AI has made building impressive prototypes trivial. Getting them into production is where most startups die. The gap between a lab demo and a reliable product is filled with manufacturing headaches, infrastructure bottlenecks, and the harsh reality of uncontrolled environments. This disconnect is the central theme of “From Prototype to Production: Can It Scale in Reality?” at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
The session, part of the Real World AI Stage, features three leaders who have successfully navigated this treacherous transition. John Mackey, CEO of MBRYONICS, will discuss scaling high-volume manufacturing for space-based optical communications. His experience highlights a critical shift: moving from specialized spinout to building the physical infrastructure behind next-generation space networks. Boris Sofman, co-founder of Bedrock Robotics and former Waymo leader, brings lessons from deploying autonomous systems that logged over 100 million driverless miles. He focuses on maintaining consistency and safety when vehicles leave controlled testing zones for real-world roads.
Adrian Macneil, co-founder of Foxglove and former Cruise infrastructure lead, addresses the invisible backbone of autonomy. His work on data platforms proves that production depends less on the algorithm and more on the engineering systems surrounding it. These distinct perspectives—from hardware manufacturing to vehicle deployment to data infrastructure—offer a rare comparative look at scaling. There is no single blueprint, but the common thread is clear: reliability becomes the product.
Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco from October 13–15, gathering over 10,000 founders and investors for 250+ sessions. Early bird tickets offer up to $200 in savings if purchased before September 25. For startups stuck in pilot purgatory, these insights might be the difference between a flashy demo and a sustainable business. The question isn’t whether your tech works; it’s whether it works when you aren’t watching.
