What does one of Silicon Valley’s most successful venture firms think founders are getting wrong? At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the five Benchmark general partners will come together to find out. This is the first time the entire current Benchmark partnership has appeared together on the Disrupt Stage in San Francisco.

The focus is on the future: where the next generation of startups will come from, which assumptions founders should reconsider, and which opportunities the partners believe are still hiding in plain sight. And 2026 is an especially interesting year to ask them.

After decades of concentrated early-stage investing, Benchmark has made one of the biggest changes in its own playbook this year, raising approximately $2 billion across a $750 million flagship fund and its first $1.25 billion growth fund. Now, the market has changed, and Benchmark has changed with it.

The session, “What We Believe Now,” will gather five investors with very different routes to the partnership. Each brings unique experience: from founding companies, backing enterprise software, investing in frontier technology, and helping businesses navigate IPOs and acquisitions. The discussion promises to be less about a single Benchmark thesis and more about how experienced investors disagree, update their assumptions, and decide where conviction is warranted.

Expect to hear about the next billion-dollar company, whether it’s another AI application or something entirely different. Benchmark’s perspective on what’s next in the venture market could be invaluable for founders and investors alike. Register now to save up to $200 before prices increase on September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Save an additional 30% on group passes for four or more.