TechCrunch was proud to host MongoDB at Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco. Here’s an overview of their Breakout session.
Gone are the days when business-first CEOs dominated early-stage ventures—today’s breakout startups are often shaped by engineering founders who take a hands-on, product-focused approach to solving complex problems. This panel of leaders from Factory, Fireworks, and Runlayer examined how technical skills are central to startup leadership, how to influence a company’s trajectory, and what capabilities founders should develop to position their startups—and themselves—for long-term success.
Presented by:
- Suraj Patel – VP Ventures and Corporate Development, MongoDB
- Andrew Berman – CEO, Runlayer
- Dima Dzhulgakov – Co-Founder, Fireworks AI
- Eno Reyes – CTO, Factory
