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Mirror founder Brynn Putnam to unveil her gaming hardware startup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

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Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.

Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.

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Mirror founder Brynn Putnam to unveil her gaming hardware startup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 TechCrunch Events AM PDT · August 27, 2025 Seven years after unveiling Mirror at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018, Brynn Putnam is returning to the stage where it all began. The serial entrepreneur who turned a fitness concept into a $500 million acquisition

Putnam’s path from that breakthrough Disrupt moment to today is a story of very smart timing. Mirror, the connected fitness device that brought boutique workout classes into homes, launched just as the pandemic created unprecedented demand for home fitness solutions. The timing proved so prescient that Lululemon acquired the company for $500 million just two years after its Disrupt debut.

Now Putnam is betting on another cultural shift — the growing desire to disconnect from screens and reconnect with family and friends in person. Her new company, still operating in stealth mode, is developing consumer gaming hardware designed to bring people face-to-face rather than isolate them behind individual devices.

“We’re about to enter a golden age of hardware,” Putnam recently told TechCrunch at one of its investor-focused StrictlyVC evenings, pointing to the convergence of mature display technologies, affordable components, and AI capabilities that make new types of interactive devices possible.

The new venture represents a shift in priorities for Putnam. Where Mirror was about individual performance and self-improvement, her latest project focuses on shared experiences and strengthening relationships. She describes it as using technology not as the primary experience but as an enabler for better human connections.

Drawing inspiration from Nintendo’s philosophy of using “withered technology with lateral thinking” — mature, affordable components combined with innovative experiences — Putnam is following the playbook that made Mirror successful. Rather than pushing technological boundaries, though, she’s focusing on creating compelling user experiences with proven hardware.

The gaming space represents a natural next step for Putnam, who built her reputation on understanding how tech can motivate behavior change. Her boutique fitness studios taught her how to create engaging group experiences, lessons she applied to Mirror’s virtual classes and now to gaming scenarios that encourage face-to-face interaction.

Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 REGISTER NOW Lerer Hippeau, the venture firm that led Mirror’s $3 million seed round, has already participated in a highly competitive funding round for Putnam’s new company, signaling strong investor confidence in her ability to identify and capitalize on consumer trends.

The timing also aligns with a broader resurgence in consumer hardware investing. After years of focus on enterprise software and AI infrastructure, investors are showing renewed interest in consumer-facing hardware that can leverage AI and mature component ecosystems to create new categories of devices.

Putnam’s appearance at Disrupt 2025 comes as TechCrunch celebrates its 20th anniversary, and attendees can be assured we’re bringing together the biggest names in tech to share insights on the future of innovation.

Meanwhile, for entrepreneurs and investors watching consumer tech trends, Putnam’s return to the Disrupt Stage will provide a chance to see how one of the category’s most successful recent founders is positioning for the next wave of innovation. Don’t miss it. Register now for Disrupt 2025 to see what Brynn Putnam unveils next.

The tech epicenter of the year runs October 27-29 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

For an Investor Pass that includes access to the StrictlyVC event at Disrupt — plus exclusive perks — click here to learn more and secure yours.

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TechCrunch Events View Bio October 27-29, 2025 San Francisco Put your brand in front of 10,000+ tech and VC leaders across all three days of Disrupt 2025. Amplify your reach, spark real connections, and lead the innovation charge. Secure your exhibit space before your competitor does.

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