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 minimumviableproduct swifter than ever, is there even hope for a founder who has a compelling idea, but nothing concrete to show for it?That’swhat our “Winning Pre-Seed Without a Product” panel willseekto answer.
Andit’sjust one ofthe many sessions you can look forwardtoatour popular Builders Stage at Disrupt 2026.That’swhere our most pointed conversations and workshops take place, tackling everything from getting your hands dirty with operational decisions, fundraising,go-to-marketstrategies,and othervitalsubjects.
And you can be a part of it all bygetting your ticket to attend Disrupt 2026in San Francisco at Moscone West, October 13-15, at the best pricesyou’llfind for theremainderof the year.
As for this specific session,we’vegathered a great trio of speakers to provide theirexpertiseon this nuanced and pivotal topic.
Sandhya Venkatachalam:Founder, managing partner, Axiom Partners
Venkatachalambothknowsa thing or two about having a successful exit, andwhat investors are looking for whentaking the plunge with companies that eventually succeed through an acquisition of their own. Her current role is overseeingthenewly launchedAxiomPartners, which isan early-stage, $52 millionventure fundthat’sfocused on connecting founders to top-class AI practitioners to help fuel AI that leads to real-world improvements.
Previously, she worked as a GP at Khosla Ventures and Social Capital, where she was the first investor inGroq,and alsoled investments intoGalileoAI,ForethoughtAI,andFirefliesAI, which have all either beenacquiredor reached unicorn status.
Puneet Agarwal:Managing partner, True Ventures
True Ventures has been a mainstay of the startup community, with a focus onearly-stagecompanies thatstretchesback to 2005. And Agarwal has worked there fornearly thatwhole time, starting in 2008and now evolving into a managing partner who’s especially focused on the transformation of enterprise infrastructure and applications amid the AI era.
Ifyou’relooking for expert advice on what VCs want, Agarwal is here to provide it.True Venturesisn’tjust afund; it stretches across 12 funds, with partnerships stretching from more than 500 companies and 1,050 founders to more than 60 acquisitions and seven IPOs.
Austin Clements: Managing partner, Slauson & Co.
Slauson & Co.isn’tat the scale of True Ventures, but their mission, and Clements’ work within it, will be ofparticular notefor the founders in the crowd.They’reparticularlyfocused on economic inclusion and small business empowerment, and Clementsstarted an accelerator within the firm tohone in onthis mission even further.
His work to broaden the founder community through inclusive efforts is echoed in his work as the founding chair ofPledgeLA, which in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation and LA mayor’s office, further promotes the importance of diversity within the tech community.
And frequent readers may recognize one of the companies Slauson & Co. has invested in:Startup Battlefield 2026 victor Glīd!
Learn from experts, embrace the Disrupt 2026 excitement
They’rejust the beginning of our rollout of Disrupt 2026 programming as we build up to our October 13 kickoff in San Francisco.
And let that Battlefield highlight be a reminder that Disrupt isn’t just the valuable insights and sessions — it’s getting to celebrate the community, learn from their success and stumbles, and equip yourself for the new step of your journey. 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!
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