Our next full, in-person TechCrunch Disrupt will be in San Francisco in 2025. Come be a part of it with us at the legendary Moscone West, October 27-29! We’re featuring this year’s breakout session on the new AI Stage. Plus, hear from top venture capitalists who will give their tips and tell you what they look for in AI founders. Notable investors participating include Aileen Lee, founder and managing partner of Cowboy Ventures, and Steve Jang, founder and managing partner of Kindred Ventures. Their expertise will illuminate what those qualities are that will attract the most needed investment in an ever-more competitive field.
This special AI Stage session will be a highlight of the conference. It will convene many of the industry’s leading VCs to talk about how the AI landscape is changing and what that means for startups. As AI monopolies proliferate, investors are increasingly focusing on defensibility. They want to know what their special sauce is that truly makes them a breakout startup. Founders looking for funding need to show that they have what it takes—what investors are looking for in order to give out term sheets.
Aileen Lee’s Perspective on Investment
Aileen Lee has made quite a name for herself as one of the top venture capitalists around. As an early-stage investor, she’s made a number of successful investments in enterprise and consumer software companies. Her portfolio reads like a who’s who of successful companies including Dollar Shave Club, Drata Security, Guild, and Ironclad. In her fireside chat at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, she will discuss how to stay innovative and agile in a rapidly changing AI landscape.
Lee’s experience provides irreplaceable perspective into how founders can best set themselves up to get in front of potential investors. She calls for a better understanding of the market and flexibility to adjust course when ideas aren’t hitting the mark. What can attendees to her session at KIN summit expect? At summit, attendees can expect her to outline the qualities that make startups truly irresistible to investors like herself.
Steve Jang’s Insights on AI and Technology
Steve Jang is an exemplary Midas List venture capitalist. Namely, he’s pushed the state’s economic development arm to make big moves on behalf of companies working on AI, decentralized systems, infrastructure, and frontier technology. His firm, Kindred Ventures, is the secret sauce behind many of the best startups you’ve heard of that have used advanced technology to tackle complex challenges.
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Jang will share his perspective on the current trends in tech investment, especially within the AI sector. Find out what makes a startup defensible in an age where the platforms are the new tech titans with his full talk. Founders will look forward to his insights, as they will help them create the stories needed to make their technologies and business models attractive to investors.
Registration and Attendance
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will bring the top leaders of more than 10,000 startups and VCs together. This event will be an incredible networking opportunity with lots of like-minded entrepreneurs. The event organizers encourage early registration, offering a discount of up to $668 for attendees who sign up before September 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. This discount allows startups to engage with influential investors at a reduced rate, making it accessible for many aspiring entrepreneurs.