Building with OpenAI: Hao Sang takes the stage at TechCrunch Sessions: AI to share what startups need to get right

Summary

There’s no shortage of APIs, models, or hype in the current AI ecosystem. But for early-stage founders, the real question is: How do I turn this firepower into a product that actually works…and sells? That’s where Hao Sang, from OpenAI’s Startups Go-to-Market team, comes in. At TechCrunch Sessions: AI next week — June 5 at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA — he’ll unpack what it takes to build a durable AI engine inside a startup, from early integrations to responsibly scaling on frontier models. Hao works directly with founders who are in the trenches, helping them translate foundational tech into practical value. At OpenAI, his focus is on more than just technical lift—he’s helping companies think through architecture, monetization, and product-market fit in a landscape where those things shift quickly. Before joining OpenAI, Hao helped fintech founders grow at Stripe and held early GTM roles at OpenPhone and Slack. That mix of deep tech and go-to-market fluency gives him a rare lens into what separates noise from traction. In his session, Hao will walk through patterns he’s seeing across top AI startups: where they’re finding leverage, how they’re thinking about cost vs. performance, and what mistakes tend to surface when teams move too fast without a strong technical or distribution base. Expect insights not just on how to use OpenAI’s platform, but on how to think critically about where AI belongs in your product stack in the first place. For founders, this is a chance to hear from someone who has visibility across the landscape—and the scars from advising real builders. His talk is especially timely as startups race to move beyond simple wrappers and into differentiated, agent-powered systems. This session is part of a packed day featuring leaders from Google Cloud, Anthropic, Cohere, OpenAI, and many more. We’ll dive deep into startup strategy, infrastructure, and next-gen tools that are actively reshaping how products are built and funded. Register now, save b...