Charles Hudson and Navin Chaddha join the Builders Stage at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch

More than 10,000 founders, investors, and tech insiders will convene at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27-29 for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — one of the year’s most anticipated tech conferences. 

Of the 250+ tech leaders taking the stage, don’t miss this standout panel on the Builders Stage featuring two of the most respected early-stage investors in venture: Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures and Navin Chaddha of Mayfield. Their session dives into one of the toughest moments in any startup’s journey: raising your first round when all you have is a vision.

Why join this conversation on the Builders Stage?

This honest and tactical conversation will cover what really matters when raising your first institutional check, from telling a compelling story to building trust without traction. Hudson and Chaddha will share the traits they consistently look for in zero-to-one founders, the red flags that raise eyebrows, and the most common mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make when fundraising.

Betting on people before the product

Pre-seed and seed fundraising often happens before there’s a product, user base, or traction. That means investors are betting on the founder, not the business. And few know how to make that call better than Hudson and Chaddha. Between them, they’ve backed hundreds of founders at the earliest stages, before the pitch decks were polished, before there were metrics to show, and often before a single line of code had shipped.

Charles Hudson, Managing Partner of Precursor Ventures, has invested in more than 400 companies and supported over 450 founders. He’s built his reputation on backing people with bold ideas and unique perspectives, saying recently, “The earlier you invest, the more important it is to believe in the founder’s narrative and ability to adapt. It’s not just about solving a problem — it’s about whether I believe you’re the one to do it.”

Navin Chaddha, Managing Partner at Mayfield, brings decades of experience identifying breakout founders and guiding companies to scale. With more than $120 billion in equity value created through his investments, Chaddha believes the earliest stages are when founder values matter most. “We invest in people first, markets second, and product third,” he’s said. “We look for founders who are mission-driven and wired for resilience.”

Actionable insights on raising your first round

Whether you’re currently raising or planning for the future, this session will equip you with real, actionable advice on navigating early venture with clarity and conviction. Don’t miss it live, in addition to 200+ sessions taking place across five industry stages. Register now to save up to $675 before prices increase after July!