Get ready for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, our signature event for startups at all stages, taking place at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30. This year, we expect to see a huge turnout of 10,000 leaders from the startup and VC communities.
As part of the program, we are excited to announce the full agenda for the Builder Stage. This is the culmination of months of hard work and is just one of six stages that will feature at this year's event, with more announcements to come.
About the Builder Stage
The Builders Stage will serve as a hub for dozens of panels and interviews dedicated to the essentials of building and funding a technology startup. This year, we'll further strengthen our commitment to deliver a top-class program featuring innovation across every stage of a team's journey. We'll dive deep into operations, talent acquisition, fundraising, and other important topics, tailored for the new wave of startup pioneers. Plus, don't miss sessions like “How to Find and Maintain Product-Market Fit,” “What It Takes to Raise Series A Today,” and “When to Cash Out and When to Keep Fighting.”
Builder Stage Agenda
How The Chainsmokers bring value beyond celebrity status
With Alex Pall (Mantis VC), Drew Taggart (Mantis VC) and Dan Lorenc (Chainguard)
A lot of celebrities invest in startups, but not the Chainsmokers. Instead of angel investing, Drew Taggart and Alex Pall have started a formal fund called Mantis Venture Capital, which invests from a formal closed-end fund and backs companies in industries where celebrity power doesn't always help, like security startups and analytics platforms. In this session, Taggart and Pall join Chainguard founder Dan Lorenc to talk about how they're an asset to B2B startups.
What you need to raise a Series A today
Renata Quintini (Renegade Partners), Corinne Riley (Greylock), Elizabeth Yin (Hustle Fund)
If you’re not building the next generation foundational model AI company, raising Series A funding may be harder than ever. To help founders building at the seed stage prepare for their first letter round, ask investors to explain what they and their company are looking for in their next Series A deal.
How to find and maintain product-market fit
Spencer Skates (Amplitude), April Underwood (Adverb), Tamar Yehoshua (Glean)
Every startup knows they need to find product-market fit. But once they find true resonance between what they offer and what's in demand, how do startups ensure they don't lose the product-market fit they've gained? Finding your PMF is one thing, maintaining it is another.
Why AI Regulation is Every Startup's Business
Martin Casado (Andreessen Horowitz)
Martin Casado has had the experience that every founder dreams of: He invented a new technology that fundamentally changed how computer networks are built, sold a startup that had just come out of stealth for $1.26 billion (his second startup to be sold), and then went on to have an influential career as a venture capitalist at Andreessen Horowitz, where he led the firm's infrastructure investment practice. Now he's sounding the alarm about AI regulation, and the need for startups in particular to get involved.
How to launch a new product against an existing incumbent
Paul Lambert (Quilt), Gurinder Nagra (Furno Materials), Brigid O'Brien (RA Capital)
Founders rarely have the luxury of entering an open market, but what happens when an incumbent is unusually entrenched? What does it take to launch a company in an industry dominated by large corporations and technology that has changed little in recent years? Hear from two founders and one investor about the challenges of taking on multinational conglomerates while building the hardware and preparing to scale.
Family offices want exposure to startups, but what are they looking for?
Etty Lazarian (Elle Family Office) and Bruce Lee (Keevec Wealth Management)
Family offices are increasingly active in investing in startups both directly and through VC investors. But what are they looking for? Every family office is different, but in this session we'll dive into family office investment trends and the areas they've spent time in the startup ecosystem. We'll also delve into what risks these investors are willing to take and why startups are a good fit for this category of backer.
The boom of startups in the pursuit of national interest
Rebecca Gevaert (Dcode Capital), Topher Haddad (Albedo), Kai Kloepfer (Biofire)
One interesting recent trend is an area that goes by many names: national interest startups, American dynamism, new world. These startups create technology in sectors that are intended to be built, used, and create jobs in their country of origin, such as the United States. They cover everything from aerospace and critical infrastructure to government, manufacturing, and national security. This panel delves into how far and how fast Silicon Valley can reshape the foundations of a nation.
How startups can save the world
With Areeb Malik (Glacier), Hyuk-Jeen Suh (SkyRiver Ventures) and Allison Wolff (Vibrant Planet)
Startups and venture capital investments are typically evaluated through the lens of financial performance. The bigger a startup gets, the more valuable it becomes. But some emerging technology companies are committed to making the world better while making money. So we want to know how far you can go in “doing good” without giving up on the important “making money” aspect of building a technology company.
