TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Day 1 - Highlights & News

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: The Event Kicks Off

The first day of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is now underway, bringing together 10,000 founders, investors, and builders at Moscone West. A continuous flow of innovative concepts, product demonstrations, and business negotiations is anticipated.

The atmosphere is charged with excitement, and discussions are happening constantly. The most significant advancements are only beginning to emerge during this event.

Key Highlights of the Conference

The event features several key components, including the Startup Battlefield and the AI Disruptors 60. Entrepreneurs focused on space exploration and those reshaping the startup IPO landscape are also prominently featured.

This is the location where the technological advancements of the next ten years are being developed in real-time. Every interaction, discussion, and informal meeting has the potential to initiate a new collaboration or the creation of a groundbreaking company.

Don't Miss Out: Registration Still Open

Those who have not yet registered are encouraged to do so promptly. Secure your ticket now to immediately participate in the event's activities.

Attendees can expect access to five main stages, hundreds of exhibiting startups, dedicated investor meetings, Braindate networking sessions, and numerous side events throughout the week in San Francisco.

Expo Hall

The exhibition hall will be accessible from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily. Attendees will have the opportunity to discover over 300 startups presenting innovative technologies spanning a diverse range of sectors.

A comprehensive list of exhibiting companies is available for review. Discover which organizations will be demonstrating their latest advancements.

Key Features

• Innovative Startups: More than 300 emerging companies will be present.
• Diverse Technologies: Technologies showcased cover multiple industries.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders and potential partners.

The expo hall provides a unique platform for engagement with the forefront of technological development. It’s an ideal environment for identifying potential collaborations and gaining insights into future trends.

Detailed information regarding each exhibiting startup can be found on the event website. This resource allows for pre-event planning and targeted visits to specific booths.

Don't miss the chance to experience firsthand the groundbreaking innovations on display. The expo hall is a central hub for discovery and connection at the event.

Disrupt Conference: A Day of Sessions

The conference stages are prepared, and today’s presenters are addressing a wide range of topics, encompassing space technology and startup expansion to strategies for scaling and the process of becoming a publicly traded company. This overview details the events unfolding across Disrupt’s various stages today. The complete agenda is available for review.

Disrupt Stage Highlights

The primary focus remains on the Startup Battlefield 200, often referred to as the “World Series of pitch competitions.” TechCrunch has carefully selected the top 20 early-stage startups to present their ideas to a panel of experienced VCs, competing for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the prestigious Disrupt Cup.

Startup Battlefield – Session 1: The judging panel consists of Allison Baum Gates (SemperVirens VC), Cathy Friedman (GV), Katelin Holloway (Seven Seven Six), Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures), and Nicolas Sauvage (TDK Ventures).

Startup Battlefield – Session 2: Eryk Dobrushkin (Index Ventures), Jen Hoskins (Nvidia), Thomas Krane (Insight Partners), Jon McNeill (DVx Ventures), and Katie Stanton (Moxxie Ventures) will be evaluating pitches.

The Self-Driving Reality Check: Featuring Tekedra Mawakana (Waymo).

What Sequoia Sees Coming Next: A presentation by Roelof Botha (Sequoia Capital).

Moonshots, AI, and the Future of Alphabet: Astro Teller (The Moonshot Factory) will be discussing innovative projects.

Exploring the Final Frontier: Space Stage

This stage explores the convergence of technology and space exploration, showcasing startups that are redefining the future of the space industry.

Aerospace Startup Showcase: Solving the Hardest Problems in Space: Participants include Dr. Tom Cwik (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Dr. Debra Emmons (The Aerospace Corporation), Katelin Holloway (Seven Seven Six), and Mandy Vaughn (GXO, Inc.).

From Robinhood to Aetherflux: Baiju Bhatt’s Next Frontier: Baiju Bhatt (Aetherflux) will share insights into his latest venture.

