SAN FRANCISCO - If you're reading this on a screen, Science Corporation CEO Max Hodak would like you to know you're living in the past. Hodak has spent the last several months advancing a vision where humans stop poking at glass rectangles and start interfacing with machines directly through their brains - and he'll make that case at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.

At his "Beyond Screens" session on the Disrupt Stage, Hodak will argue that the next era of technology could be built on a different kind of interface, one that adapts to us through brain-computer interactions rather than the other way around. It's a bold pitch from a man whose career has essentially been one long running bet that the human-machine interface has plenty of room for improvement.

Hodak started programming at six years old, studied biomedical engineering at Duke Pratt School of Engineering, and worked his way into Miguel Nicolelis' brain-computer interface lab - interests that inform his work to this day. He originally co-founded Transcriptic, a robotic cloud laboratory for the life sciences. Most famously, he co-founded Neuralink in 2016 and served as its initial president, helping build the company that put brain implants into the public imagination. In 2021, he founded Science Corporation to develop advanced neural engineering and brain-computer interface technology, with a particular focus on aiding those who need help with vision, cognition, and mobility.

And it's not all speculation. Science Corp's PRIMA implant has already restored eyesight in people with severe vision loss, using a pair of glasses with a tiny camera that beams a captured scene onto a chip implanted in the retina. Since its founding, the company has raised $230 million in a Series C round at a $1.5 billion valuation. The company has also enlisted a top neurobiologist to lead the first U.S. human trials for its biohybrid brain-computer interface.

Hodak's ambitions go beyond interfaces. He sees additional applications of Science Corp's brain-implanted sensors helping heal damaged brain cells, warning about seizures, and maybe even helping treat conditions as severe as Parkinson's disease - which, if it pans out, would be a considerably better use of the technology than letting you check email with your thoughts.

Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco on October 13-15, bringing together more than 10,000 founders, investors, and startup community members across more than 250 sessions. This year's programming has a particular focus on building sustainable AI companies, with AI-centric sessions extending across six industry stages.

Secure your Disrupt pass today to save up to $200 on your ticket and hear one of Silicon Valley's most ambitious founders explore a post-screen future. Savings expire September 25, and groups can save up to 30% by registering together. Because nothing says "the screen era is ending" quite like buying a ticket on one.