Today at 9 a.m. ET, entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders from the startup community are convening at the SoWa Power Station in Boston for the TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026. This event is dedicated to exploring strategies, insights, and networking opportunities that empower startups to grow more efficiently and effectively. It is also the moment when ticket prices will rise to their full rates, with discounts and offers concluding as the doors open.
The agenda for today is filled with practical advice from seasoned founders, investors, and industry operators, covering topics from fundraising and achieving product-market fit to advancements in AI and enterprise development. Whether you are in the process of securing funding, refining your market entry strategy, validating your product’s market fit, or gearing up for your next growth phase, the Founder Summit promises actionable insights that can be implemented right away.
If you have not yet registered, there is still an opportunity to participate. Secure your pass to gain access to a full day of content focused on startups, insights from investors, networking with fellow founders, interactive roundtable discussions, and conversations that could significantly enhance your company’s growth trajectory. Register before 9 a.m. ET to save up to $100 on your pass, and receive a second pass at no additional cost.
Image Credits: Halo Creative
A full day of learning, networking, and inspiration awaits.
Registration and Expo Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
Participants can pick up their badges, connect with partners, and explore the Expo Hall throughout the day. The Expo Hall features exhibiting startups showcasing a variety of solutions designed to facilitate scaling.
Networking Lounge powered by Braindate: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Utilize the Braindate networking app to schedule one-on-one and small-group meetings with founders, investors, and startup operators. Some of the most valuable discussions often occur between sessions in the Networking Lounge.
Breakout sessions: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Prepare your questions for these expert-led panel discussions. Engage with leaders who have navigated the challenges of scaling, such as Steve Fredette from Toast, during an interactive AMA on building a sustainable company; Amulya Vishwanath from Techable Ventures as she delves into emerging AI opportunities; and more. Explore the complete agenda and plan your day accordingly.
Roundtable sessions: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
These highly interactive sessions provide a platform for deeper conversations. Led by experienced leaders in scaling, discussions will cover a range of topics including fundraising, launching, AI, and more. Review the full lineup on the agenda.
Register now to join the community of founders and venture capitalists in Boston.
Breakout sessions
Visit the Founder Summit agenda to familiarize yourself with each session and the speakers leading them.
Build Stage
The Next Startup Advantage: Distribution Beats Technology — Hunter Worland (NEA)
Fundraising Trends — Kristen Craft (Fidelity Private Shares), Jennifer Neundorfer (January Ventures), and Darren Ross (The.Team)
The Next AI Opportunity: What Hasn’t Been Built Yet? — Amulya Vishwanath (Techable Ventures)
Your Pitch Has to Earn the Next Conversation — Dave Balter (True Ventures / Edisyl)
So You Think You Can Pitch? — Dave Balter (True Ventures), Jonny Boyarsky (FirstGlance), Shruti Gupta (PollSee), Sunmin He (PitchIN), Chirag Shah (Define Ventures), Simran Suri (Maveron)
Image Credits: Halo Creative
Impact Stage
AMA with Toast Co-founder Steve Fredette — Steve Fredette (Toast)
When to Scale and When to Hit the Brakes — Rudina Seseri (Glasswing Ventures)
Finding Product Market Fit Before You Scale — Kent Bennett (Bessemer Venture Partners)
Enterprise Relationships — Kristen Craft (Fidelity Private Shares), Yossi Hayut (Wix Ventures), Evan Schnidman (Fidelity Labs), Jennifer van Dijk (Boston Legacy FC)
The Boston Founder Playbook — Chase Garbarino (HqO)
How to Spot the ‘King of the Hill’ Company: Hidden Signals That Define Category Winners — Tina Tosukhowong (TDK Ventures)
Register now to participate in these Q&A breakout sessions.
Roundtable sessions
These interactive sessions allow founders to engage directly with experienced investors, fellow entrepreneurs, and subject-matter experts. Space is limited, so secure your pass now to join these discussions.
Image Credits: Halo Creative / Flickr (opens in a new window)
Data Room Best Practices: Reducing Friction in Due Diligence
How to Build Events Strategy Before You Can Afford a Full-Time Events Team
Your First Vertical, and It Happens to Be the Hardest One
GraphRAG in Action: Stop Hallucinations with Knowledge Graphs
Brand Is Your Edge: How Lean Consumer Startups Build Brands That Last
Fundraising Best Practices: Making Financing Rounds Smarter, Faster, and Founder-Friendly
Build Something We Don’t Have a Word for Yet
Small but Mighty: How AI Lets Lean Teams Outship the Giants
What Counts as Traction Before You Raise?
Register now to join these interactive roundtables.
End the day with new connections
Closing Reception: 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Join fellow founders, investors, and startup leaders for drinks, refreshments, and discussions that could lead to future customers, partners, hires, or investors.
There is still time to participate in today’s Founder Summit. If you missed the early registration window, you can still engage with today’s programming. Register now to access expert-led sessions, founder roundtables, networking opportunities, and actionable growth strategies from some of the most experienced builders and investors in the startup ecosystem.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with the individuals and ideas shaping the next wave of startup success. Secure your pass now, join us at Boston’s SoWa Power Station, and immerse yourself in the founder-centric discussions and connections that facilitate startup scaling.
Image Credits: TechCrunch