Investing at the Edge of Space: Morgan Beller (NFX), Celeste Ford (Stellar Ventures), and Chris Morales (Point72 Ventures) will discuss investment opportunities.

Made in Space: Varda’s Plan to Build the Next Great Supply Chain: William Bruey (Varda Space Industries) will present Varda’s vision.

AI at the Edge: Startups Powering the Future of Space: Dr. Debra L. Emmons (The Aerospace Corporation), Dr. Lucy Hoag (Violet Labs), and Adam Maher (Ursa Space Systems) will explore the role of AI.

Laying the Groundwork for a New Space Economy: Max Haot (Vast), Kelly Hennig (Stoke Space), Bridgit Mendler (Northwood Space), and Even Rogers (True Anomaly) will discuss the future of space commerce.

Navigating the IPO Landscape: Going Public Stage

This track is designed for founders at all stages, offering frameworks and strategies for IPO readiness and post-exit success.

How Long Should a Startup Stay Private?: David George (Andreessen Horowitz) will share his perspective.

Rethinking the Exit: Kodiak AI’s Founder on Going Public: Don Burnette, founder of Kodiak AI, will discuss his company’s IPO journey.

What Comes After Breakout Success?: Santi Subotovsky (Emergence Capital) and Eric Yuan (Zoom) will share their experiences.

How AI Is Forcing Late-Stage Startups to Rewire GTM — or Be Left Behind: Jane Alexander (CapitalG), Vanessa Larco (Premise), and Nirav Tolia (Nextdoor) will analyze the impact of AI on go-to-market strategies.

Everything You Need to Know Before an Exit: Jai Das (Sapphire Ventures), Dan Springer (Ironclad), and Roseanne Wincek (Renegade Partners) will provide essential guidance.

The Realities of Startup Life: Builders Stage

This stage offers an unfiltered look at the challenges and triumphs of startup life, covering topics like scaling, fundraising, and navigating chaos.

How to Raise a Series A in 2026: Thomas Krane (Insight Partners), Katie Stanton (Moxxie Ventures), and Sangeen Zeb (GV) will discuss fundraising strategies.

Flying into the Future: AI Is Fueling Aviation: Natasha Del Toro (Del Toro Productions), Tanya Eves (Epic Aircraft), and Doug King (Epic Aircraft) will explore the intersection of AI and aviation.

How Much Salary and Equity Should You Really Offer Early Employees?: Randi Jakubowitz (645 Ventures), Rebecca Lee Whiting (Epigram Legal), and Yin Wu (Pulley) will provide guidance on compensation.

Build What’s Next: Startups, DeepMind & Google Cloud: Tulsee Doshi (Google DeepMind) and Darren Mowry (Google Cloud) will discuss future innovations.

Building a GTM Engine that Actually Works: Max Altschuler (GTMfund), Marc Manara (OpenAI), and Alison Wagonfeld (Google Cloud) will share best practices.

Who’s Defining AI’s Future in 2025? The AI Disruptors 60 Unveiled: Shay Grinfeld (Greenfield Partners) and Renen Hallak (Vast Data) will present a list of influential AI companies.

What VCs Really Want to Hear in Your Pitch: Medha Agarwal (defy.vc), Jyoti Bansal (Harness), and Jennifer Neundorfer (January Ventures) will offer insights into the VC perspective.

Building in a Time of Uncertainty: Ryan Petersen (Flexport) will share his experiences navigating challenging market conditions.

Startup Pitches: Pitch Showcase Stage

Visit the Expo Hall to witness exhibiting startups as they deliver their pitches.

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Startup Battlefield 200 Sustainability Pitches

11:30 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.: Pavilion Pitch Session – KOSME

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Pavilion Pitch Session — Japan — JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Startup Battlefield 200 Built World Pitches

3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.: Pavilion Pitch Session — Korea — KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)

4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Pavilion Pitch Session — Sultanate of Oman

Interactive Discussions: Breakout Stage

Participate in a 50-minute Q&A session with a panel of experts. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis and open to all ticket holders. Refer to the full agenda for specific times and session details.

