GoKawiilTechCrunch Disrupt 2026 takes place at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 13–15, but some of the best conversations aren’t exclusive to the stage or held within workshops or the halls. They spread into happy hours, rooftop mixers, breakfast meetups, and pitch nights across the city throughout the week of October 10-16.
Many of those events come through the official Disrupt Side Events. One of the best parts of the program is that it’s a wide-open opportunity. If you have a good idea for a theme and a place to host, you’re well on your way toward applying to host one.
Here’s how it works: You put together the concept — from a founder mixer, an after-hours panel, a themed party, a morning run, whatever fits your goal — and the TechCrunch team helps put it in front of the attendees already in town for Disrupt. There’s no cost to apply, no licensing, just the best ideas rising to the top and adding to the community’s experience in October. Start your application right here!
What does hosting a Disrupt Side Event mean?
There are a few things you should know up front about how our Side Event program works:
Side Events can be hosted throughout the week of October 10-16, and our deadline for applications is September 4.
You own the format. From a cocktail party to a rigorous workshop to a casual networking brunch, it’s about getting the community into the room.
You’re responsible for logistics like the venue, budget, registrations, and a degree of promotion. At the end of the day, this is your event, running under the Disrupt banner.
TechCrunch will spread word about the event through our Side Events page, agenda, app, attendee emails, and site coverage.
Hosts receive a discount promo code on Disrupt passes to share across their own networks.
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