TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026: Everything you need to know  | TechCrunch

2026-11-04 · 00:00:00 · Boston

SoWa Power Station

550 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118

TechCrunch Founder Summit is a full-day Boston conference on November 4, 2026, offering tactical sessions on fundraising, AI-native development, and company scaling.

TechCrunch Founder Summit is a full-day gathering in Boston connecting founders across all stages with top VCs and experienced entrepreneurs. The agenda features tactical sessions on fundraising, AI-native building, leadership, and scaling, supplemented by breakout sessions and networking via the Braindate app.

Founder brief

Who should attend

Founders across any growth stage, particularly those building SaaS or AI-focused ventures, will benefit from operational advice. It is relevant for entrepreneurs looking to navigate venture capital relationships, early hiring, and product-market fit outside Silicon Valley.

What happens

Programmed stages cover tactical talks on cap tables, investor expectations, CEO leadership transitions, and AI infrastructure. Between these core sessions, attendees participate in breakout discussions and coordinate one-on-one meetings throughout the day using the Braindate platform.

Who's in the room

Entrepreneurs gather alongside venture capital partners from firms including Sequoia, Bessemer Venture Partners, NEA, Underscore, and TDK Ventures. Executives from companies such as HqO, 7AI, and Cogent Security share direct operational lessons from scaling their businesses.

How to prepare

Review the agenda beforehand to target specific talks on hiring, fundraising, or scaling that match your current operational hurdles. Set up your Braindate profile early to propose discussion topics and lock in targeted peer meetings before reaching SoWa Power Station.

Organizer: TechCrunch

Register

At a glance

Format
Full-day gathering featuring breakout sessions and networking via the Braindate app.
Stage
Any
Sectors
Saas, Ai ml
Ticket options
  • Investor — 399 USD
  • Founder — 199 USD
  • Students — 149 USD

Agenda

  1. The New Rules of Raising Capital — Breaking down what investors look for now and where founders lose leverage without realizing it.
  2. The CEO Job Never Gets Easier — On how the CEO role changes at each stage of growth.
  3. Built for AI From Day One — On what changes when AI is the foundation of a company rather than a bolt-on feature.
  4. Not Every Dollar Is Equal — On evaluating investors and cap-table trade-offs beyond valuation.
  5. How to Spot the ‘King of the Hill’ Company — Unpacking a framework for evaluating startups on economics, scalability, and timing.
  6. Your Company Is Who You Hire — On early hiring decisions that shape a startup’s culture and execution.
  7. The Boston Founder Playbook — On building a category-defining company outside Silicon Valley, having raised $200 million and scaled to 30+ countries.
  8. Finding Product Market Fit Before You Scale — On validating demand and avoiding scaling before the fundamentals are in place.

Speakers, judges and hosts

  • Brian Devaney — Partner, Underscore (Speaker)
  • Brian Halligan — Partner, Sequoia (Speaker)
  • Chase Garbarino — Co-founder and CEO, HqO (Speaker)
  • Dave Balter — Partner and CEO, Edisyl (Speaker)
  • Kent Bennett — Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners (Speaker)
  • Lior Div — Co-founder and CEO, 7AI (Speaker)
  • Melissa Taunton — Partner, NEA (Speaker)
  • Steve Fredette — Co-founder and Director, Toast (Speaker)
  • Tina Tosukhowong — Investment Director, TDK Ventures (Speaker)
  • Vineet Edupuganti — Co-founder and CEO, Cogent Security (Speaker)

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