How to build a company while protecting your mental health
Andy Dunn (Bonobos, Pie)
We all know that starting a company is stressful. And it's equally well known that chronic, never-ending work leads to burnout. So why not talk more about mental health for founders? Now that our culture has become accustomed to talking about mental health in general, it's time to bring this topic to Disrupt 2024 and explore it thoroughly.
How to hire in 2025
With Heather Doshay (SignalFire), Lauren Illovsky (CapitalG), and Roger Lee (Comprehensive.io)
Gone are the days when recruiters seemed more plentiful than leaves in the wind. As such, employees in nearly every startup sector face a more conservative labor market. How can founders leverage the increased labor purchasing power while still respecting their employees and retaining key talent? Founders, this is for you.
Don't be a lemming: The anti-hype panel
Pegher Ebrahimi (FPV Ventures), Matt Rogers (Mill), Natalie Sportelli (Bullish)
What's the difference between a real opportunity and hype? Answering this question correctly is the difference between success and failure in the technology industry. And it's a much harder question than it looks. When everyone is convinced that a particular technology is the future, founders and even venture capitalists tend to pursue it en masse. But as anyone who's lived through the boom and bust cycles of Silicon Valley knows, collective excitement — or hype — isn't the best indicator.
Breaking down the pitch deck
Sophia Dolphe (Index Ventures), Deena Shakir (Lux Capital), and Marcy Vu (Greycroft)
A clear, compelling presentation is a key component of successful fundraising, yet it's relatively rare for founders to get honest feedback on how they communicated the problem, solution, and path to success. At Pitch Deck Teardown on October 30th, VCs will provide live feedback on presentations submitted by the audience.
How to raise capital in 2025 if you take a flat, down or extension round
Nikhil Basu Trivedi (Footwork), Dana Grayson (Construct Capital), Elliot Robinson (Bessemer Venture Partners)
The idea that you need $100M worth of past revenue to go public, or $1M worth of annual recurring revenue to raise Series A is so outdated it's practically sitting on Abraham Lincoln's head. In today's market, the amount a startup needs to raise depends on its industry, founder profile, and of course momentum. So what does it take to raise Series A?
How to build technology that gets customers
Wassim Bensaid (Libyan)
Rivian's Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, knows a thing or two about building products from the ground up in high-risk environments. A software and systems engineering veteran, Bensaid played a central role in Rivian's recent effort to improve its EVs while reducing costs. It was a massive, existential undertaking that led the EV maker to rework core parts of its vehicles, including the electrical architecture and redesigned software user interfaces. It wasn't always easy. Learn from Bensaid what it takes to build a product from the ground up, including how to navigate conflict and challenges — an essential tool for any startup founder.
Do DEI initiatives have a future?
Ariane Simone (Fearless Fund)
Fearless Fund is one of many organizations that have faced criticism for implementing programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a result, the future of many of these efforts is uncertain. But the fight isn't over yet. Join us exclusively at Disrupt this year for a fireside chat about what would happen if civil rights were brought into venture capital.
Free but not cheap: the open source dilemma
With Aeva Black (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), Luis Villa (Tidelift) and Bogomil Balkansky (Sequoia Capital).
Open source software is everywhere and used for everything. Many startups are pursuing explicitly open source business models. But every company that develops software relies on at least some open source code. But recent security issues have made it clear that open source software is being targeted by nation-state hackers. So how can we continue to build and use collaborative code without the risk of backdoors and other security holes?
When to cash out and when to keep fighting
In collaboration with Naveen Rao (Databricks), Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan (Snowflake) and Dharmesh Thakker (Battery Ventures)
Startup founders are often given the chance to sell before their companies are fully mature. In today's world, where IPOs often come later than the norm in the past, it may be tempting for founders to seek out a parent company for their startup. But when does it make sense to sell? And when should founders continue to forge their own path?
Don't miss Disrupt 2024
This agenda is exclusive to the Builders Stage. There will be five additional stages focusing on AI, SaaS, Fintech, Space and more. Don't miss your chance to gain valuable insights from top industry experts at Disrupt 2024. Register here to secure your pass.