Zoom’s Eric Yuan and Emergence’s Santi Subotovsky Set to Tackle the “Second Act” Challenge at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Building a breakout product is just the beginning. The real challenge? What comes next. This October, two industry heavyweights will address this critical question at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, as Zoom CEO Eric Yuan joins forces with Emergence Capital General Partner Santi Subotovsky to explore the complexities of sustained success in the tech world[1].

The Challenge of Avoiding One-Hit Wonder Status

Yuan and Subotovsky will take center stage at the inaugural Going Public Stage during TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco[1]. Their session, aptly titled “What Comes After Breakout Success?”, promises to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing today’s tech leaders: how to build companies that thrive long-term rather than flame out after their initial breakthrough[1].

The timing couldn’t be more relevant. Late-stage startups are navigating an increasingly brutal environment where traditional IPO windows have largely closed, forcing founders to completely rethink their growth and exit strategies[4]. This reality makes the insights from Yuan and Subotovsky particularly valuable for the 10,000+ startup and VC leaders expected to attend the conference[1].

A Partnership Forged Through Transformation

The relationship between Yuan and Subotovsky represents a perfect case study in successful scaling. Subotovsky led Emergence Capital’s investment in Zoom when it was still a relatively unknown startup, and he remains on the company’s board today as it maintains a $24 billion market cap[1]. This partnership has weathered one of the most dramatic growth stories in recent tech history.

Since founding Zoom in 2011, Yuan has guided the company through an extraordinary transformation – from startup to IPO in 2019, and then through the pandemic-driven hypergrowth that saw daily meeting participants explode from 10 million to over 300 million[4]. Today, he’s leading Zoom’s AI-first strategy to fundamentally transform how people work, communicate, and create[1].

Proven Track Records in Scaling Success

Eric Yuan’s Leadership Journey

Yuan brings unparalleled experience in navigating company transformations. His leadership has earned recognition on prestigious lists including the Bloomberg 50, Time’s 100 Most Influential People, and UC Today’s UC Leader of the Year[1]. Before Zoom, he served as VP of engineering at Cisco and was a founding engineer at Webex, accumulating more than 50 patents in real-time collaboration technology[1].

What makes Yuan’s perspective particularly compelling is his firsthand experience with the challenge his session will address. Zoom’s journey from a crowded video conferencing market to becoming synonymous with remote communication demonstrates exactly how companies can transcend their initial success to build lasting market leadership.

Santi Subotovsky’s Investment Expertise

On the investor side, Subotovsky brings equally impressive credentials. Since joining Emergence Capital in 2010, he has been instrumental in some of the firm’s most successful investments, including Chorus and Openpath, in addition to his early bet on Zoom[1]. His ability to spot breakout potential before it becomes obvious to the broader market has earned him recognition as a three-time member of the prestigious Midas List – one of only three Latin American VCs to achieve this distinction[1].

Subotovsky’s background also includes co-founding Puente Labs after moving from Argentina to the U.S., where he helped high-growth Latin American entrepreneurs expand internationally[1]. This experience provides him with unique insights into the challenges of scaling across markets and cultures.

The Second Act Playbook

The panel promises to deliver practical insights into the tough calls between focus and diversification that define successful second acts[1]. Attendees can expect deep dives into how great companies maintain their innovative edge while scaling, and what investors specifically look for when evaluating a company’s potential for sustained growth beyond their initial breakthrough.

The discussion will likely cover critical areas such as expanding into new markets, launching next-generation product bets, and maintaining company culture during periods of rapid growth. These topics are particularly relevant given the current market environment where companies must be more strategic than ever about their growth investments.

A Timely Conversation for Today’s Market

The session arrives at a crucial moment for the tech industry. With IPO activity having dropped 75% in 2022-2023 compared to the 2020-2021 peak, founders are being forced to think differently about building sustainable businesses rather than simply chasing the next funding round or exit opportunity[4].

Yuan and Subotovsky’s combined perspective – operator and investor – offers a comprehensive view of what it takes to build companies that don’t just survive their initial success, but use it as a foundation for even greater achievements. Their insights will be particularly valuable for founders across all stages of the journey, from early-stage entrepreneurs planning for scale to late-stage leaders navigating public market transitions[2].

As TechCrunch celebrates its 20th anniversary with Disrupt 2025, this session represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking content that has made the conference essential for anyone serious about building the next generation of transformative companies.

Original source: TechCrunch – Zoom’s Eric Yuan and Emergence’s Santi Subotovsky on navigating the second act, at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025