TechCrunch has selected its Startup Battlefield Top 20 for the 2026 Disrupt conference, chosen from thousands of applicant founders. The finalists will pitch on the Disrupt Stage in six-minute sessions beginning October 13, competing for a $100,000 prize and the Disrupt Cup. Companies in the group span space logistics, physical AI, biotech, robotics, and fraud detection, including Longshot Space's hydrogen-powered cargo launcher and Veritas's brand-authentication microchips.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 kicked off at Moscone West, drawing more than 10,000 founders, investors and tech leaders. Day 1 features Startup Battlefield, six industry stages covering scaling, AI, fintech and climate tech, over 300 exhibiting startups, and 250+ speakers.
Honeyjar, a startup appearing at TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield 200, is building an AI-driven communications platform that automates writing announcements, identifying journalists to pitch, and finding speaking opportunities for companies. It was founded by Michelle Masek and Nadia Jamshidi, both veteran PR professionals who previously worked in-house and at agencies, with Masek having led marketing and communications at Obvious Ventures.
Blueprints AI, a Santa Monica startup founded by Al Drams and Coco Cao, is showcasing a new version of its software that converts 2D sketches or PDFs into code-compliant, permit-ready construction blueprints within minutes. The company, incorporated in 2025, was selected for TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield 200 cohort, where it is presenting this week in San Francisco.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 begins tomorrow at 8 a.m. PT and runs through three days at San Francisco's Moscone West, with over 10,000 founders, investors and tech operators expected to attend. Organizers say this is the last day to buy tickets at a discount of up to $100, with additional offers including 50% off a second pass and a $75 Expo+ Pass for people who have been laid off.
TechCrunch's Disrupt 2026 conference begins in two days, running October 13-15 at Moscone West. Organizers expect more than 10,000 attendees, over 250 speakers across 200+ sessions, and 300+ startups exhibiting, including the 200 companies selected for Startup Battlefield.
Startup Efferon has developed a blood-purification device called Efferon NEO that absorbs both endotoxins and cytokines to treat pediatric sepsis, which kills about 3 million children under five each year. The device received CE mark approval in April, making it the first multimodal blood purification device built specifically for children, and is now used in ICUs across 30 countries including parts of Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Efferon is preparing an FDA submission and expects to reach $2 million in annualized revenue by the end of 2026.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 begins on October 13 at 8 a.m. PT at Moscone West in San Francisco, featuring more than 300 startups in the Expo Hall and 20 Startup Battlefield 200 finalists competing for a $100,000 prize and the Disrupt Cup. The event will also host over 200 sessions with more than 250 tech leaders discussing AI, fundraising, go-to-market strategy, and scaling. Attendees can still save up to $100 on passes, with discounts for groups and a 50% off second ticket offer.
Alongside the main TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 conference running October 13-15 in San Francisco, a range of independently organized side events are scheduled from October 10 through 16. These include national and regional tech meetups hosted by groups like Poland's PAIH, Innovation Norway, and Pakistan's Software Export Board, plus startup workshops and networking sessions.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will host a Builders Stage session titled 'The Zero-to-1K Playbook,' featuring Gamma CEO Grant Lee, Engine CEO Elia Wallen, and GV general partner Crystal Huang. The panel will discuss tactics founders use to acquire their first 1,000 customers without a marketing budget, including community building, product-led growth, and founder-led sales. Gamma, the AI presentation and content platform Lee co-founded, was reported in March 2026 to be nearing 100 million users after surpassing $100 million in annual recurring revenue in 2025.
TechCrunch's Disrupt 2026 conference takes place October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, expecting around 10,000 attendees including founders, investors and tech executives. Online ticket discounts of up to $100 expire when the event opens at 8 a.m. PT on October 13, with a discounted Expo+ Pass available for those affected by layoffs and a 50%-off second-ticket offer.
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, leaders from Ambrosia Energy and Bloom Energy discussed how the physical infrastructure supporting AI is becoming a critical area for innovation. They emphasized that as AI models and applications expand, the demand for power, cooling, and data center capacity grows, creating new business opportunities. The session focused on the challenges and emerging categories within AI infrastructure that could shape future market dynamics.
GoKawiil