Discover how to take your startup from prototype to production at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Founders who can turn a working prototype into a dependable product face a very different set of challenges than those who build impressive proofs of concept. TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will address that transition in a Real World AI Stage session called "From Prototype to Production: Can It Scale in Reality?", bringing together leaders who have navigated manufacturing, deployment and infrastructure hurdles in different industries.

Each panelist brings a distinct perspective on scaling. John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of MBRYONICS, has taken a photonics spinout into a company focused on space-based optical communications and the high-volume manufacturing that supports it. Boris Sofman, co-founder of Bedrock Robotics and a former leader of autonomous trucking efforts at Waymo, will speak from experience scaling driverless systems beyond controlled testing — including work tied to more than 100 million driverless miles. Adrian Macneil, co-founder of Foxglove and formerly an infrastructure engineering lead at Cruise, will discuss the engineering platforms and data systems that underpin large-scale autonomous deployments.

The session is not billed as a single roadmap but rather as an opportunity to compare how production challenges differ across domains. Panelists will examine issues such as reliability in uncontrolled environments, the operational systems required to sustain growth, and the shift from building one-off prototypes to establishing repeatable manufacturing and support processes.

Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco October 1315, 2026, and the conference will host more than 250 sessions alongside an expected audience of over 10,000 founders, investors and operators. Attendees who register by September 25 can save up to $200 on passes to hear this and other conversations about bringing breakthrough technologies into real-world use.