The Untapped Opportunity Hidden in Business Workflows: Umair Bashir (Signal), Umair Javed (tkxel), and Marcus Torres (Quickbase) will lead the discussion.

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

Build First, Fund Later: The Founder’s Guide to Bootstrapping Breakout Startups: Tarun Raisoni (Gruve) will share his insights.

How to Get Acquired in Tech (Without Selling Out): M&A Tips for Founders and Builders: Yonas Beshawred (StarSling) and Aklil Ibssa (Coinbase) will offer advice.

Fundraising Mistakes That Will Kill Your Round, and How to Avoid Them: Kamila Khasanova (On Top Strategy), Sam Li (Thoropass), Dr. Richard Munassi (Tampa Bay Wave), and Ashley Paston (General Catalyst) will discuss common pitfalls.

Fundraising Process Workshop with TC Editor Turned VC Josh Constine: Josh Constine (SignalFire) will lead a workshop.

AI at the Brink: Strategic Playbook for National Security: Daniel Hendrycks (Center for AI Safety) will present a strategic overview.

Startup Lessons You Won’t Find in a Playbook: Santi Subotovsky (Emergence Capital) and Melissa Wong (Zipline) will share real-world experiences.

Focused Discussions: Roundtables

These small-group sessions provide a platform for founders and investors to address practical challenges. Pre-registration via the event app is required for participation.

The Future of Banking and Fintech: The AI Wave: Nnamdi Okike (645 Ventures) will lead the discussion.

Prototyping, Tuning & Scaling GenAI Applications with Open Models: Aishwarya Srinivasan (Fireworks AI) will present.

The Winning Formula: Turning Your Business Into a Trusted, Scalable Community to Drive Growth: Tasneem Amina (Kindred) and Justine Palefsky (Kindred) will share strategies.

From Inception to Enterprise: Selling AI Agents that Scale: Allison Baum Gates (SemperVirens Venture Capital) will lead the discussion.

Future of Construction: The Role of AI and Data in the Field and the Office: Austin Yount (Brick & Mortar Ventures) will present.

Berkeley Connect: Experience the World’s #1 Startup Ecosystem: Siwen Deng (Evergreen Saponins) and Keith McAleer (UC Berkeley Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology) will share insights.

How to Train Your Model: Taming AI Agents Without Breaking Them: Kyla Guru (Anthropic) will offer guidance.

Community IS the Product: Brian Hamachek (Vently), Gargi Kand (Vently), and Nick Khonaysser (Vently) will discuss community-driven growth.

Physical AI: Designing, Funding, and Scaling the Future: Kahini Shah (Obvious Ventures) will lead the discussion.

Future of Space Economy in the Low Earth Orbit: Abhi Kumar (UC Berkeley) will present.

Investor Insights: Itamar Novick (Recursive Ventures) and Brian Sparkes (Silicon Valley Venture, LLC) will share their perspectives.

Future of Space Economy in the Low Earth Orbit (encore): Abhi Kumar (UC Berkeley) will present again.

IPO Success: Charting the Course from Private to Public: Charly Kevers (Carta) and Daniel Tay (Morgan Stanley) will offer guidance.

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) will discuss challenges and opportunities.

Building AI-Ready Data Infrastructure with a Lean Team: Michel Tricot (Airbyte) will present.

Your EQ Is Your AI: Alex Malebranche (Cloudflare) will share his insights.

Expanding Your Professional Connections

The Networking Lounge powered by Braindate will be accessible from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This space facilitates connections with potential co-founders, investors, and mentors via both scheduled and impromptu meetings.

Opportunities for deal-making are available at the Deal Flow Cafe, opening at 9:00 a.m. This venue is specifically designed for founders and investors seeking a focused environment for discussions.

The Deal Flow Cafe offers a secluded setting for founders and investors to conduct business.

