At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, all five general partners of Benchmark will take the stage together for a session titled "What We Believe Now." This marks the first time the entire current partnership has appeared together on the Disrupt Stage in San Francisco. The session will explore the evolving landscape of venture capital, focusing on where the next generation of startups might emerge, what assumptions founders should reconsider, and which opportunities might still be overlooked. This comes at a time of strategic evolution for Benchmark, which has raised approximately $2 billion across a $750 million flagship fund and its first $1.25 billion growth fund. According to the OECD, AI companies captured 61% of global venture capital investment in 2025, with $258.7 billion of $427.1 billion invested overall. However, the majority of that investment—about 73%—went to deals valued at more than $100 million, creating a highly competitive environment for startup founders. The session will feature insights from a range of experienced investors. Jack Altman, who joined Benchmark after founding Lattice and running his own venture firm, Alt Capital, which raised $425 million, will share his perspective. Peter Fenton, with a long track record in venture capital, has investments spanning both consumer and enterprise sectors, including current AI ventures like Sierra, Digits, and Sema4.ai. Chetan Puttagunta focuses on early-stage enterprise software, having backed companies like MongoDB, MuleSoft, and Elastic. Everett Randle has a broad investment background, with stakes in companies such as Anthropic, SpaceX, and Rippling. Eric Vishria, who previously founded the startup RockMelt before its acquisition by Yahoo, focuses on early-stage infrastructure and enterprise software, with investments in Amplitude, Confluent, and Fireworks.ai. The session will highlight how seasoned investors navigate disagreements, update their assumptions, and identify areas where they have strong conviction. Vishria shared an example from his career with Cerebras, an AI chip startup. He almost didn’t attend the meeting in 2016 but changed his mind after the third slide, leading to Benchmark co-leading the company’s $25 million Series A. A decade later, Cerebras went public, and Benchmark held a 9.5% stake at the IPO. This kind of insight will help founders understand how sophisticated investors assess markets, teams, and opportunities—allowing them to challenge their own assumptions and strategies. Disrupt 2026 will take place from October 13–15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, bringing together more than 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and innovators across six stages, roundtables, and breakout sessions. The event will also feature Startup Battlefield, an expo hall, and other networking opportunities. Early registration discounts of up to $200 are available before prices increase on September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Groups of four or more can also receive an additional 30% discount.