Startups don’t build themselves. This year’s Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, which will be held from October 27 to 29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, is bringing together some of today’s most prominent investors, founders, and operators. Attendees can expect focused, practical discussions covering the real world of launching, funding, and scaling a successful startup.
Among the high-profile guests confirmed to speak is legendary investor Elad Gil, one of Silicon Valley’s most respected and successful early-stage supporters. Gil is renowned not only for making timely early investments in companies like Airbnb, Stripe, Coinbase, Notion, and Instacart, but also for founding and leading startups such as Color Health. Drawing from deep experience in spotting trends ahead of the curve, Gil will share invaluable insight through a candid conversation on the realities and challenges of early-stage investing.
Another highlight will be a fireside chat featuring former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and Adam Bain from the venture firm 01 Advisors. They, joined by fellow partner David Fischer, previously of Meta, will discuss their perspective on building, scaling, and funding startups today, sharing key lessons from exceptional early-stage journeys.
The Builders Stage agenda will also dive deep into the specifics of raising capital. Prominent panel discussions include conversations on securing seed funding led by Harlem Capital’s Gabby Cazeau, MaC Venture Capital’s Marlon Nichols, and Freestyle Capital’s Maria Palma. Meanwhile, GV partner Sangeen Zeb and other well-known investors will discuss how to successfully secure a Series A investment in 2026.
Moreover, a practical panel featuring Medha Agarwal of Defy.vc, Jyoti Bansal of Harness, and January Ventures’ Jennifer Neundorfer will reveal precisely what venture capitalists look for in startup pitches, covering frequent mistakes and overlooked opportunities, with a view to helping founders stand out amid tough competition.
Exploring alternative financing paths beyond traditional venture capital will be topics such as bootstrapping and family-office investment, featuring Chess.com CEO Erik Allebest and Gale Wilkinson from VITALIZE Venture Capital—alongside Kay Makishi of Lupoff/Stevens Family Office. In addition, experts including Lila Preston from Generation Investment Management, Andrea Thomaz of Diligent Robotics, and Zeya Yang of IVP will discuss strategies for positioning startups for larger later-stage rounds.
Investors will also share insights into emerging areas predicted to attract funding attention in 2026, led by Index Venture’s Nina Achadjian, Jerry Chen from Greylock, and Felicis Ventures’ Viviana Faga.
Other critical sessions at the event include a fireside chat with Flexport’s founder and CEO Ryan Petersen, who will share his personal experiences in steering the global logistics giant through turbulent markets. Additional discussions tackle core operational topics, including achieving product-market fit, effective compensation strategies for early employees, building a competitive go-to-market strategy, and whether—or how deeply—startups should integrate AI into their core operations.
Another much-anticipated panel will debate whether startups still require a physical presence in Silicon Valley, featuring voices from Lago CEO Anh-Tho Chuong, SignalFire executive Heather Doshay, and Revolution’s David Hall.
The Builders Stage combines candid exchanges, no-fluff practical insights, and ample audience interaction, providing attendees an opportunity to pose their toughest questions directly to startup world veterans in real-time.
With an impressive lineup of speakers and actionable advice, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025’s Builders Stage promises to be an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs and investors looking to sharpen their strategies, make critical connections, and optimize growth in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