Key Networking Locations

• Networking Lounge powered by Braindate: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Connect with peers.
• Deal Flow Cafe: Opens 9:00 a.m. – Exclusive to founders and investors.

These dedicated areas are intended to foster collaboration and accelerate opportunities for all attendees.

Equity Live

Begin your day with Equity Live, a unique onstage recording of TechCrunch’s primary podcast, airing from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

The TechCrunch team will be present to offer a dynamic discussion concerning the world of startups, technology, and venture capital. This engaging session will be recorded live from the Builders Stage, unfolding as it happens.

What to Expect

Equity Live provides a real-time examination of the key factors influencing the startup ecosystem. Expect insightful analysis and commentary on current trends.

Listeners can anticipate a lively and informative conversation, delivered directly from the event’s central location. The podcast will cover the business aspects of tech and venture funding.

Event Details

• Time: 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
• Format: Onstage podcast recording
• Podcast: TechCrunch’s Equity
• Location: Builders Stage

Don't miss this opportunity to experience Equity in a live, interactive format. It’s a prime opportunity to gain valuable insights into the startup landscape.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Complementary Events

Numerous company-sponsored Side Events are taking place across San Francisco this week, amplifying the excitement of Disrupt beyond the Moscone West convention center. A diverse range of panels, social gatherings, and networking meetups are scheduled, all geared towards fostering connections between founders, investors, and innovators throughout the tech landscape.

Registration for these events is recommended to secure your participation.

Featured Side Events

Pitch&Drink with P2S.VC: This event is presented by Pre-seed to Succeed, a collaboration between AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks!, Smart Partnership Capital, and I2BF Global Ventures.

Unlock Your Investor Potential: Leveraging Vested Stock Units for Tech Professionals: Hosted by Musa Capital, this session explores opportunities for tech workers to become Limited Partners.

Deep Tech Meetup: Future Shock with SOSV & KIAC: SOSV is the host of this meetup, focusing on the cutting edge of deep technology.

The “Unofficial TechCrunch Disrupt 2025” Afterparty: Silicon Valley Venture, LLC is hosting this afterparty at Werqwise SF.

Exclusive Networking Event for Founders, Investors, and VCs: Equity X Investments, Vataseason, and Plus Ultra Capital Partners are jointly hosting this exclusive gathering.

South Asian Collective Event @ Disrupt Week: The American South Asian Network (ASAN) is organizing this event.

Humane AI: A Film Screening and Discussion: Building Humane Tech presents a short film screening and panel discussion on the future of ethical AI.

Ping Pong and Networking: Scrut Automation invites attendees to a casual evening of ping pong and networking.

TechCrunch Disrupt Welcome Party: AI Debate: Treble PR is hosting a rooftop debate on the current state of AI, featuring Baseten and Premji Invest.

Founders Happy Hour: Navigating Identity and Compliance: Descope & Delve are hosting a fireside chat addressing the challenges of identity and compliance.

JetBrains Developer Event: JetBrains is hosting a networking event for developers in San Francisco.

Night Zero: Disrupt Week Kickoff Party: Fox Rothschild and Silicon Valley Bank are co-hosting the unofficial opening party for TechCrunch Disrupt Week.

Don't Miss Out: Registration for Disrupt 2025 Remains Open

Are you wondering if it's too late to participate? Absolutely not. Tickets to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 are still obtainable – secure yours through the event's final day.

A wealth of experiences awaits attendees, including compelling Startup Battlefield pitch competitions, insightful sessions covering groundbreaking technologies, and valuable networking opportunities.

What Awaits You at Disrupt 2025

• Witness innovative startups compete for recognition and funding in the Startup Battlefield.
• Gain knowledge from industry leaders during thought-provoking sessions.
• Forge lasting connections with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts.

Don't delay – ensure your place at the forefront of technological advancement. Obtain your ticket today and become an integral part of shaping the future of technology.

The opportunity to be part of this influential event is still within reach. Register now to avoid disappointment and fully immerse yourself in the world of tech innovation.