Google’s Robby Stein Joins TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Getting initial traction for a new product is difficult, but transforming an app used by billions is a completely different challenge. The goal remains to move quickly, test concepts, and improve the user experience. However, when every update impacts users worldwide, the strategies that worked during launch may no longer suffice.

This tension defines the Builders Stage session, “From MVP to Billions of Users: How Product Decisions Must Change at Scale,” a fireside chat at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Hosted by Robby Stein, Google Search’s vice president of product, the discussion examines how teams balance rapid innovation with reliability when their choices affect a global audience.

Image Credits:TechCrunch

TechCrunch Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco from October 13-15, hosting over 10,000 startups, investors, and tech leaders. Discover how product strategies shift as stakes rise by registering for your ticket now to save up to $200 before prices increase on September 25, 11:59 p.m. PT. Group passes for four or more attendees offer an additional 30% discount.

When your product outgrows your original playbook

How do you continue experimenting when users expect flawless performance? How do you introduce new features without alienating existing users? And which early-stage habits should you retain as your company scales?

Stein’s session addresses the transition from launching a minimum viable product to making high-stakes decisions within one of the world’s largest tech organizations. The conversation highlights what changes when maintaining user trust and delivering consistent experiences becomes critical.

For founders, the value lies not in replicating Google’s processes, but in understanding the reasoning behind them: identifying where speed offers an advantage, where caution is necessary, and when your development approach must evolve alongside your product.

Gain these insights from Stein, along with 250+ other speakers across 200+ sessions, by securing your pass. Register now to save up to $200 before prices increase on September 25, 11:59 p.m. PT.

A product leader who has built on both sides of the scale divide

Stein’s background extends beyond large tech corporations. He co-founded and led Stamped, a social recommendations startup acquired by Yahoo, and spent five years leading consumer products at Instagram. There, he helped scale the teams behind Stories, Feed, Direct Messaging, and Reels. Before rejoining Google in 2024, he served as head of product at Artifact, an AI-powered newsfeed.

This career path combines a founder’s mindset with the experience of managing widely used consumer products. For anyone navigating the transition from an early-stage product to a massive platform, it offers a unique perspective from someone who has operated successfully in both environments.

Register now to save up to $200 on your pass before prices rise on September 25 and secure your spot for this session at Disrupt in October.

Image Credits:Noam Galai / Getty Images

AI makes the challenge even more immediate

Today, Stein oversees generative AI products and experiences within Google Search. This role places him at the intersection of introducing cutting-edge technology and redefining how users discover information.

The scale is massive. In May, Google announced that AI Mode had surpassed 1 billion monthly users, just a year after its launch. Earlier this year, Stein detailed updates allowing users to transition from an AI Overview into follow-up conversations within AI Mode, creating a search experience that supports both quick answers and in-depth exploration.

This work provides a relevant context for the session’s core question: How do you advance a product without losing the qualities that make users rely on it? For founders integrating AI into their offerings, it offers a practical framework for looking beyond technical capabilities to consider actual user experience.

Register now to hear from a leader driving innovation in the tech sector, whose company serves over one billion users, and save up to $200 on your pass before September 25.

Learn how to build for the users you haven’t reached yet, only at Disrupt 2026

You don’t need a billion users for these questions to be relevant. Whether you are refining your initial product, expanding a growing platform, or reimagining an established experience, the next phase of growth is a reason to evaluate the decisions that brought you here.

Join the conversation at Disrupt, then continue the dialogue with founders, investors, and operators across six industry stages, roundtables, breakouts, the Expo Hall, Startup Battlefield, and numerous networking events.

Your product is evolving. Ensure your development strategy evolves with it. Secure your pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT to save up to $200. Groups of four or more receive an additional 30% discount.

Image Credits:Noam Galai / Getty Images