On November 4, TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 takes place at SoWa Power Station in Boston.
Hosted by TechCrunch and Fidelity Private Shares, the event gathers founders, investors, and operators to discuss practical issues rather than just fundraising or artificial intelligence.
Panels cover finding customers, building teams, refining pitches, developing leadership skills, and scaling businesses beyond traditional startup hubs.
Tickets are available now with a 25% discount and a buy-one-get-one-free offer for colleagues.
Key speakers and sessions
Steve Fredette on reinventing Toast
Steve Fredette, president and co-founder of Toast, will speak at the Impact Stage.
He discusses “Building a Company That Keeps Reinventing Itself,” drawing on Toast’s journey from a startup to a public company.
The session examines how to evolve a business as customer needs and technology shift while maintaining the core value that started the company.
Kent Bennett on validating fit before growth
Kent Bennett, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, leads “Finding Product Market Fit Before You Scale.”
He focuses on whether customers actually signal readiness for expansion.
Founders will review signals that matter before hiring more staff or increasing marketing spend.
This approach counters the pressure to move fast by prioritising a solid foundation.
Rudina Seseri on the timing of expansion
Rudina Seseri, founder and managing partner of Glasswing Ventures, speaks on “When to Scale and When to Hit the Brakes.”
She explores how to distinguish between moments requiring acceleration and those needing restraint.
Knowing when to hold back is just as important as knowing when to push forward.
Lior Div on architecture and AI
Lior Div, CEO and co-founder of 7AI, addresses “Built for AI From Day One.”
He distinguishes between adding AI to existing processes and building a company around it from the start.
The conversation looks at how artificial intelligence should influence a company’s architecture and operating model rather than acting merely as a feature.
Chase Garbarino on the Boston ecosystem
Chase Garbarino, CEO and co-founder of HqO, presents “The Boston Founder Playbook.”
He examines building and scaling a company from Boston.
The session offers a relevant perspective on talent, customers, capital, and community outside the Bay Area.
Combined with Fredette’s Toast story, the Summit highlights that ambitious companies can be built in Boston without copying Silicon Valley.
Dave Balter on the pitch that earns a meeting
Dave Balter, venture partner at True Ventures and CEO of Edisyl, covers “Your Pitch Has to Earn the Next Conversation.”
He argues that a pitch does not need to close a deal, but must secure further dialogue.
The session reminds founders that knowing their business and telling its story are separate skills.
Later in the afternoon, attendees will watch this theory in practice.
Live pitching
The “So You Think You Can Pitch?” session takes place on the Build Stage.
Founders present their ideas to a panel of investors including Chirag Shah from Define Ventures and Simran Suri from Maveron.
Attendees watch how founders perform under time pressure and see real-time investor reactions.
This interactive element allows the audience to learn from successful pitches and those that fail to answer questions.
Other agenda highlights
Hunter Worland of NEA discusses why distribution may become a startup’s next competitive advantage.
Vineet Edupuganti, co-founder and CEO of Cogent Security, talks about building 10x teams.
Tina Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures examines hidden signals that identify category winners.
Fidelity Private Shares provides input on fundraising trends with Kristen Craft and enterprise relationships with Evan Schnidman.
The day focuses on building a company rather than just raising the next round of capital or chasing the latest AI trend.
Event details
The summit runs November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston.
The schedule includes candid conversations, practical sessions, smaller roundtables, live pitching, networking, and a closing reception presented by Fidelity Private Shares.
