin Jeb (GV).

Flying in the Future: AI is Fueling Aviation — Natasha Del Toro (Del Toro Productions), Tanya Ives and Doug King (Epic Aircraft).

How much salary and equity should you really offer to early employees? — Randi Jakubowitz (645 Ventures), Rebecca Lee Whiting (Epigram Legal), and Yin Wu (Pulley).

Build Next Key: Startups, DeepMind and Google Cloud — Tulsi Dossah (Google DeepMind) and Darren Mowry (Google Cloud)

Building a GTM engine that actually works — Max Altschuler (GTMfund), Marc Manara (OpenAI), and Alison Wagonfeld (Google Cloud).

Who is determining the future of AI in 2025? AI Disruptors 60 Unveiled — Shay Grinfeld (Greenfield Partners) and Renen Hallak (Vast Data).

What VCs really want to hear in your pitch — A Galwat (deffy.vc), Agriculture (Harness (Harness), Nuontores Jennifer (Plate Venturi).

Building in times of uncertainty – Ryan Petersen, (Flexport)

Pitch Showcase stage

Head to the expo hall to catch some of our exhibiting startups as they present their pitches

9:30 am – 11:30 am: Startup Battlefield 200 Sustainability Pitch

11:30 am – 12:05 pm: Pavilion Pitch Session – KOSME

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Pavilion Pitch Session – Japan – JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Startup Battlefield 200 Built World Pitch

3:30 pm – 4:15 pm: Pavilion Pitch Session – Korea – KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)

4:15 pm – 4:45 pm: Pavilion Pitch Session – Sultanate of Oman

breakout phase

Engage with a panel in a 50-minute question-and-answer session It is on first come first served basis. All ticket types are welcome. View the full agenda For timings and session details.

Untapped opportunities hidden within business workflows — Umair Bashir (Signal), Umair Javed (tkxel), and Marcus Torres (Quickbase)

From Vibes to Velocity: How AI Tools Can Help You Achieve Your Development Goals – Tim Rogers (GitHub)

Build First, Fund Later: The Founder’s Guide to Bootstrapping Breakout Startups — Tarun Raisoni (Mining)

How to get into tech (without selling): M&A tips for founders and creators — Yonas Bayshored (Starsling) and Akleel Ibsa (Coinbase)

Fundraising mistakes that will kill your round and how to avoid them — Kamila Khasanova (On Top Strategy), Sam Lee (Theropus), Dr. Richard Munassi (Tampa Bay Wave), and Ashley Paston (General Catalyst)

Fundraising Process Workshop with TC Editor turned VC Josh Constine — Josh Constine (Signal Fire)

AI at the Brink: Strategic Playbook for National Security — Daniel Hendricks (AI Security Center)

Startup lessons you won’t find in a playbook — Santi Subotovsky (Emergence Capital) and Melissa Wong (Zipline).

round table

These small-group sessions give founders and investors the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges up close. Note: Entry requires pre-registration in the event app.

The Future of Banking and FinTech: The AI ​​Wave — Nnamdi Okike (645 Ventures)

Prototyping, Tuning and Scaling GenAI Applications with Open Models — Aishwarya Srinivasan (Fireworks AI)

The winning formula: turning your business into a trusted, scalable community that can grow — Tasneem Amina (Kindred) and Justin Palefsky (Kindred)

From startup to enterprise: Selling AI agents that scale — Alison Baum Gates (Sempervirence Venture Capital)

The Future of Construction: The Role of AI and Data in the Field and Office — Austin Yount, Brick & Mortar Ventures.

Berkeley Connect: Experience the world’s #1 startup ecosystem — Siwen Deng (Evergreen Saponins) and Keith McAleer (UC Berkeley Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology)

How to train your model: Taming AI agents without chasing them — Kayla Guru (Anthropologist)

Community is the product — Brian Hamachek (Ventley), Gergie Cund (Ventley), and Nick Khonaiser (Ventley)

Physical AI: Designing the Future, Funding and Scaling — Kahani Shah (clear initiative)

The Future of the Space Economy in Low Earth Orbit — Abhi Kumar (UC Berkeley).

Investor insight — Itamar Novick (Recursive Ventures) and Brian Sparks (Silicon Valley Ventures, LLC)

The Future of the Space Economy in Low Earth Orbit (Encore) — Abhi Kumar (UC Berkeley)

IPO Success: Charting the Course from Private to Public — Charlie Cavers (Carta) and Daniel Tay (Morgan Stanley)

Building in the line of fire: What it takes to win in public sector AI — Ross Fubini (XYZ Venture Capital) and Ben Van Roo (Legion Intelligence)

Building an AI-ready data infrastructure with a Lean team — Michel Tricot (Airbyte)

Your EQ is your AI – Alex Malebranche (Cloudflare)

Networking opportunities

Networking Lounge powered by Braindate: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Find your next co-founder, investor or mentor through curated or spontaneous meetups.

Deal Flow Cafe: Opens at 9:00 am Provides an exclusive, quiet space for founders and investors to deal over coffee.

Equity Live

9:00 AM to 9:30 AM, start your morning with Equity LiveA special onstage recording of TechCrunch’s flagship podcast. Join the TechCrunch team for a lively dive into the business of startups, technology and venture capital — all live from the Builders Stage.

Disrupt 2025 side events

Company-hosted Side event Happening throughout San Francisco this week, Moscone is expanding its disruptive energy beyond West. Here’s what’s happening tonight — panels, parties and meetups designed to connect founders, investors and innovators in every corner of tech. Be sure to RSVP your spot at any of these.

Pitch & Drink with P2S.VC: Hosted by Pre-Seed to Succeed (AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks!, Smart Partnership Capital, I2BF Global Ventures)

Unlock Your Investor Potential: How Tech Workers Can Become an LP Using Vested Stock Units: Hosted by Musa Capital

Future Shock Deep Tech Meetup W/ SOSV & KIAC: Hosted by SOSV

“Unofficial TechCrunch Disrupt 2025” Afterparty at Werqwise SF: Hosted by Silicon Valley Ventures, LLC

An Exclusive Gathering of Seed and Series A, Accredited Investors and Outside VC Founders – Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Hosted by Equity X Investments, Vataison and Plus Ultra Capital Partners

South Asian Collective @ Disrupt Week: Hosted by American South Asian Network (ASAN)

Beyond the Hype: Voices from the Future of Human AI – Short Film Screening and Panel: Hosted by Building Human Tech

Ping Pong After Panel: Hosted by Scrut Automation

TechCrunch Unofficial Welcome Party Disrupt: Bullish or Bust? A Rooftop AI Debate with Basten, Premji Invest and Treble PR: Hosted by Treble PR

Founder Happy Hour and Fireside Chat: Avoiding Identity and Compliance Scope Creep 👻: Hosted by Deskope and Delve

JetBrains Night in San Francisco: Hosted by JetBrains

Knight Zero: The Unofficial Launch Party at TechCrunch Disrupt Week: Hosted by Fox Rothschild and Silicon Valley Bank

There’s still time to join Disrupt 2025

Think it’s too late to join? no chance Get your tickets here. Still have a lot of experience TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — with more Startup Battlefield pitches, game-changing sessions and unforgettable connections. Tickets are available through the last day. Secure yours now and be part of the future of technology.