It’s not just you: AI startups are getting a huge amount of seed funding and in the process making things more difficult for anyone looking for funding even at an early stage. We’ve covered the trend in detail, and at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt event, we want to help pre-seed founders who are now holding early stage expectations.
With artificial intelligence making developing a minimum viable product faster than ever, is there still hope for a founder who has an exciting idea but nothing concrete to show for it? This is what the “Winning Pre-seed Without a Product” panel will seek to answer.
And it’s just one of many sessions you can look forward to on our popular Builders Stage at Disrupt 2026. It’s home to our sharpest discussions and workshops, tackling everything from getting your hands dirty with business decisions, fundraising, go-to-market strategies and other vital topics.
And you can be a part of it all by getting your ticket to attend Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco at Moscone West, October 13-15, at the best prices you’ll find for the rest of the year.
For this session, we have assembled a great trio of speakers to provide their expertise on this colorful and central topic.
Sandhya Venkatachalam: Founder, Managing Partner, Axiom Partners
Venkatachalam and both know a thing or two about successful exits and what investors look for when they take the plunge with companies that eventually succeed through an acquisition of their own. Her current role is to oversee the new Axiom Partnerswhere it is a $52 million early-stage venture fund; focused on connecting founders with top-tier AI professionals to help power AI that drives real-world improvements.
Previously, he worked as a GP at Khosla Ventures and Social Capital, where he was an early investor in Groq, and also led investments in GalileoAI, ForethoughtAI and FirefliesAI, which have either been acquired or reached unicorn status.
Puneet Agarwal: Managing Partner, True Ventures
True Ventures has been a mainstay of the startup community, with a focus on early-stage companies spanning 2005. And Agarwal has been there for almost that entire time, starting in 2008 and now evolving into a managing partner with a strong focus on transforming enterprise infrastructure and applications amid the AI era.
If you’re looking for expert advice on what VCs want, Agarwal is here to provide it. True Ventures is not just a fund. spanning 12 funds, with partnerships spanning more than 500 companies and 1,050 founders to more than 60 acquisitions and seven IPOs.
Austin Clements: Managing Partner, Slauson & Co.
Slauson & Co. it’s not on the scale of True Ventures, but their mission, and Clements’ work on it, will be especially noteworthy to the founding crowd. They are particularly focused on financial inclusion and small business empowerment, and Clements launched an in-house accelerator to further enhance that mission.
His work to expand the founding community through inclusive efforts resonates with his work as founding president of PledgeLAwhich in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation and the Los Angeles mayor’s office, further promotes the importance of diversity in the tech community.
And frequent readers may recognize one of the companies Slauson & Co. has invested in: Startup Battlefield 2026 victor Glīd!
Learn from the experts, embrace the excitement of Disrupt 2026
It’s just the beginning of the rollout of Disrupt 2026 programming as we inch closer to the launch on October 13th in San Francisco.
And let this Battlefield highlight be a reminder that Disrupt isn’t just about the valuable insights and sessions — it’s about celebrating the community, learning from its success and stumbles, and equipping yourself for the next step of your journey. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or play a number of other vital roles in the startup ecosystem, now is the time to get your ticket to Disrupt 2026!
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