Day 1 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 has officially begun at San Francisco’s Moscone West, drawing more than 10,000 startup founders, investors, and technology leaders to the annual event. The conference serves as a central hub for high-stakes networking and innovation, featuring extensive programming that ranges from the flagship Startup Battlefield to six specialized industry stages covering scaling strategies, artificial intelligence, fintech, and climate technology.
Attendees can navigate the event using digital badges equipped with Klik technology, which facilitates the exchange of contact information through badge scanning. Registration and the expo hall, hosting over 300 exhibiting startups, are operational from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Level 1. The expo floor acts as the primary convergence point for discovering emerging technologies and fostering professional connections.
A key highlight of the day is the Startup Battlefield, often referred to as the “World Series of pitch competitions.” After vetting thousands of applicants, the competition has selected 20 early-stage startups to compete for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the Disrupt Cup. The event also features the Startup Battlefield 200, with distinct fast-pitch showcases for the Built World category, focusing on real estate and infrastructure, and the Sustainability category, highlighting companies addressing environmental and climate challenges.
Speakers across the event’s stages are tackling critical topics such as physical AI, fundraising, and scaling breakout companies. Notable sessions include discussions on the future of intelligent systems and equity in the agentic economy. Prominent figures slated to appear include RJ Scaringe of Rivian, Andrew Feldman of Cerebras Systems, and Max Hodak of Science Corporation on the main Disrupt Stage.
The Builders Stage will host live recordings of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, alongside panels on open-source AI, hardware entrepreneurship, and the challenges of hiring in an AI-driven landscape. Industry-specific tracks are also active, with the Smart Money stage exploring financial services and verification, while the Smart Systems stage examines AI infrastructure and energy grid modernization.
Additional programming includes breakout sessions at the end of the Expo Hall, where experts discuss topics ranging from Quantum computing to the inference economy. Roundtable discussions are also available for those who pre-register via the event app, offering intimate settings for founders and investors to address specific industry challenges. For comprehensive details on all sessions and speakers, attendees are encouraged to consult the full Disrupt agenda.
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