Power Up Your AI Infrastructure: A First Look at the Smart Systems Stage Lineup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

AI doesn’t run on code alone — it requires massive amounts of power, and that demand is increasingly becoming a critical bottleneck. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the Smart Systems Stage will be where energy, infrastructure, and technology collide, covering everything from fusion breakthroughs to the grid strain AI is putting on the entire economy.

From October 13-15 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, leaders from Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion, Inertia, Bloom Energy, and more are set to discuss what it takes to power the next decade of innovation. Topics include commercial fusion’s path, why utilities and startups are racing to modernize aging infrastructure, and how data center operators are scrambling to secure the electricity that AI’s growth depends on.

Smart Systems Stage agenda so far

Bringing Fusion to the Grid

Leaders from Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion will break down the breakthroughs driving commercial fusion forward, the challenges still ahead, and what it will take to get fusion power onto the grid at scale.

With David Kirtley, CEO, Helion, and Brandon Sorbom, Chief Science Officer, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

How Twilio’s Founder Is Tackling the Power Problem

Inertia CEO Jeff Lawson will join for a fireside chat on his path from founding Twilio to leading one of the best-funded fusion power startups in the world, and how scaling Twilio is shaping his approach to talent, timelines, and the hard engineering questions ahead.

With Jeff Lawson, CEO, Inertia

Rewiring the Grid for the Electric Age

Electricity demand is growing faster than the infrastructure built to support it. This panel will explore what it takes to modernize the power system, where investment is flowing, and how utilities, startups, and technology providers are building a more resilient, flexible grid.

With Drew Baglino, Founder & CEO, Heron Power; Apoorv Bhargava, CEO and Co-founder, WeaveGrid; and more speakers to be announced

AI’s Power Problem

As compute demand skyrockets, data center operators and energy companies are racing to secure power and expand infrastructure before it becomes the bottleneck that slows AI’s next wave. The session will examine how leaders across both industries are addressing the challenge.

With Sara Spangelo, President & Co-Founder, Ambrosia Energy; Bill Thayer, SVP, Head of Datacenter Solutions, Bloom Energy; and more speakers to be announced

The Smart Systems Stage is aimed at founders and operators working on energy breakthroughs, grid infrastructure, or the broader constraints on AI growth.