StrictlyVC at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: A look at how venture capital's playbook is being rewritten

Venture capital is being reshaped in real time, driven largely by artificial intelligence and the blistering pace at which startups are scaling. Everything is in flux — who supplies the capital, how it gets deployed, and what the road to going public looks like. StrictlyVC at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will gather investors, institutional limited partners, family office managers, and market specialists for an afternoon of frank discussion on where capital is flowing, how the people managing venture money view the current dealmaking frenzy, and what founders and VCs must know about the new funding landscape.

Access to this exclusive session requires a Disrupt Investor Pass. The event runs October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, with the StrictlyVC programming on October 14. Attendees who register by September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT can save $200 on their Investor Pass.

How the Afternoon Is Structured

The session opens at 3:00 p.m. with 45 minutes of networking over drinks and light bites, giving attendees time to connect with fellow investors, founders, and venture leaders before the main program. The conversations run from 3:45 to 4:50 p.m., followed by an extended drinks and networking period until 6:00 p.m. The full Disrupt agenda also features 200+ sessions across six industry stages, plus roundtables and breakouts.

Speakers and Sessions

Ryan Flanagan, ICR — The IPO window is reopening, but the playbook has changed. Founders and investors now face a tougher route to public markets, with elevated expectations around growth, governance, and credibility. Flanagan will discuss what makes a company IPO-ready today, the decisions that matter years before a listing, and how to position a business for a successful exit in a more disciplined market.

Bruce K Lee, Keebeck Capital Management, and Dave Sachse, Sachse Family Fund — Family offices have become one of the fastest-growing sources of startup capital, often moving faster and investing more flexibly than traditional institutions — though sometimes piling in at the wrong moments. These investors will share how they approach venture today, where they're making long-term bets, how they collaborate with VCs, and why founders increasingly view them as strategic partners.

Amit Bhatti, TrueBridge Capital Partners, and Beezer Clarkson, LGT Capital Partners — Venture firms are competing harder than ever for institutional capital while LPs rethink everything from manager selection to concentrated AI exposure and liquidity expectations. The two will cover what LPs want in today's market, how they weigh emerging managers against established firms, and where they expect the next generation of venture returns to originate.

Why It Matters

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 expects to bring together more than 10,000 founders, VCs, and operators from across the global tech ecosystem — a venue for connections, emerging breakthroughs, and insights from industry leaders. With AI accelerating dealmaking and the IPO market recalibrating, the StrictlyVC session offers a timely snapshot of how capital providers are adapting. Registration for the Investor Pass, with savings of up to $200, closes September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Image Credits: Slava Blazer Photography / TechCrunch