It’s not just you: AI startups are taking in a huge amount of seed funding, and in the process making things harder for anyone looking for funding even at a pre-seed stage. We’ve covered the trend in detail, and at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt event, we want to help pre-seed founders now being held to seed-stage expectations.

With AI making the development of a minimum viable product swifter than ever, is there even hope for a founder who has a compelling idea, but nothing concrete to show for it? That’s what our “Winning Pre-Seed Without a Product” panel will seek to answer. And it’s just one of the many sessions you can look forward to at our popular Builders Stage at Disrupt 2026.

As for this specific session, we’ve gathered a great trio of speakers to provide their expertise on this nuanced and pivotal topic. Sandhya Venkatachalam: Founder, managing partner, Axiom Partners; Puneet Agarwal: Managing partner, True Ventures; Austin Clements: Managing partner, Slauson & Co.

Learn from experts, embrace the Disrupt 2026 excitement. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or playing any number of other vital roles in the startup ecosystem, now’s the time to get your Disrupt 2026 ticket!