GoKawiilTwilio's Jeff Lawson to discuss fusion startup Inertia at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Jeff Lawson, who co-founded and scaled Twilio to over $4 billion in revenue, is now leading Inertia, a fusion energy startup. He will speak about this career shift at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in a fireside chat on the Smart Systems Stage, discussing how his software background applies to a capital-intensive deep tech venture involving lasers and manufacturing.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Lawson's move signals a broader trend of successful tech entrepreneurs pivoting into hard science ventures like fusion, which require different skill sets involving physical engineering and long development timelines rather than software iteration. Inertia's $450 million Series A and new Livermore headquarters show serious investor and industry confidence in this approach, potentially reshaping how deep tech startups are built and funded.
- Jeff Lawson, Twilio co-founder, now leads fusion startup Inertia as CEO.
- Inertia raised $450 million in a Series A round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and opened a new California headquarters.
- Lawson will discuss the transition from software to deep tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in October.
Source: techcrunch.com — Techcrunch Events, 2026-09-18
Published there as: “Inertia co-founder Jeff Lawson’s next big bet is fusion: Go inside it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.