This existential challenge defines the upcoming Builders Stage session at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, held October 13–15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. The discussion moves beyond model performance to examine the core components that platforms struggle to commoditize: proprietary data, deep-rooted workflows, and long-term customer trust. Founders now face the reality that a successful product launch today may simply serve as a roadmap preview for the giants they rely on.
In section Startups & Technology
When Your Startup’s Core Product Becomes a Platform Feature
For AI founders, the most dangerous competitor is no longer a rival startup, but the platform powering their own infrastructure. As OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google rapidly integrate new capabilities, product strategy has shifted from asking what can be built to determining what value remains defensible against a platform update.
To navigate this, the panel features Airbyte CEO Michel Tricot, Webflow CEO Linda Tong, and Radical Ventures partner Rob Toews. They will dissect how companies can survive the platform shift by focusing on domain-specific expertise and customer relationships that foundation models cannot easily replicate. For those building in the current ecosystem, the session offers a blueprint for creating lasting value that persists long after the next model release makes current features obsolete.
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