It’s not just you: AI startups are receiving a lot of seed funding and, in the process, making things difficult for anyone seeking funding, even at a pre-seed stage. We’ve covered the trend in detail, and at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt event, we want to help pre-seed founders who are now locked into early-stage expectations.

Now that AI makes minimum viable product development faster than ever, is there any hope for a founder who has a compelling idea but has nothing concrete to show? That is what our “Pre-Seed winner without product” panel will seek to answer.

And it’s just one of the many sessions you can expect on our popular Builders Stage at Disrupt 2026. That’s where our more focused conversations and workshops take place, tackling everything from getting your hands dirty with operational decisions, fundraising, marketing strategies, and other vital topics.

And you can be a part of it all by getting your ticket to attend Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco at Moscone West, October 13-15, at the best prices you’ll find for the rest of the year.

As for this specific session, we’ve brought together a great trio of speakers to provide their expertise on this critical and nuanced topic.

Sandhya Venkatachalam: Founder, Managing Partner, Axiom Partners

Venkatachalam knows a thing or two about having a successful exit and what investors look for when they take the plunge with companies that eventually make it big through self-acquisition. His current role is overseeing the newly launched Axiom Partners, which is a $52 million early-stage venture fund focused on connecting founders with top-tier AI professionals to help drive AI that leads to real-world improvements.

Previously, she worked as a GP at Khosla Ventures and Social Capital, where she was the first investor in Groq, and also led investments in GalileoAI, ForethoughtAI, and FirefliesAI, all of which were acquired or achieved unicorn status.

Puneet Agarwal: Managing Partner, True Ventures

True Ventures has been a pillar of the startup community, with a focus on early-stage companies dating back to 2005. And Agarwal has worked there for almost that entire time, starting in 2008 and now evolving into a managing partner with a special focus on transforming enterprise infrastructure and applications amid the AI ​​era.

If you’re looking for expert advice on what venture capitalists want, Agarwal is here to provide it. True Ventures is not just a fund; spans across 12 funds, with partnerships ranging from more than 500 companies and 1,050 founders to more than 60 acquisitions and seven IPOs.

Austin Clements: managing partner of Slauson & Co.

Slauson & Co. isn’t on the scale of True Ventures, but its mission and Clements’ work within it will be of particular interest to founders in the crowd. They are particularly focused on economic inclusion and small business empowerment, and Clements started an accelerator within the company to further refine this mission.

His work to expand the founder community through inclusive efforts is reflected in his work as founding president of PledgeLA, which, in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation and the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, further promotes the importance of diversity within the tech community.

And frequent readers may recognize one of the companies Slauson & Co. has invested in: Startup Battlefield 2026 victor Glīd.

Learn from the experts and embrace the excitement of Disrupt 2026

They are just the beginning of our launch of Disrupt 2026 programming as we prepare for our October 13 kickoff in San Francisco.

And let the Battlefield highlights be a reminder that Disrupt isn’t just valuable sessions and ideas: it’s celebrating the community, learning from its successes and setbacks, and equipping you for the next step of your journey. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or play any other vital role in the startup ecosystem, now is the time to get your Disrupt 2026 ticket!