Astro Teller, the leader of Alphabet’s renowned X — the so-called Moonshot Factory — will join the speaker lineup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. The three-day event is scheduled for October 27–29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, bringing together founders, investors, students, and startup enthusiasts from around the world.
As Captain of Moonshots since 2010, Teller guides X’s ambitious projects designed to tackle some of the most complex global challenges. Under his leadership, the innovation hub has pursued pioneering initiatives including Waymo’s self-driving cars, Wing’s autonomous delivery drones, and Loon’s internet-providing balloons—although the latter project was eventually discontinued, a testament to Teller’s pragmatic embrace of quick but instructive failures.
Teller’s distinguished record blends cutting-edge science with business pragmatism. He holds an undergraduate degree from Stanford and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. Beyond his academic credentials, Teller has notable experience as an entrepreneur, having successfully founded and sold a wearable health-monitoring startup before transitioning to Alphabet. Prior to his current role, he also spent several years managing a hedge fund, honing his financial acumen.
His appearance comes at a time when artificial intelligence is profoundly reshaping countless industries, and the line between once-futuristic ideas and tangible innovation continues to blur. For today’s entrepreneurs navigating both boundless opportunities and daunting uncertainties, Teller’s insights on innovation, risk-taking, and cultivating disruptive thinking promise to be especially valuable.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn from one of the world’s foremost innovation leaders and gain practical insight into embracing ambitious ventures. Teller’s well-known philosophy—fostering environments where productive failures are encouraged to accelerate overall success—speaks directly to founders heading into a future defined by rapid technological change and innovation.
Registration for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is now open, with early bird prices offering sizable savings for those securing tickets early.
