Venture Capitalists to Debate 'New Rules' of Funding at TechCrunch Disrupt
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Institutional LPs, family offices, and IPO experts will convene in San Francisco to discuss shifting valuation logic and capital deployment in the AI era.
The venture capital landscape is undergoing a period of flux driven by the scaling speed of AI startups, according to TechCrunch. This shift will be the central focus of the StrictlyVC sessions at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled for October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West.
Reporting from TechCrunch indicates that the event will address several structural changes in how capital is deployed and exited. Ryan Flanagan of ICR will lead a discussion on the reopening of the IPO window, noting that the current playbook requires higher standards for governance, credibility, and growth than in previous cycles.
Other key sessions will examine the changing composition of funding sources. Bruce K Lee of Keebeck Capital Management and Dave Sachse of the Sachse Family Fund will discuss the rise of family offices as flexible, fast-moving sources of startup capital. Simultaneously, Amit Bhatti of TrueBridge Capital Partners and Beezer Clarkson of LGT Capital Partners will represent the perspective of institutional limited partners (LPs). TechCrunch reports that these LPs are currently re-evaluating liquidity expectations, manager selection, and concentrated exposure to AI.
The event aims to provide a candid look at how venture firms are competing for institutional capital and how founders are positioning themselves for exits in a more disciplined market.