Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion, two companies racing to commercialize fusion energy, will have their leaders speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. CFS co-founder Brandon Sorbom and Helion CEO David Kirtley will discuss progress on their respective projects: CFS's SPARC demonstration machine leading to its ARC power plant, and Helion's Orion plant, which aims to deliver 50 megawatts of electricity to Microsoft starting in 2028. CFS has also applied to join the PJM Interconnection wholesale electricity market and raised $1 billion in July, bringing its total funding to $4 billion.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-28
TechCrunch announced five additional judges for its Startup Battlefield 200 competition at Disrupt 2026, bringing the total revealed so far to 20. The 200 selected startups will exhibit and pitch at the event, with judges narrowing the field toward finalists who compete for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the Disrupt Cup.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-28
TechCrunch is closing exhibit table bookings for its Disrupt 2026 conference on Friday, October 2, at 11:59 p.m. PT, after which no further reservations will be accepted. The event runs October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco and is expected to draw more than 10,000 founders, investors and tech leaders. Exhibit packages include a branded table, ten team passes, lead-generation tools, and app and website branding.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-28
Muju Earth has built the Aeropod, a fingernail-sized device farmers plant alongside seeds that bursts open from soil temperature, pressure and moisture to loosen compacted soil without machinery. The startup, founded by Ifeoluwa Afolayan and Wangyang Hu at Imperial College London, says the device can match tilling's results at roughly a quarter of the cost. Muju Earth is running paid field trials with nine UK onion farmers this fall and will present at TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield in October.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-25
Ricursive Intelligence co-founders Anna Goldie and Azalia Mirhoseini will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 about their startup's AI system for designing computer chips. The company aims to cut chip design time from two to three years down to weeks, building on the pair's earlier work co-leading Google's AlphaChip project, which helped design several generations of Google's Tensor Processing Units.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-25
TechCrunch is selling a discounted $75 Expo+ Pass to its Disrupt 2026 conference for people who have been laid off, capped at the first 100 qualifying buyers or until the event opens on October 13 at 8 a.m. PT. The pass grants access to the Expo Hall at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 13-15, where over 10,000 attendees and 300+ startups are expected.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-25
TechCrunch says the discount window for early registration to Disrupt 2026, its October 13-15 conference at San Francisco's Moscone West, closes within 24 hours. Attendees who register before the deadline can save up to $200, with an additional 50% off a second pass of the same type.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-25
TechCrunch says the last 24 hours to save up to $200 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 tickets end at midnight, after which prices rise. The conference runs October 13-15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, and buyers can also get an extra 50% off a second pass of the same type.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-25
Startup Nexterity, founded by former ExxonMobil engineer Lindsey Elliott, has developed a remote-controlled robot that automates the loosening and tightening of bolted flange joints on industrial pipes. The device attaches around a pipe in two pieces, runs on batteries, and can handle four bolts at once; it comes in multiple sizes small enough to fit in a Pelican case for easy transport. Nexterity is presenting the robot as part of Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt and plans to rent it out like construction equipment.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-24
TechCrunch is running a buy-one-get-one promotion on Disrupt 2026 tickets, offering 50% off a second pass of the same type when purchasing one. The offer runs until doors open at Moscone West in San Francisco on October 13 at 8 a.m. PT, after which prices increase. Disrupt 2026 takes place October 13-15 and will feature over 300 startups, 10,000+ attendees, and 200+ sessions across six stages.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-24
TechCrunch announced its Founder Summit 2026, a one-day event for founders at all stages set for November 4 at the SoWa Power Station in Boston. The agenda focuses on fundraising, AI-native company building, and leadership, featuring speakers such as Underscore partner Brian Devaney. Tickets are discounted by $200 for investors and founders.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-24
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will host a panel titled 'Building AI Systems When Failure Is Not an Option,' featuring Shield AI CTO Nathan Michael, Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun, and General Motors Director of Robotics Strategy Mikell Taylor. The session will cover safety culture, testing and validation, regulatory challenges, and trust-building for AI deployed in physical, high-stakes settings like aircraft, vehicles and robots. Attendees can save up to $200 on passes if purchased before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-24
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