TechCrunch Disrupt 2026's Side Events program extends the conference beyond Moscone West with a series of off-site gatherings from October 7–14. The events range from happy hours and dinners to workshops and live demos, aimed at founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders looking to connect outside the main show floor.
Several events highlight international expansion. KOTRA's Korea–US Startup & Investor Networking Night connects Korean startups entering the U.S. market with Bay Area investors, while Enterprise Ireland's "Irish Shark Tank" brings Irish startups to Ireland House. WayFounder also hosts a networking night featuring 18 emerging startups from the Republic of Korea.
Other side events target specific communities: a hardware happy hour for robotics and chip builders, an AI-focused rooftop party, a live automation dinner, and a pets-friendly mixer. SafetyWing hosts a happy hour for remote-work health coverage, and Descope and Skyflow gather security and identity professionals for an evening of conversation and ping pong.