Today, Day 1 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, is in full swing. Ten thousand founders, investors, and builders have flooded into Moscone West for a nonstop schedule of ideas, demos, and deals. The energy is electric, with conversations happening everywhere and breakthroughs just beginning to emerge.
From the Startup Battlefield to the AI Disruptors 60, from space entrepreneurs to founders redefining how and when startups go public, this is where the next decade of technology is being written live. Every hallway conversation, roundtable, and coffee chat has the potential to spark a new partnership or create the next big company.
The Expo Hall doors are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., featuring over three hundred exhibiting startups showcasing cutting-edge technologies across numerous industries.
The stages are set for today’s sessions, with speakers tackling everything from space tech and startup growth to scaling strategies and going public.
On the Disrupt Stage, the spotlight is on the Startup Battlefield 200, a premier pitch competition. TechCrunch has vetted the top twenty early-stage startups to pitch in front of the world’s most seasoned venture capitalists for a one hundred thousand dollar equity-free prize and the Disrupt Cup. The first session includes judges Allison Baum Gates from SemperVirens VC, Cathy Friedman from GV, Katelin Holloway from Seven Seven Six, Charles Hudson from Precursor Ventures, and Nicolas Sauvage from TDK Ventures. The second session features judges Eryk Dobrushkin from Index Ventures, Jen Hoskins from NVIDIA, Thomas Krane from Insight Partners, Jon McNeill from DVx Ventures, and Katie Stanton from Moxxie Ventures. Other key sessions on this stage include The Self-Driving Reality Check with Tekedra Mawakana from Waymo, What Sequoia Sees Coming Next with Roelof Botha from Sequoia Capital, and Moonshots, AI, and the Future of Alphabet with Astro Teller from The Moonshot Factory.
The Space Stage, at the intersection of technology and exploration, features startups reimagining the future of space. Sessions include the Aerospace Startup Showcase with Dr. Tom Cwik from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Debra Emmons from The Aerospace Corporation, Katelin Holloway from Seven Seven Six, and Mandy Vaughn from GXO, Inc. Other talks feature Baiju Bhatt from Aetherflux, a panel on Investing at the Edge of Space, William Bruey from Varda Space Industries, a discussion on AI at the Edge for space, and a session on Laying the Groundwork for a New Space Economy.
The Going Public Stage offers strategies for founders at every stage, focusing on IPO readiness and post-exit success. Sessions cover how long a startup should stay private, rethinking the exit with Kodiak AI’s founder, what comes after breakout success, how AI is forcing late-stage startups to rewire their go-to-market strategy, and everything you need to know before an exit.
The Builders Stage delivers the raw reality of startup life, with lessons on scaling, fundraising, and thriving. Topics include how to raise a Series A in 2026, how AI is fueling aviation, determining salary and equity for early employees, building with DeepMind and Google Cloud, creating a go-to-market engine that works, the AI Disruptors 60, what venture capitalists really want to hear in a pitch, and building in a time of uncertainty.
The Pitch Showcase Stage in the Expo Hall features a full day of presentations. From 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Startup Battlefield 200 presents sustainability pitches. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m., there is a Pavilion Pitch Session from KOSME. From 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., a Pavilion Pitch Session from Japan features JETRO. From 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Startup Battlefield 200 presents built world pitches. From 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., a Pavilion Pitch Session from Korea features KOTRA. From 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., there is a Pavilion Pitch Session from the Sultanate of Oman.
The Breakout Stage offers fifty-minute Q&A sessions on a first-come, first-served basis. Topics range from untapped opportunities in business workflows and using AI tools for development goals to bootstrapping startups, merger and acquisition tips, fundraising mistakes, a fundraising workshop, a strategic playbook for AI and national security, and startup lessons you will not find in a playbook.
Roundtables provide small-group sessions for founders and investors to tackle real-world challenges. Pre-registration on the event app is required. Topics include the future of banking and fintech, prototyping and scaling generative AI applications, turning a business into a trusted community, selling scalable AI agents, the future of construction with AI, connecting with the Berkeley startup ecosystem, training AI models, building community as a product, physical AI, the future of the space economy, investor insights, IPO success, building for the public sector with AI, building AI-ready data infrastructure, and the role of emotional intelligence in AI.
Networking opportunities are available throughout the day. The Networking Lounge powered by Braindate is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for finding co-founders, investors, or mentors. The Deal Flow Cafe opens at 9:00 a.m., providing a quiet space for founders and investors to make deals over coffee.
From 9:00 to 9:30 a.m., start your morning with Equity Live, a special onstage recording of TechCrunch’s flagship podcast on the Builders Stage.
Company-hosted side events are happening throughout San Francisco this week, extending the Disrupt energy beyond Moscone West. Events tonight include panels, parties, and meetups designed to connect founders, investors, and innovators across the tech industry.
There is still time to join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Tickets are available through the final day, offering access to more Startup Battlefield pitches, game-changing sessions, and unforgettable connections. Secure your ticket now to be part of the future of tech.